October 10, 2005

Greetings to all:

I continue to reestablish myself back in Lancaster after my Katrina Red Cross experience.
Today, the Lancaster New Era reporter Cindy Stauffer published a nice story about my experience and the stories of the folks in Mississippi.

It occured to me that I should offer some thanks to all those that supported my efforts during my stay in Mississippi.

- My wife Barb, as she always is, was a wonderful supporter of my efforts. From that initial encouragement, her patience in being a single parent for those three weeks, her ability to share my stories with all of you have been wonderful.
- My kids, Mike, Kelly, Katy and James were great supporters. Thanks to Mike for putting together the "Bob on the Gulf" blog, the girls for worrying about their Dad and James for holding the fort down with Mom. You're all great kids!
- The physicians of Lancaster Radiology Associates have been very generous with my time. They are great employers. Their support of this mission and their words of encouragement have meant a lot in my pursuit of the mission. Thanks to all, I was proud to represent LRA.
- All my family, friends and associates who have been so encouraging of the relief mission and so interested in the stories since I have returned. Thanks so much for the calls and emails. They have really meant so much to me to see the concern you all share.

More to come....

Bob
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Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Greetings to all:

After much consternation, I decided to end my stay in Mississippi one day earlier than planned. Big deal.

This past week has been somewhat frustrating as the Red Cross work of bulk distribution and mass feeding has really slowed down. That's a good thing. The stores are open, the residents are going back to work and life is a little closer to normal which means there is less need for the street to street distribution of food. In fact, RC is closing that phase of the recovery and will be focusing on providing support at numerous service centers throughout the area. The service centers were developed mainly to have a place for the residents to sign up for the RC emergency financial assistance. Normally, there are 1,000 checks given out per day at these centers where there is also health care and mental health counselors.

I "outprocessed" yesterday with RC. That is the word RC uses for checking out. It was uneventful. I then went back to the naval base and packed to go home. I left most of the hand sanitizer and other comfort items at the "Leave One Pick One" table. I enjoyed chatting with several of the American Indians who were waiting to head to Texas for Hurricane Rita clean-up. They provide forestry services. There were Native Americans from all the major tribes, Navajo, Commanche, Apache, Chocktaw. With the number of Mississippi residents that will be misplaced by Hurricane Katrina I couldn't help but think about how the ancestors of these Indians were moved. It is clear that most of those who we have talked to who have lost their homes from the storm don't want to move to another area. Let's hope that FEMA and the local governments can accomplish that.

So here I am at home again in Lancaster. It feels great to sit in a comfortable chair. The flight home was uneventful with many RC volunteers blending in again with the business and personal travelers. Our mission accomplished. For the first time in several weeks we didn't have to where our ID badges, however, we exchanged hellos in the airport sharing our experiences and having the satisfaction for a job well done.

I will be getting pictures developed and posting them on the blog. I also feel a real need to have some time to process this experience. I dn't know quite what to think at this point.

Stand by for more news....

Bob

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Good morning all:

Well Mississippi has weathered the effects of the brush with Hurricane Rita. There was a lot of anxiety as we listened to weather updates on our weather band radio in the truck. Fortunately, the storm proved not as serious. We had some pretty severe rains and some gusty winds with tornado watches and warnings.

All told, it created confusion among the RC planners. Our service centers where people line up for hours to get their RC financial assistance were closed down. The volunteers hung out at the Naval Base. We were asked to join a group of volunteers to go to Gulfport Memorial Hospital and enroll the inpatients in the RC Financial Assistance program. That was rewarding as we talked about the hurricane experience with these really ill people. They are now registered to get their $360 per person assistance.

Our Saturday ended as we had to go to the warehouse and get loaded to deliver drinks, etc. to the service center on Sunday. However, that changed by 9 pm as there is doubt the service centers will open. This is a little flavor of how erratic things are down here.
The weather both hot and the storm haven't helped the situation.

Some observations:

- The Service Centers were set up to house the financial assistance teams who manually write checks (circa, 1962) and other teams like family service and the health care teams. People b egin to line up the night before to be one of the 1,000 per day that get a check. The heat is terrible and RC provides all kinds of drinks and snacks. I've been amused and trying not to get cynical of the folks who show in their new SUV's, get their check, and then want a free case of Gatorade. I believe I suggested to a woman that she should use some of her new found money to go to the local store and help the economy.

- This brings up today's question: You've lost everything and your family of 5 gets a check from RC for $1,565. What would you spend it on?

- The stories of suffering continue down here. There are an estimated 70,000 homes that will be condemned. Many still have people trying to live in them. Let's hope our Federal and State governments will put aside politics and really get a good redevelopment plan for this entire area. This needs a Depression era focus, like a WPA or CCC.

- Bob and I drove past one of the Mt. Trashmores that are growing in the area. The counties are beginning the task of picking up the household piles and then bringing it to various sites. The Sunday paper noted that 200,000 cubic yards are being moved daily and there is an estimated 5.8 million cubic yards to move. That doesn't include the homes that will be demolished in Mississippi.

- Another note to well-intnetioned Yankee church groups. Thanks but no thanks for the clothes. I watched a tractor trailer full of clothes get thrown into the dumpster on Friday. The piles in shopping centers are really looking bad after this weekend's rains. Send money to buy products. Or prayers.

- I helped this woman complete a form for financial assistance yesterday in the hospital. Actually, I helped her ex husband comcplete the form. He's been helping her. They've been divorced for 20 years but no is available to assist her. She has pneumonia, one leg and bad kidneys. He was living in a trailer on her property but that blew away. What a great guy.
He told me his daughter has bee boxes and he prayed to God that he protect the bees during the hurricane. The only thing left in the yard were the bee boxes. He prayed for me yesterday.

Wednesday couldn't come soon enough. The 3 weeks really gets long and we seek some good humor to get us through. The cot, portopotties, lining up for food (although good!) is getting old. Tonight is prime rib night!

Take care all.

Bob

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Good Morning all:

Today finds Bob and I starting out making a bulk delivery to a shelter that opened two days ago. Typical shelter stuff, water, gatorade and some styrofoam supplies. It is located a county skate park skating rink. About 100 people are there. These really are the poorest of people. It seemed like a very sad place. The men that were there seemed especially depressed while the women focused on their kids. A brother and sister helped the men unload the truck. Cute kids but really need some focus. The boy, a sixth grader, told me school "sucked". Well nothing has changed since the hurricane.

Speaking of hurricanes the volunteers are starting to get a little jumpy about TS Rita that is expected to get into the Gulf tomorrow. This is eerily similar to Katrina's track. We will keep a watchful eye, however, we are not sure that the RC leaders really have a plan.

Plan is not a word that is used very readily here. My mother always said if you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything.

As a followup, no condoms have arrived on the loading dock.

Record heat down here! 95 degree +.

A bunch of volunteers went to Hooters last evening to watch the game and have a beer. Nice to get away. I can't say the conditions are extreme anymore.

Take care.

Bob

Monday, September 19, 2005

Good Morning:

I have seemed to hit a wall today with activity. Had a miserable night last evening, too hot to sleep. The last two nights I've had to change sheets in the middle of the night because I'm sweating in bed. I thought it was a little better last evening but to no avail. That leads to my rash which is really irritating. Took a Benedryl last night to relieve the itch. Time for medicated powder and ac.

So today, I've decided to spend in the air conditioning of headquarters and take a break from the 90+ heat and humidity.

I really don't know what I'll be assigned today so I'll snoop around here with the paper shufflers and find something interesting to do.

Yesterday was another interesting day. Bob and I started out by stopping at the Hampton Inn in the morning and sitting in their air conditioned lobby and reading the Sunday paper. A great pleasure. All the hotels are booked here through the end of the year. Solid.

A few gentlemen arrived in the lobby and set up an impromptu meeting. They were from FEMA and were reviewing a report by two men who had completed the wind damage survey of the area. They were establishing the official wind estimates from the hurricane. It was there belief based on the damage data that the winds were not quite as strong as originally projected. This was all data driven and will eventually be the basis for new building codes, etc. Bob and I moved over and kind of joined the discussion. They were interested in what we had observed last weekend. I told them about the lady in Biloxi who stayed through both Camille and Katrina.
She said in Camille the rockers inside the house were rocking during the storm from the wind coming through the window. Not this time. Therefore, the wind wasn't as strong. That's the kind of information they are looking for.

They showed us the surge map was 25 -30 feet of surge some 5 miles from the beach.

We then went down to Biloxi and found more streets with homes where there has been little assistance. We dropped off food and other needed supplies. In roaming the neighborhood we experienced a drop off in need. It seems that many of the initial critical needs have been met. I also saw many more smaller religious groups coming into the area to look at longer term needs.

These groups, many fundamentalist based, are intent. I had a discussion at dinner the other evening with a guy and his wife from Williamsburg, VA. He was with a Christian organization whose name escapes me. He really believes that this cataclysmic storm is God's way of ultimately breaking the generations of welfare cycle. Their intent here is to identify families to place back in better areas of the country and retrain them and make them productive citizens.

You know, I don't believe my God sits and plans disasters as a way of achieving some political or social agenda. Nor do I believe my God wants me to think this way.

The yellow shirted Scientology Ministers also arrived enmass. There theme is "Because something can be done about it". Bob and I are having fun figuring out what 'it' is. I don't believe that 'it' is the Hurricane itself. However, we are doing something about rebuilding people's lives. Maybe that's it. Anyway, I think they ultimately want money from folks to discover what it is. When we find 'it' I guess we'll know what 'it' is and Bob and I will report back.

What I know is that 'it' is part of shit and there is a growing amount of that in souther Mississippi.

So we roamed the neighborhoods of Biloxi and continue to meet wonderful people. It is obvious that some of the drug folks are moving back in. You can see that element right away which is unfortunate.

We met the new pastor of St. Johns RC Church. Father Steve Wilson, a Redemptorist priest, from Chicago who starts his new assignment on October 1. He and the church secretary were there trying to clean. The inside of this small Catholic church was wiped out from 10 ft. of water. A lot of mold in there, I gave Father Steve some masks to wear. They were finding the church's Stations of the Cross throughout the neighborhood from the flood.

They'll recover. Fr. Steve and I were laughing that with the casinos shut down for nearly a year it may be time to rekindle their weekly bingo night.

Well, I'll see what I can do in terms of light duty today. Have some good leads. Probably drive volunteers around. Free agency is nice every once in a while.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Good Morning all:

I'm sitting in the emergency operations center at the Navy Seabee base publishing this current addition. Some nice Navy officer allowed me to use his personal laptop.

The volunteers look tired this morning as we head out into the 90 degree heat. I'd really like to find a motel room with a/c and a tv to watch football games today. This should be an interesting day as there will be a new management crew at the warehouse. The previous manager has headed home to his business. He was a great guy, really new how to organize and run a distribution center and generally ignored the RC HQ staff. We understand the new manager is a 'buy the RC Book' guy which means we'll have a melt down.

Late yesterday I called back to the warehouse and asked that a truck be sent to meet Bob and I in Biloxi with a load of cots. We really got the runaround and it's a long story. A lot of tempers flared, but in the end we got the cots. The folks are Magnolia Street were ecstatic! Hugs for Bob and I and they all blessed us.

Today's moral dilemna is: Are we giving these folks false hopes that they will be able to maintain their life at their property. The homes sustained 6 - 10 ft. of flood waters. They are attempting to clean the mold, however, few are doing it correctly. The salt water from the flood most probably has corroded the wiring under the homes which means there is a pretty high risk of electrical fire. As we continue to provide immediate food, shelter and other items I'm concerned that very soon the city of Biloxi will begin the condemnation process as in New Orleans. Then we'll have even more refugees. These are 3-4 generation families, they don't 'want to move but may have no choice.

False hopes are not a good game to play.

Bob and I are off to play new tricks on the new boss. Should be fun. We've enlisted many truck drivers. For instance, today I identified condoms as a real need and will put it on our request form. We've handed out all these cots and, well, you know what happens.

Have a great day.

Bob

September 15,l 2005. Mom's Birthday. Today is for her.

Back on the truck this morning with more cots and goods for the folks in Biloxi. Met some very interesting people today.

One was A.J. Stanovich and his wife. 76 years old, he grew up in where he currently lives in a nice brick ranch. They are living in a rental right now but had all his stuff out on the lawn to dry including hundreds of boy scout patches. He's been a scout volunteer for 50 years. Very proud man. He's also a Rotarian, Biloxi Club. Invited me to their meeting on Tuesday noon if the restaurant is open.

Also met a woman who survived Hurrican Camille and Katrina buy moving, swimming to the same 2 story home. Amazing. Her father took her hand during Camille and She and her husband took the family including grandchildren during Katrine. Survivor stories.

The highlight at the end of the day was delivering rice to the Chua Van Duc Buddhist Temple in Biloxi. Large Vietnamese population down there. Met Mr. Le who is the president of the temple. He was amazing. A South Viet Nam Air Force pilot who was held captive by the communists for 6 years. Then emigrated to USA in 1981. Has 7 children and 5 are medical doctors.

The whole place was full of enthusiastic vietnamese helping each other out. Their neighborhood was demolished. He took us into the temple and showed us how he an 50 others climbed up into the ceiling rafters through a crawlspace to escape the 10' rising waters.

A young vietnamese nurse told us that Mr. Le's generation views this physical type damage as something they can get over. They always revert back to the war st0ries which were much more traumatic for them.

They'll get through this.

Some observations:

Saw birds for the first time today. They're back which means the bugs are returning.
Some volunteers are getting bacterial infections. Too much ugly water and mold. Not a good place if you have asthma.

The dead continue to be found daily. Look for a large count. Much more than what is published.

Thanks for all your kind words and prayers. We're doing well.

Bob

Posting for 9/14/05.

I haven't been able to get to a computer until this morning.

It's very hot here.
Bob and I continue to Biloxi each day with plenty of cots, blankets, bleach and other supplies.

The piles of household trash are mounting daily. You can see the mold growing on them. However, the folks want to stay in their homes or in their yards.

Yesterday I worked at the warehouse assisting in the truck loading. This is an 80,000 square ft. facility which in the number one distribution facility in the system. Over 120 trucks are loaded each day to take to the area. Really fascinating working in logistics. Some of the volunteers are real pros. The center is being managed by two British chaps who are experts in disaster logistics. They've been to all these world disasters, including Africa, Tsunami, etc.

A difference between US effort and international is that the US RC accepts all donations so there is little uniformity in goods distrib uted. The Intnl. only accepts cash and buys uniform goods to distribute.

The British fellow noted the spirit of American volunteers. He said it was amazing in spite of the managers tripping over each other.

It was terribly hot standing and working with the truck drivers. A lot of water was needed.

At days end, Bob and I found a laundromat and dropped off our clothes to pick up tomorrow. $9.00 amazing service. We found out the guy that owned the laundry needed water at home.

We'll take him a pallet tomorrow.

Later.

Bob