Update to a New Perspective

As transmitted by telephone 9/7

I am assigned to a shelter at a Baptist church school that currently houses 75 refugees but will eventually house 300 - 400. Chinook helicopters are landing on the football field and bringing in all of their supplies at this point. The power is back on, so there is electricity and air conditioning. The people from the church have been great, helping with cooking, laundry, logistics and supplies. Staff are staying in classrooms on cots - about 5 to a small room, more in larger classrooms.

In another shelter, a navy crew comes in from a destroyer and cooks 3 great meals every day.

Common sights: caravans of 50+ police cars, convoys of supply trucks, hundreds of bucket trucks working on power lines and cutting down trees, power boats and canoes hanging from trees. Power crews are working 24 hours a day and every night there are more lights on. Some gas stations and stores are opening, but everyone from the local area that is being served at the shelter is homeless as the water was 30 feet high in their area. It is estimated that 75% of the teachers from this school district are homeless.

Now that shelters are up and running, volunteers are doing more outreach, driving through neighborhoods to check if people need food or medical care. They also brought food to a local fire station where people who are still in their homes come for food and supplies.

There are people who are saying that they are done with hurricanes and plan to move out away as soon as they can, but there are also those who have no interest in leaving.


Mark