Warning Letter to Harvey and Irma Survivors from Katrina Survivor
Warning Letter to Harvey and Irma Survivors from Katrina Survivor
Above all, watch out for one another and care for one another
by
Bill Quigley
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Based on the experiences of those who lived through Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, Quigley offers victims of the latest mega-storms some warnings as they start to rebuild. (Photo: Flickr/Texas Military Department/CC)
Dear Fellow Hurricane Survivors:
Our hearts go out to you as you try to return to and fix your homes and lives. Based on our experiences, here are a few things you should watch out for as you rebuild your communities.
One. Rents are going to skyrocket and waves of evictions are likely. With so many houses damaged and so many highly paid contractors coming into your region whose companies will pay anything to house them, landlords are going to start evicting people to make way for higher paying occupants. Work with local organizations to enact a moratorium on evictions and a freeze on rents to allow working and low income people to come home and have a place to stay.
Two. Rip off contractors and vulture businesses are probably already on the scene. Don’t give money to anyone unless you know and trust them and do not pay for everything in advance!
Three. Take pictures of everything that was damaged and hold onto all receipts for all your disaster expenses. Get a special binder and keep all your papers in it. Sadly, the process of getting assistance is going to last for years for many people and you will need to prove what damage you.
Four. Right after a disaster there is an outpouring of compassion, support and solidarity. Take what you need for your community.But realize the window of compassion and support shuts much quicker than it should. Then people will start blaming the victims.
Five. Insist on transparency, accountability and participation in all public and private funding sources for disaster relief. The government is yours and ours. We need them in times of disaster but they can also be the biggest obstacle to a just recovery. Demand they tell the public what is going on and consult with all parts of our communities, not just the rich and well connected usual suspects. Same problems arise when dealing with the private relief organizations from the biggest private disaster relief organization to many other smaller groups.
Six. Insist on telling your own story. Your truth is a jewel that shines brightest in your own hands. If you are going to work with journalists or others make sure the real truth is told, not just the sensational or heart rending stories of poor, powerless victims. You may have been victimized by the hurricane but you are a powerful survivor!
Seven. Unless you are rich enough to try to go this alone, you have to join together with others to make your voice heard. Many voices together are loud enough to force those in power to listen. Groups of people are far more effective than individual voices. Neighborhood organizations, church organizations, community organizations, join and work with others!
Eight. Work in statewide coalitions. Statewide coalitions are very important because many disaster relief decisions are made on the state level. You have to be able to influence those decisions.
Nine. Identify members of Congress who you can work with. Many decisions are being made on the federal level. You have to make sure your voice is heard. After Katrina, the best voice for poor people in New Orleans was Congresswoman Maxine Waters from California! Now well known nationally as Superwoman, she was terrific advocate for and with us.
Ten. Prioritize the voices of women. Men push to the front when the cameras are on and when the resources are being handed out. But in the long run, it is usually the women who are the most reliable family anchors.
Eleven. Don’t allow those in power to forget about the people whose voices are never heard. People in nursing homes, people in hospitals, the elderly, the disabled, children, the working poor, renters, people of color, immigrants and prisoners. There is no need to be a voice for the voiceless, because all these people have voices, they are just not listened to. Help lift their voices and their stories up because the voices of business and industry and people with money and connections will do just fine. It is our other sisters and brothers who are always pushed to the back of the line. Stand with them as they struggle to reclaim their rightful place.
Twelve. Realize that you have human rights to return to your community and to be made whole. Protect your human rights and the human rights of others.
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https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/09/13/warning-letter-harvey-and-irma-survivors-katrina-survivor
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I cannot believe the number of people who ignored the waste management orders and are stacking yard debris in the street instead of on the edge of their yards. Why? They know darned well it is going to be weeks (it was over a month after Matthew last year for me) before the stacks of branches are all carted off. They don't want to kill that precious section of grass that would be under the mound of tree branches. Instead they'd prefer to turn neighborhoods into dangerous obstacle courses. So pissed off by that this morning. Stupid and selfish and unnecessary. The dead grass would be green again in no time.
People are helping one another in wonderful ways. But we're also getting quite grumpy without power. Guilty! 87 hours without A/C in 90+ degree heat is more than a mild discomfort. And the hourly FPL updates today have shown an increase in outages in the county, not a decrease. 6,760 MORE customers without power at 1:00 p.m. than at 9:00 a.m. today. Finally saw a status update posted to my auto-ticket and the estimate is currently restoration of power to my home on Sunday by 11:45 p.m.
I have to sing the praises of my homeowners insurance company. While my husband was still on the phone with them this morning, USAA deposited money into our checking account specifically designated to replace our food. Trash pickup is tomorrow so this afternoon we're cleaning out the freezer and refrigerator. Anyone with a hazmat suit I can borrow for the task? 
On a completely unrelated note, I am thoroughly enjoying listening to Secretary Clinton's book. Damn I want to give the woman a hug and split a bottle of chardonnay.
out-of-state roofing contractors came by the truckload. Many would promise, "We'll put you at the head of the list if you pay the total amount in cash". 
DO NOT FALL FOR THAT! They might pull out some bogus "list", a yard long, and they will place your name at the head of the list, but they'll do the same thing to the next person they try to fleece. Some of these people will never be seen again.
Natural disasters bring out the best in some people, and the absolute worst in others. Be extremely careful when selecting any contractors, and never pay everything up front, especially in cash! Hire someone you know, has a good local reputation, or one that comes highly recommended by several friendly sources.
None of this information is first hand, I hadn't yet retired and moved to Florida yet, but I've gleaned this information from several different sources, one of which actually fell for this line, and lost over $12,000 in the process. People will do things they ordinarily wouldn't do in times of great stress.
