Residents of Florida Coast Increasingly Desperate for Food and Shelter

[LudwigPastorius]

Source: New York Times

A familiar tension of disasters is emerging throughout the Florida Panhandle: People are increasingly desperate for food, water and shelter, but a sprawling relief operation is confronted with challenging conditions that are delaying the delivery of help.

Emergency workers said they were struggling, two days after the storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, to create paths into the hardest-hit communities, limiting their ability to deliver millions of pounds of supplies that were stockpiled ahead of the destruction.

Beyond the formerly picturesque coastline, the Panhandle is a densely wooded region, and many roads are still blocked with debris. The Red Cross said that it had loaded some of its supplies onto National Guard trucks because the terrain was too difficult for some of the nonprofit’s own vehicles.


In April, FEMA said that residents of Puerto Rico should keep 10 days of supplies on hand. But for people in the continental United States, the government recommends a far smaller amount: enough food and water for three days or more. And as the weekend neared, it was becoming increasingly clear that many Panhandle residents were not only left without a habitable home but also without adequate stockpiles of food in the aftermath of the devastating storm.



Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/12/us/looting-stores-hurricane-michael.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Another campaign rally or photo op with Kanye should solve the problem!

[zipplewrath]

1. It may have been destroyed.

...enough food and water for three days or more. And as the weekend neared, it was becoming increasingly clear that many Panhandle residents were not only left without a habitable home but also without adequate stockpiles of food...

Even those that had stockpiled supplies, the extent of the damage may be such that it was lost or destroyed in the storm. It's probably time to start dropping in MRE's for people for a week or so.

[LudwigPastorius]

6. With thousands reported missing, I don't know why...

FEMA didn't request a thousand military helicopters on stand by.

They knew the topography of were that monster storm was headed, and what it was likely to do to the roads.

Heck of a job, Brockmann!

[Squinch]

2. Under Obama, govt people were bringing water and supplies to

Sandy-hit areas within 12 hours of the storm's end.

[virgogal]

10. Where?

[Squinch]

11. Staten Island for one. Hard hit Long Island towns for another.

[ChiTownDenny]

3. This devastation is very sad news.

Um, no doubt Trump will arrive on the scene with an ample supply of paper towels.

[workinclasszero]

4. Trump is on the way!

[LudwigPastorius]

7. Knowing Trump,...

he has probably ordered FEMA to do triage based on the party indicated on your voter registration.

[workinclasszero]

8. I wouldn't doubt that

[Kajun Gal]

26. Nah, he's probably golfing today.

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. ...to a MAGA rally in Cincinnati

[forgotmylogin]

23. "See, the panhandle is land, with water on one side..."

"Who knew it would be so hard to get relief to the panhandle? It's shaped like the handle of a pan. That's why they call it the panhandle, I just came up with that myself!"

[dbackjon]

5. Don't we own like tens of thousands of helicopters?

[BigmanPigman]

14. That's what I was thinking as well as ships.

They are directly on a coast so why don't they bring big ships in and use them? A giant red cross ship sat empty for weeks off of the Puerto Rican coast. What is going on with our rescues under the fucking moron? If people are unable to leave the area after surviving the hurricane are running out of supplies so put supplies on ships and drop them off on the land or bring the citizens to the ships to stay. Am I missing something here?

[GusBob]

16. The water is most likely not safe for navigation

Channel markers down, channels shifted, debris in water, no docks or ports to off load.

I get it: your neighbors house is on fire, but you dont crash the firetruck or ambulance into the house to rescue

[groundloop]

20. Sure, it'd be a challenge but I'm sure our Navy and Coast Guard could handle it

Send in small ships with bottom mapping capabilities (I can do this with my bass boat and fish finder, certainly our military is orders of magnitude better) to determine how close the big ships can come. Anchor the big ships at a safe distance and ferry supplies in with tenders and helicopters. Not at all difficult (IF you plan ahead).

[janterry]

28. The docks are also gone

I'm sure there's a way around that, too. But they are gone all up and down the coast (we have friends who lost theirs)

[Sgent]

32. There is no deep water harbor

in that portion of the panhandle, its all shallow beaches. The nearest harbor is about 50mi away -- Mobile, AL.

[BigmanPigman]

33. I wonder if a lot of smaller boats can come right up to the beach, drop off tons of food and water

and clean clothing and medical supplies for people who are stuck there. I heard about 300 people are in Mexico Beach who have been getting food from places that were destroyed by the storm like convenience stores. They are going to need supplies for months.

[Sgent]

34. The only realistic way

to do it via water is using a Marine LCAC, and I have no idea where they are in the world. Helicopter is probably the best way (out of Mobile) until they can get some roads open.

[duforsure]

12. While the grifter in chief

Pals around with famous people and plans his next golfing outing on taxpayers dimes. How many millions now has he spent of our money on golf outing or going to his resorts? And people are suffering on the coast down there. He'll again claim its the best in history response to a hurricane that no one has ever seen before, because it never happened. His claims are almost always BS,and more lying from him.

[Achilleaze]

13. Dirty Donny* (R) is too damn busy meeting with celebrity a-holes

to give a shit about US citizens.

[TexasBushwhacker]

15. Is Trump on his way with paper towels?

[groundloop]

21. Nope, he never repeats old stunts. First it was Play-Dough, then paper towels.... this time Crayons

[Doitnow]

17. Oh, haven't you heard? Trump will be right down there to help--throwing paper towels at all of you!

[NickB79]

18. When it happens to brown-skinned Puerto Ricans, it was ignored

Let's see how fast white people get a reaction.

[yardwork]

19. Trump's administration is so incompetent, they may not be able to help.

The intention to help Republican areas may be there, but I wonder if they are competent enough to handle it.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

22. I've got plenty of paper towels for them - Donald J Trump

[getagrip_already]

24. It really isn't that hard.....

They have 3 air force bases at ground zero. Even without those, c130's could be kicking supplies down to cut off areas, the army corp of engineers could establish landing zones, repair bridges, and roads in days.

But even that isn't needed. Road crews are working to remove trees and open roadways. Rail lines are intact.

It's just a simple matter of logistics. Of course, someone has to give a shit.

That's the problem. Civilian crews will eventually open the roads. It could be done faster with a federal effort though.

And the people who are suffering aren't white. Remember that. Road crews are prioritized by local gov't politicians, and they are driven by contributors more than voters.

Purging minorities is probably even a goal. Make life impossible for them and they will have to leave. They won't be able to vote, which solves two problems for scott and company. Actually 3. They can condemn a lot of minority property and seize it. Then it can be developed for respectable folk.

They don't want massive amounts of aid. They want the cover of fear and pain to get people out of the state.

[GulfCoast66]

25. Several things you say aren't accurate

Elgin military base is wrecked and unusable. The others would be no different than shipping in supplies from Tallahassee or Mobile.

Most of the small town residents are white. And are suffering. And will still vote republican. They are screwed. And make up a very small percentage of Florida voters. As long as Scott keeps running around talking on the TV, which can’t be seen by those suffering, about all he is doing it works for him.

[getagrip_already]

27. not really...

I said even without the bases they could open the roads very quickly.

And a lot of the people suffering are both white and non-white alike. But the priorities are to the white communities.

Hey boss, where should we go today?

It's that simple. Help the whites, ignore the people of color. It's what they do.

Btw, I'm a 60 y.o. white guy. I have no reason to make this up.

[GulfCoast66]

29. I'm a 52 year old white guy.

Raised on the gulf coast and planning to retire to one of the hard hit towns. Own a lot there.

The political leaders in that town are African American. Hardly think they are steering aid to their white residents.

The fact is these are isolated communities are often reachable by only one highway. Many of which are blocked or even destroyed.

Suffering is equally bad for all. But since the minority community has way less resources they often suffer worse.

The men and women working to help people there, some of whom I know, are trying to help all people.

Not everything is a conspiracy.

[rwsanders]

30. It may not be a conspiracy, but the disaster planning in this country is, well a disaster.

That was my job for about 15 years in the USCG as a reservist. It is sad that very little has changed since Katrina.
Conspiracy stuff aside, there should be plenty of food and aid available by now.

[GulfCoast66]

31. Well now, there we agree

Under republican governance, there is never good planning for the average person. Even less for the poor. And African Americans bear the brunt even before institutional racism is factored in.

The eastern gulf coast is poorly served because they are poor. Blacks and whites both.

But there are some really good people there. It breaks my heart to see a part of the country I love so much suffering as they are. Often now in wrecked mobile homes with few resources of their own.