[OT] Hurricane Isabelle, in our area.

[Guest]

I hope Frank that I can put this here. These pictures speak for themselves. This is only one part of the area, that was effected by the hurricane. Hatteras, Ocracoke, and across the Pamlico Sound, in the Hyde Country, Pamlico County area, on up toward the Virgina border, the infrastructure is gone. It will take years for the rebuilding of these communities.

Many of these pictures were shot by many of the teachers, and students, living in our area, and submitted to the website. We have been in the Cedar Island area, with our local high school band members, giving of their time, to clean up this mess.

If you have never smelled marsh mud, in house carpets, and insulation, travel to this area. So much is destroyed , more than furniture. But this is just part of it.

We have in our area, the Salvation Army, from New York and Florida, serving three meals a day, tirelessly. The next time you see or hear the kettles and the ringers, at Christmas time, pitch in an extra coin or dollar bill. These people work around the year, helping people, with nothing asked in return.

http://www.carteretcountyschools.org/aes/isabel/isabelsriver.htm

[capt jake]

Oohh!! Ouch!!! Mike, I hope all is well you you and yours. I saw that Tom is digging out also.. I know that Graham is in a very low lying area, I hope he is doing well also!

[TexasPhil]

She was quite a storm! I wish you well while you dig out! I have to say that I am quite glad that she slowed down before hitting land. It could have been much worse!

[Charlie Jones]

Good to hear from you Mike. Those pics are terrible. We're so fortunate to have not had the flooding during Claudette. That made your nasty lady SO much worse.

On the Salvation Army- They were in here by the next morning serving breakfasts, and stayed putting out 3 meals a day until the power was back on and people quit needing them. Laura and I ate with them once when we were just exhausted from clean up.

The Red Cross put out on the TV that they were down helping, but strangely we NEVER saw a truck from them until 4 days later after an officer at our fire station called them a liar for saying they were doing things they weren't- the next day they showed up. They had been claiming to have brought cots and blankets, but none ever arrived.

Salvation Army gets OUR donations from here on in for sure.

[Frank Hagan]

Charlie, you're not the first person I've heard tell the same kind of tale about the Red Cross. They are always out front on the publicity, but often very slow to actually spend money for the people affected. The Salvation Army tends to help first, and then work out publicity matters later. They get my donations as well, for that very reason.

The pic of the ruined belongings with the name and address on them are for the insurance adjusters, I guess. It brings the devastation home when you see just how much is destroyed by the flooding. Even those that didn't have their homes destroyed like those on the outer banks did have a lot of loss. And some of that is not easy to replace ... like family photos, videos, etc.

[Guest]

What happens when the belongings and white goods, the appliances as it is called, gets salt water in them, from the flooding of the houses, is trashed, the interior floors, carpets, vinyl, sheetrock, if it is in the houses, the insulation, and the wiring is no good. The marsh mud, and sewer water, that has worked its way out of the septic tanks, is carried into the homes, and even when they are left standing, most homes are bulldozed down. If not, the houses, depending on the exterior coatings, is stripped to the studs, and redone.

Many have been jacked up since Dennis and Floyd, that received damage, but the area from Beaufort east, didn't receive funding, for many politcal reasons, which I won't go into it here. There were only two areas that were priority red after the storms of 1999. Needless to say, this was being discussed yesterday, at great length, and will be talked about this week. The names are placed on the belongings to identify for Fema and insurance companies, when these people have been placed on the list by adjusters.

I am truely sorry to say, the Red Cross, gets a black eye from us here, if we could get close enough to them, most of the time.

As far as Hatteras and Ocracoke, there hasn't been a storm hard enough, to suit my and some others satisfaction, for that area, yet. Man, and people that have no business there, except for second homes, have created the 75 to 80 percent of the damges suffered on the banks this time. When there was the true natives there, sand dunes and the grass keep storm damges to a minimum, most was dealt with in a few short months after the fact. But that is another issue left alone, at this time.

[Charlie Jones]

Sadly, it's pretty much the same all over Mike. We're in battles here to keep houses from being built ( gated community and resort) on one of the last open sections of beach on Galveston Island (in direct violation of the Texas Open Beaches act, I might add).. Several places further south have now got houses sitting on public beach and dunes- they're talking of "moving the line" so they won't have to be condemmed.

At least we've got Matagorda Island. It's now a state park and federal wildlife management area. Part of the area where the Whooping Cranes winter. THAT"LL stop encroaching civilization thanks goodness. No cars on the island except for park service vehicles. Strictly primitive camping on beach and bay side.

Seems like every where money talks and the rest of us get screwed. One day people will learn (MAYBE) that money isn't every thing- we DO need those wild areas, if for nothing else than to protect the interior parts.

Probably won't happen in my lifetime

[Guest]

There are some issues that many may not be aware of, that live around water, or maybe considering a move, in the future. Fema only deals with structure damages and safety issues, when ruling on a house. Many of these homes are older than 20 years old. Many insurance companies will not write new policies that cover contents or damges by wind and hail, or water flooding. This is done by co-ops, formed by states in most southern areas of the country.

Fire insurance is about all that most of the watermans homes, with any age carry on them, especially if there is no mortage on them. So read the fine print, of your policy, or ask your agent, concerning this issues. One more thing, some policies will pay for content replacements, in this natural disasters, only after you have laid out your funds to purchase new items, and provided receipts.

[TexasPhil]

Yet another insurance industry that is corrupt!

Oyster... have the birds come back yet? When did they return?

[Johannah]

Thanks for the update, Mike. It's good to hear that the High School kids are pitching in, a real "teachable moment" for youth, both in caring about others and in observing the consequences of human/low country planning. We had sent off a contrib. to the Red Cross and I'm sorry to hear the poor report of their work. What organizations are doing the best work locally? Sometimes we have directed relief contribs to Church World Service who are good at forwarding them to local groups who know what they're doing.