Storm Preparation

Here I am at the mall, discussing strom preparations with citizens of Lake Charles. The hurricane season is only 3 months away!

Hurricane Rita Commemoration

In case you are not aware, March 24 marks 6 months since Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast. We in FEMA are still here. This picture of the damage to Holly Beach still looks the same today! Over 150 people still cannot leave hotel rooms in southwest Louisiana. Over 6000 travel trailers have been placed of a total of 10000.
Remember us all in your prayers. 

Picture of Rita Damage

Here is a picture of the damage caused in Cameron Parish by Hurricane Rita. People are just now starting to return to this Parish!
We're still here working with the evacuees to obtain housing so they can get their lives back to normal. 

Hurricane Rita Update

I have not been in contact with all you since last year and thought that you may be interested in some of the activities that are ongoing here in the state of Louisiana.

Five months since Rita hit this area, we in FEMA are still working to bring life back to normal. We came to this area within weeks after this storm and immediately were tasked with finding people who were still around, or had just returned from the evacuation, to pass out information on obtaining FEMA assistance. We also met with many elderly residents who had no idea what to do or where to turn. In many instances, we were able to direct them to shelters or some of the few agencies that were up and running (such as the fire department) for assistance.

We set up mobile disaster recovery centers, which traveled around the state to allow victims (especially the elderly) to review and adjust their FEMA claims close to their homes. This allowed the infirm and disabled people, who may not have been able to visit a fixed location, an opportunity to review their claims.

As time went on, we visited more homes and advised the victims (in many cases elderly people) of the potential mold problem and what could be done. In some cases we had to advise people that their home was unsafe to live in.

Since before Christmas we have been visiting with victims in our local hotels to advise them of their options for returning to a normal life. In many cases we spoke to elderly people who were still disoriented due to the disaster and could not make proper decisions. We solicited the assistance of the Volunteers of America, a crisis-counseling group in the state, who came out with us and started immediate case management efforts with these individuals. In many cases, they were dealing with mentally disabled people, along with the elderly.

Currently, we have almost 15000 people in Southwest Louisiana alone who are in need of a temporary travel trail, while waiting for their home to be made habitable or an apartment to become available. Of that population, over 500 are still living in a hotel, in which the subsidy will end by March 1. We have placed over 6000 trailers at this point, with 50 a day ready for occupancy. If you do the math, you can see the dilemma we still face.

We are diligently working with the many social and religious organizations in the area and the state to get these people housed and cared for.

I just wanted to let you know that, contrary to popular news items, Rita was every bit as devastating as Katrina, and we are still out here working for the elderly disaster victims as well as all of the others that are still in need of help.

Hurricane Rita

I am still in SW Louisiana working as a FEMA employee in the Rita recovery program. Yes, I said Rita (not Katrina). Here is what is happening out here.

March 3, 2006
DR-1603/1607-06-380
Hurricane Recovery News Desk 225-376-5000State: 225-925-7427Disaster News

BY THE NUMBERS: FEMA RECOVERY UPDATE IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA
LAKE CHARLES, La. — Here is an update of federal and state agency accomplishments in the five months since Hurricane Rita hit the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, De Soto, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion, and Vernon in Southwest Louisiana.

5
Disaster Recovery Centers remain open in Southwest Louisiana. DRC's are one-stop information centers where victims can learn more about different types of state and federal disaster assistance, including loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters and business owners.

55


To date, 55 vessels have been removed by the U.S. Coast Guard, under a FEMA-funded mission assignment.

90

As a result of Hurricane Rita, FEMA has employed approximately 90 residents of the affected parishes.

1,714



In addition to household debris removal from rights-of-way, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has cleared debris from 1,714 residential properties impacted by Rita under a FEMA- funded mission assignment

12,205
Presently, 12,205 travel trailers and mobile homes are temporary homes for hurricane victims.

18,115
18,115 damaged roofs have been temporarily protected under FEMA’s “Blue Roof” program, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

204,416
FEMA has completed 204,416 housing inspections.

$ 8.3 million
FEMA has approved over $8 million in disaster unemployment assistance for 860 eligible victims of Hurricane Rita who signed up during the application period.

$ 8.8 million
FEMA has approved $8.8 million in Community Disaster Loans to help keep essential services online in communities hardest hit by Rita.

$ 32.3 million
The SBA has approved 427 business disaster assistance loans totaling $32.3 million.

$ 45.7 million
For homeowners and renters, the SBA has approved a total of 861 disaster loans, totaling over $45.7 million in Southwest Louisiana.

$ 65 million
More than $65 million in federal dollars has been obligated for 809 Public Assistance projects, such as debris removal and emergency services in Southwest Louisiana parishes.

$ 76.5 million
More than $76.5 million has been approved for 47,784 Hurricane Rita applicants for Other Needs Assistance. The program provides assistance for serious, disaster-related needs to impacted individuals.

$ 369.3 million
FEMA has issued 148,817 housing assistance checks, totaling $369.3 million

$ 525 million
FEMA projects that $525 million in claims will be filed under the National Flood Insurance Program by policyholders in Southwest Louisiana. To date over $321 million has been paid out.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003. ###