BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. -- It took Hurricane Katrina’s wicked winds and churning waters just an hour or two to pulverize hundreds of years of history and development in the neighboring Mississippi towns of Bay St. Louis and Waveland. But more than seven weeks after the most destructive storm in U.S. history, questions about the futures of the close-knit beachfront communities aren’t close to being answered.
While no one is suggesting that the picturesque towns in coastal Hancock County won’t be rebuilt, local officials acknowledge that it will take years to repair what Katrina ripped to shreds.
“I don’t know how to describe it,” Bay St. Louis Mayor Eddie Favre said of the devastation that in some places extends miles from the beach. “… It’s just nothing but piles of sticks and lumber and people’s entire lives in one pile of mess.”
It also will take time to regain the sense of community that residents of the towns treasured. “A lot of people have left for good,” said Camille Tate, a Bay St. Louis real estate agent. “A lot of people just couldn’t stand it, came back and looked at it and said, ‘I will not stay here.’”
The historic Old Town area of Bay St. Louis was virtually erased by Hurricane Katrina. (photo: James Cheng / MSNBC.com)
In a scene playing out in communities all along the Gulf Coast, local leaders are contemplating a massive rebuilding effort at the same time they are facing severe budget shortfalls because of damage inflicted by the storm.
“We’re being promised that there has never been a municipality that has gone bankrupt after a presidential disaster declaration, so … all we can hang our hat on is that it will be made better, we will be made whole again,” said Hancock County administrator Tim Kellar.
Kellar estimates that Katrina instantly erased more than half the county’s tax base, cut its population of 46,000 by nearly a quarter -- at least for the short term -- and left county staff with just one 1,200-square-foot office building that was safe for occupancy.
Already the federal government has poured more than $70 million in emergency aid for individual residents of Hancock County, and approved more than $10.5 million to meet the short-term needs of the governments of the county and its only two incorporated towns -- Bay St. Louis and Waveland. But all parties agree that this is merely a downpayment on a long-term reconstruction effort that will carry a price tag that no one can yet even estimate.
“(Recovery) will be measured in years, not months,” said Eric Gentry, administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Hancock County.
Residents who have either remained in or returned to their homes have more immediate concerns – such as searching for belongings in the massive debris piles or cleaning the toxic muck left in their houses by retreating floodwaters.
Many also are battling with insurance companies, which are classifying the storm surge as “flooding” rather than a hurricane-caused phenomenon.
“My homeowners (insurer) has offered me $10,000 … that’s only for the tree that fell out front and a few other little things,” said Tate, the Bay St. Louis real estate agent. “They say they don’t owe anything (on the damage to the house itself) because … it was rising water.”
Only about one-quarter of the 21,000 homeowners policies issued in Hancock County included flood insurance, according to FEMA’s Gentry.
Huge rebuilding task
When residents pause to contemplate the future, many express fears that the pressure on the economically devastated local governments will lead to approval of coastal developments that will destroy the charm of the towns and neighboring communities.
An aerial view of the damage in Bay St. Louis. (photo: James Cheng / MSNBC.com)
“The cities and the counties need the money more than ever now to rebuild … and it’s going to be very appealing to put high-density housing on the beach,” says Ellis Anderson, a Bay St. Louis resident who co-founded the Coastal Community Watch earlier this year to fight condominium developments proposed for the area before Katrina hit.
Anderson, who like many other Bay St. Louis and Waveland residents describes her hometown in terms usually reserved for Norman Rockwell paintings, said she intends to mount a grass-roots campaign to insist that officials make preserving the charm and small-town atmosphere of the arts colony a priority in considering redevelopment proposals.
Her efforts will be complicated by the extent of the damage inflicted by the storm.
Bay St. Louis, a town of 8,209 built on the bluffs where French explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Bienveille hunted game in 1699, and Waveland, which had a pre-hurricane population of 6,674, were at the worst possible place at just the wrong moment when Katrina roared ashore early on Aug. 29. Her “eye” passed just to the west, putting the cities squarely in the northeast quadrant of the eye wall – the counterclockwise maelstrom where the winds are strongest and the storm surge most ferocious.
Though Katrina had weakened from a monstrous Category 5 storm before it made landfall on the Louisiana coast that morning, experts estimate that it was still packing winds of 125 mph or higher when it reached the Mississippi coast. But the big killer was a storm surge of at least 30 feet, with wind-whipped waves of seven feet on top of that.
Fortunately, most residents heeded authorities’ warnings and fled before Katrina crashed ashore. But some, believing they had survived the worst Mother Nature could throw at them when they rode out Hurricane Camille in 1969, stayed put and hoped for the best.
“We kept putting out a lot of warnings (but) people had ‘I Survived Camille Syndrome’ … and wouldn’t leave,” said Brian “Hootie” Adam, director of the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency.
It was a decision that virtually all of them would regret – if they survived. At least 50 people in Hancock County perished in the storm and many others – no one is certain just how many – are still missing.
Brian Mollere, a Waveland resident who fought for his life – and that of his mother’s Chihuahua, Rocky – after the torrent flattened the family-owned hardware store and her home above it, was one of the lucky ones.
“I was picked up by a 40-foot wave and pushed 800, 900 feet,” he recalled. “It just wasn’t my time to go.” His mother, who had left to ride out the storm in Bay St. Louis, didn’t survive.
Unspeakable devastation
When the waters receded several hours later, an unspeakable scene of devastation awaited local officials venturing out for their first look.
“We expected to see roof damage and parts of buildings maybe gone, but this was entire neighborhoods and entire blocks of streets … totally gone, nothing left,” said Favre, who is serving his fifth term as Bay St. Louis mayor and was among those left homeless by the storm.
The picture hasn’t brightened in subsequent weeks.
“As best we can tell right now, we’ve lost about half of our homes and businesses, maybe a little bit more … (and) probably 75 to 80 percent of the tax base,” said Favre, a distant cousin of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. “… Casino Magic (the biggest single contributor to the city budget) is gone for at least a year, if not longer.”
Also devastated was the town’s core: three blocks of Main Street that were home to the city’s vibrant arts colony and the scene of the Second Saturday art walk, which drew visitors by the thousands every other weekend during spring and summer.
A cleanup crew removes debris along Main Street in Bay St. Louis. (photo: James Cheng / MSNBC.com)
The bad news doesn’t stop there: The Hancock Medical Center, the only hospital in the city, was badly damaged and is now offering limited services from a series of tents erected in its parking lot; the city’s schools, which sustained major damage, remain closed, with a target date for reopening of Nov. 1; the Highway 90 bridge that connected Bay St. Louis with Pass Christian was destroyed and will take many months and approximately $150 million to replace; a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew intended to discourage looters remains in place; and residents with utilities are still being advised to boil water as public works crews struggle to repair a host of leaks in the water system.
Waveland scene
The situation is as bad or worse a few miles to the southwest, where the government of Waveland almost ceased to exist when the floodwaters swamped neighborhoods that had never flooded before.
In this video that originally aired on “Dateline NBC,” on Sept. 9, correspondent John Larson tours the town of Waveland with Mayor Tommy Longo.“Our 130-year-old City Hall was gone, every public building was gone except for that fire station and the police station, but both of them had multiple feet of water in them and … were condemned,” said a visibly exhausted Mayor Tommy Longo, who is directing his city’s recovery effort from a makeshift encampment and command center atop a water treatment plant. “So we literally had lost every resource that we had – 91 city vehicles. We got an animal control truck working that we shared for about a week. I had people chasing me with dogs everywhere, flagging me down.”
The downtown area looks as if a bomb was dropped on it. All that remains of City Hall is a flag pole, a small piece of a mosaic mural depicting a Mardi Gras celebration and a plaque expressing gratitude to those who helped the city rebuild after Hurricane Camille.
While most of Longo’s attention in the weeks since has been devoted to clearing the streets using donated and leased heavy equipment, and restoring water, electricity and sewer service to as many residents as possible, he also has been able to get many city offices back up and running out of Quonset huts obtained from an Alaska company.
The mayor, who also lost his home and was forced to relocate his wife and five children to Maine, said the city is still assessing the extent of the damage, but that virtually every building gulf-side of the railroad tracks that bisect the city was destroyed, and many others on the other side were left uninhabitable.
The federal government is standing behind the embattled local governments so far. The initial $10.5 million allocated by FEMA went to cover payroll and overtime costs during the frenetic first weeks after Katrina hit. City and county officials are now preparing “project sheets” that, if they are approved, will enable them to permanently replace equipment and facilities destroyed by the storms, on the federal dime.
Gentry, the FEMA administrator, said that while the cost of the rebuilding will be steep, the agency is in Mississippi and other Katrina-ravaged areas for the long haul.
“We still have offices open in Florida from last year’s hurricanes and those will be open for years to come,” he said. “This will be a multiyear recovery and FEMA will be here throughout that process.”
Less clear is to what degree FEMA will cover the local governments’ ongoing expenses until they regain their financial footing.
“We’re not sure. We don’t have all the answers yet,” said Kellar, the county administrator, when asked how long the emergency federal funding was expected to continue. “This is our first time to ever go through this and I hope it’s our last.”
Optimistic outlook
Despite the financial uncertainties facing them in the coming months and years, city and county officials are uniformly upbeat in assessing their long-term prospects.
A historical marker thanking people for coming to aid of Waveland after Hurricane Camille in 1969 is one of few things still standing at the site of the old City Hall. (photo: James Cheng / MSNBC.com)
“We have an opportunity that not many people get… to build a model community from scratch,” said Longo. “… We have the history since 1887 to learn from and build from.”
Jeffrey Reed, a Bay St. Louis city council member and minister of the non-denominational Powerhouse of the Deliverance Ministries, said he believes the city will come roaring back as long as the city gives residents a reason to believe.
“By keeping in contact with the people, keeping their spirits up and keeping hope alive in them, just by the fact that they’re here, the city is going to come back,” he said. “… If they’ve done something before, they can do it again.”
Many of the citizens – at least those who never left or are returning to the cities – also remain optimistic despite the scenes of destruction that greet them each day.
“There’s going to be a change, but… I’m hoping that it’s going to be for the good, that it will be a small wonderful community with small shops and a lot of artists,” said Tate, the Bay St. Louis real estate agent.
“It’s like a cleansing,” said Mollere, the Waveland man who survived a close encounter with the storm surge, describing the post-apocalypse landscape he sees from his tent and trailer encampment across the street from the flattened City Hall.
“It’s like you look around, everything’s gone. It’s like you can paint a new picture now. The town can come back better than it ever was. ... It can be the perfect little city now.”
Planning to rebuild, one brick at a time
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I just can't understand why people would want to rebuild in these areas again, who's to say that this won't happen again next year or worse yet, again this year? I would think they would take their fond memories and their families and build where they will be safe and where they won't have to worry about loosing everything again , what a nightmare, I thank god I'm in Upstate NY. We don't get all the storms and disasters. Come to My Neighborhood, you will be welcomed here.
Lisa Reinbolt, Rochester, NY (Sent Oct 21, 2005 12:04:42 AM)
I have been sitting here reading these posts after accidentally running across this site. My family lives in both Bay St Louis and Waveland. We have (had?) a business in Olde Towne Bay St Louis. I chose to leave, but that was MY choice. My mother and father and youngest sister and her fiance are still there. My brother has brought his family to Alabama more for the fact of getting the kids back in school than anything. He is still there working. I see him come here every weekend just so that he can spend some precious time with his family. I was there after the storm. The devestation that you see on the news and in pictures is nothing compared to seeing it in person. I can't believe the "it shouldn't be rebuilt" comments that I have seen on here. Put yourself in the shoes of the people of these communities...your whole town, your way of life, your memories...wiped out. How would you feel if someone told you that you could not rebuild and start again? These are HARD WORKING people. They pay their taxes. We send money all over the world, but the people in the US (ALL OF IT, INCLUDING THE GULF COAST)can't get help when they need it? Give me a break. If you can't comprehend what is going on there, then go and see it for yourself. These people are PROUD. I stood in those lines for assisstance. It did not matter if you were young or old or rich or poor, you stood in those lines. And thanked God everytime you saw a familiar face and friend. I talk to my mother regularly and hear about the trouble she is having dealing with her insurance companies. Yes, I said companies. She has flood insurance and is still getting the run around. The spirit of the towns is unbelievable there though. No matter how much or how little each person has, they are helping each other as much as they can.
Wake up America....this can happen anywhere at anytime. It may not be another hurricane, but it may be a flood, a tornado, a snow storm or an earthquake. We can not stop mother nature and I dont think anyone has a right to try to stop the people of these communities from rebuilding their lives. Thank you to MSNBC for bringing more coverage to Hancock County. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this storm. Thank you to everyone in America who has in one way or another lent a helping hand. God Bless.
Shawn, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Oct 21, 2005 3:24:32 AM)
My heart goes out to all the residents affected along the Mississippi/Louisiana Gulf coast. My wife and I frequently travelled and enjoyed the whole stretch, from Waveland to Biloxi. One thing I was always struck by however was the proximity of the houses to the beach. Along the coast, there was pretty much no dune protection at all. I do embrace rebuilding homes and lives. However, going forward, why not consider a "wild belt" along the beach. Designate the shore and everything a 1/2 mile inland as a wild area. Let people thoroughly enjoy themselves for the day, but retreat to the relitive safety of higher ground for permananet homes and structures. Environmentally and financially this makes more sense to me than perpetuating the rebuilding/destruction/rebuilding phases over and over.
Earl D, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Sent Oct 21, 2005 9:24:49 AM)
I agree with Art Boyson of Braintree, Mass. As a 4th year college student in SC getting ready to transfer to a major 4 year college to study engineering with an Associate degree in General Engineering Technology, I think the buildings in Waveland and Bay St. Louis for the cities' base municipal structure should all be built with at least category 4 level wind resistant walls, extra walls, and all areas maximized in utility of use for various groups not just the city officials and staff. They will need community groups which are so important to growth for children and adults. Most buildings especially mobile homes are built to category level 3. This, of course, will not now stand up to a category level 5 storm. I expect, with global warming and the continued unstopped ozone layer destruction, that we will see more of this storms hitting the Gulf Coast of the U.S. We already have a bad storm hitting Cancun. Sometimes, considering the future weather, people should be more broad in planning coastal buildings and pay more attention to safety precautions in building. 30-40 foot waves is nothing to laugh at; Camille's era did not have to consider the effects of the destruction of the Ozone layer and the ensuing harsh storms of Global Warming with the El Nino Phenomena at times. Our country will be eaten away at the southern coastlines and the weather will effect the flora and fauna of those areas.
Sharon W. Randall, Westminster, South Carolina (Sent Oct 21, 2005 9:28:29 AM)
I am from Waveland and as I read these comments all I can do is get angry. Angry that there are people who feel we should not rebuild. How far inland shoud we not rebuild. If you don't know the area that you are talking about than you should not make comments like that. The storm caused damaage from New Orleans to Mobile and as far up as Jackson Mississippi and farther. Do you realize how big an area that is? How many of you have been to Jamaica, the Bahamas, Key West, Cancun. How about when a storm hits those areas we not rebuild the beautiful resorts that we all go for vacations. When an earthquake hits California let's not rebuild, or when a volcano hits the North West let's not rebuild there either. Maybe we love our home towns as much as the rest of America loves theres. I am so sorry we are using up Americas tax dollars. I do not remember anyone saying lets not rebuild after hurricanes Hugo and Andrew. Do you think that Mississippi and Louisiana are the only areas prone to hurricanes? Get real America and help each other, you never know when it will be your turn for mother nature to bring her wrath to your home town.
Amy, Waveland, Mississippi (Sent Oct 21, 2005 10:12:41 AM)
This to the persons who said "Those people could have bought flood insurance - but didn't", well just to try and clear the air - probably 60 percent of the people affected by this storm lived in a non-flood zone, zones which were determined by FEMA. Most of these people had mortgages on their homes, but because of the zones they lived in even the mortgage companies didn't require them to have flood insurance, and - like myself - live 2 1/2 miles or further from the beach and still had 13 feet of water in their homes. I agree that the hand outs should be monitored better, but there are many people who will need help - much like the people of Iraq and other places that the US has spent billions of dollars on to rebuild.
I know is it easy to sit somewhere and pass judgement on other people's situation, but unless you have walked in their shoes, or been homeless - maybe you should try not to be so harsh.
Salina, Waveland, MS (Sent Oct 21, 2005 10:50:56 AM)
I'm so glad that MSN has extended coverage to the Mississippi coast. I volunteered with the Red Cross for 3 weeks in Bay St. Louis, at the Save-A-Center service site, so I know the devastation and have come to know the people. It's totally appalling and disturbing to read all the post opposing the resources being used to help these AMERICANS rebuild. You have no idea how hard hit the Mississippi coast was unless you go down there, they need help! This was there home, they should be given every opportunity to piece together there lives. I've worked long, hard, hot days with so many people in this community; these are good people who deserve a second chance. Shame on anyone who critizes helping this community. This type of devastation can happen anywhere, whether through natural or unnatural forces and I pray that there will be the same support available to help you get back on your feet. If NYC got hit again by terrorist I guess we won't rebuild because NYC is a constant target? Of course we will! And these people deserve the same opportunity no matter the cost. America has a billion dollars a week to spend in Iraq but doesn't have the money, will, or desire to help OUR people rebuild right at home? Wake up America!
Emilio, New York, New York (Sent Oct 21, 2005 11:05:58 AM)
My sister (S. Elaine Booker) and I recently went to Waveland, MS to lend a helping hand in handing out food and other useable items to the people of this wonderful town. My heart greeves for them in so many ways. To hear their stories of how things once were and how the insurance companies are giving them the run around in heartbreaking. The storm might have broken their homes, schools and churches but it has not and never will break their spirit or their faith. From Biloxi, MS to Waveland, MS and on down the coast was and will be again a beautiful place. The people have what my Grandmother always called "HEART". Many of my friends from here have gone down ever since the storm happened, trying to make sure some of the people have at least one hot meal a week. Just put yourself in their (the people of MS.)place, What if you and your family didn't have a warm bed to sleep in, have food to eat whenever you got hungry, didn't have shoes or clothes to wear. AMERICA these are the homeless and poor. Instead of helping the foreign countries, The people of Mississippi and Louisiana NOW NEED YOUR HELP. Please if you can help them in some sort of way so they can get their lives back. My sister and I will be going back every other weekend until we are not needed anymore. Hope that time will not take forever. Best wishes to all in MS and LA. and may God Bless and keep each and everyone of you safe.
Karen Baggett, Evergreen, AL (Sent Oct 21, 2005 11:59:04 AM)
It's a shame that American's can be so insensative about this issue. We are the richest country in the world, and we have been blessed beyond measure for centuries. Lives along the coast have been deveatated and destroyed, and we sit here and argue as to whether or not to rebuild. If it were you, your family or friends affected, what would you want to do and what would you expect others to do? I personally don't know anyone who lived in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area, however I travelled through there just this past summer. It was a beautiful community and an incrediable part of American history. But we are not just talking about history, we are talking about people's lives and their basic needs. Children, the elderly, families... We sit in our abundance and wonder why other's are poor, or why they did not have insurance, like insurance would have helped. Insurance is not a solution, governement is not the answer either. Criticism will not help. God truly is the only One in control, and everyday I acknowledge the blessings He has given me, through His Grace... Mother nature had nothing to do with these storms, God is the one who controls the winds and the waves. It's time to wake up as a nation. He has been trying to get our attention for years. We are a nation that was formed on Christian values, and all of a sudden, we throw compassion, love and patience out the window. Storms and catastrophies happen all over the world, and have forever, the question to ask is, where will we go from here? Where do you put your faith? God will provide, through His people. The only way we as a family, community, county, state or country will survive is when we bow our knees and ask the Father for forgivesness, so He then will heal our land. Rebuilding needs to begin in the heart of individuals. I pray that those of you who critize, are touched by God's love and compassion, that you would never have to live through the events our brothers and sisters in Mississippi have gone through. Reach out to those in need, because one day it may be you or your family. Then I'd hope you'd understand the Love of God.
My prayers are with all of those in need. May God give you strength for each day, and may you be encompassed by His love. Giving up is not an option, God is in control
Linda, Houston, TX (Sent Oct 21, 2005 12:33:41 PM)
I am AMAZED by the comments by those who simply do not have a clue as to what they are talking about. 1.) My home is(was)located at "ground zero" in Hancock County, MS...the eye of the storm literally passed over my community. YES, I did have Flood insurance AND Wind & Hail AND Homeowners Insurance and I have yet to receive ONE CENT! And, YES, I did read and fully understood the terms of my policy! State Farm is saying that this was a "flood event"...that is BULL! It comes as no surprise that they are taking that stand...by doing so, it gets them out of ANY responsibility to pay "ALE"--Additional Living Expenses which helps those, like me, who have lossed EVERYTHING and need to put a roof over their head. Like many, all that is left of my home is the concrete slab and the pilings(YES, my home was ELEVATED). They will not pay for "additional living expenses" unless I can prove that Wind was a factor! HELLO, doesn't anyone know the definition of HURRICANE? How can some people be covered for trees falling on their property(wind event), yet others whose homes were blown to pieces have to PROOVE it! The fact that many who lived through this and can testify as to how the wind took us down way before the water came through, doesn't matter to the Insurance companies...dealing with them has been the "nightmare AFTER the nightmare"!
2. Hancock County was a THRIVING community and a huge tax base for the rest of the state. $500,000 PER DAY was generated in tax revenue JUST from the casinos along the MS coast.
3. UNLIKE N.O., Hancock County is not a community built below sea level. A majority of the businesses and homes destroyed by Katrina WERE NOT IN A FLOOD ZONE!
In addition, 100+ tornadoes were also spawned off resulting in destruction as far inland as Bogolusa and Meridian(2+ hour drive from Bay St. Louis) WERE THESE FOLKS TOO CLOSE TO THE COAST AND SHOULDN'T REBUILD THERE, EITHER?
4. I personally invite each and every one of you who have chosen to make jugements about a community they have never visited..."be my guest at one of our weekly/daily meetings of tax-paying citizens, local officials, business people, emergency responders and volunteers who BELIEVE in the future of this community and BELIEVE in America"...I guarantee that you will return to YOUR homes with a new perspective and appreciation on how you view YOUR homes, YOUR communities, YOUR families and YOUR lives!
PS THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR US AND LEND A HELPING HAND. May God bless you!
Debbie Vernon Scott, Ground Zero, MS - USA (Sent Oct 21, 2005 1:19:21 PM)
To the person from Louisana about the beach front housing, the storm surge went inland 8 to 10 miles from the beach. There is a high water mark on I-10 at HWY 603 that clearly shows how far inland the waters raged. The cars people drove to "higher ground" ended up in a mass tumble of muck.
Karen McCormick (Sent Oct 21, 2005 2:01:49 PM)
If you want to keep up with recovery on the Mississippi Coast then check out www.sunherald.com or www.wlox.com. It's a good way to see what is REALLY going on and not listen to rumors.
mary bolton (Sent Oct 21, 2005 2:05:21 PM)
My parents grew up in New Orlenas as next door neighbors. While dating, they would take the train from New Orleans to the Gulf Coast, walk from the tracks and have a picnic on the beach. As children, we went to Clermont Harbor every weekend and every summer. We laugh about how our parents would bring us home the Sunday before school started. We spent our summers there with our two grandmothers. We all learned to fish, crab, flounder and beachcomb - not a care in life. After Camille, we moved to a camp in Waveland. We've raised our children, grandchildren and the great grandchildren as we were raised, loving the Coast.
I don't think you appreciate what you have until you can no longer have Thanksgiving sitting on the porch, watching the next generation walk the next generation across the Beach road to play in the sand. We've lost six homes and another one that probably should have been condemned, but my sister is trying so hard to make it livable again. The rest are nothing but slabs.
As I walked down our street and found dolls, wedding pictures from the 30's, pictures painted by local artists, I gathered them hoping one day to return them to their owners. It's sad that we've lost so much but the memories are what makes all of us keep going. We talk about what it will be like to again be togeter for holidays, watching the sunsets. We hope that our dad can be with us long enough to see it rebuilt-he loves the Coast so much. To all that say "don't rebuild" - you have no way of understanding what it's like to be part of the Coast. You have to had walked the beaches, caught crabs and fish from the seawall; watched each baby as they first learned to walk on the sand, run from the waves and laugh at the seagulls. You have to have had your summer romances - then watch your children have their's on the same beach. You remember the nieces and newphews and all their friends, getting dressed on Sat. nights to go to "The Good Life" - and then, the Easter egg hunts, Paw-Paw walking on the beach with our children, our mother picking crabs for hours and us, rocking babies to sleep on the porch, to the sound of the waves with only the moon lighting the porch. It's in your blood.
Yes, we are luckier than most. Only three of the seven homes were primary homes - the rest of us were planning on retiring within months/years because we all knew where we wanted to spend our retirement.
We have a brother, a sister and her family that stayed at the Coastal Inn in Waveland and a nephew in New Orleans with no way of leaving. For days we couldn't contact them. We did alot of praying. But we are the lucky ones - they lost everything but we have them alive. My heart hurts for those who have lost family and friends.
So to all that don't believe Waveland, the Bay and the Pass should rebuild, please understand that it's not that easy. My family will be rebuilding in these towns - somehow we will. We know that it may not be the most rational thing to do. But, you have to have been there to understand. If you get a chance to help, please do. The people of the Coast are trying so hard to get their lives back - they and we, all believe in the Coast - and can't wait to have it back.
Mary, Baton Rouge/Waveland (Sent Oct 21, 2005 2:51:53 PM)
i have repeatedly read comments from people that there are natural disasters all over the USA and no place is truly safe, but if they did some research they would see that the three safest states to live are MASS, CT, AND RI, in terms of fatalities and catostrophic weather events. Please don't even try to compare a blizzard to a hurricane, i have been through both, and believe me, a hurricane is by far much more desructive, there is no comparison.
carol (Sent Oct 21, 2005 5:00:43 PM)
He(The Lord)gave us specific instructions to live. One of them the second in importance is: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Money is recyclable as well is love. The money invested to re-build the Gulf coast is going to come back somehow. The love invested on them is going to be multiplied.
History show us. The US helped to re-built Japan after the 2nd WW. 60 years later Japan is richer and stronger, US is also richer, stronger and won a friend. There is not waste in giving, let's see life in perspective and focus in what matters.
Ruth Kugue, Bedford, Texas (Sent Oct 21, 2005 5:04:21 PM)
If you have a problem with helping these people financially, just go down and help at the relief distribution center for just one day (usually 12-14hrs for most helpers) and just listen to the people. You will then know that sending money is the easy way to help and the very least we can do for these folks. You cannot go down there and not be affected. The pictures that you see are what the whole area looks like, not just one or two neighborhoods. The average income prior to Katrina was around 30,000 a year. They needed our help before this disaster.
Here is a local connection to the front lines. www.foundationhope.net
I personally have worked with them. I thank God every day for all that I have been blessed with (including family and friends). I want to help these people in every way possible.
Becky, Tennessee (Sent Oct 21, 2005 5:37:19 PM)
I am from Bay St Louis. I have lived there all 27 years of my life! I pay taxes, do not receive welfare, and work a full time job, take care of my family and go to school full time! To all of you people that think that we are stupid for rebuilding- I hope and pray that your lives are never destroyed in the way that ours have been. Here is the difference between us and ya'll.... We are from MISSISSIPPI_ we have hearts and souls that will out way ya'lls any day of the week. WE will rebuild together. WE will take care of each other. Ya'll would probably sit around and drown in your own self-pity! WE will survive!!!!! Thanks to everyone who has positive things to say. THanks to everyone that has helped in anyway!! We appreciate everything!! A special thanks to the State of Florida (They have been through it!) These people were awesome!!
Kristina Moody, Bay St Louis, MISSISSIPPI (Sent Oct 21, 2005 6:11:58 PM)
I think it's unfair to say that anyone has called anyone 'stupid' for wanting to rebuild - this is an emotional topic, and it doesn't help nor is the discourse elevated by trying to put words into the mouths of people who are asking legitimate questions about the future of the region and the huge national pricetag associated with rebuilding.
Regarding the insurance side of things, if you live in an area where flooding is a possibility, regardless how remote, insurance (flood or private) is NEVER going to be adequate. It just won't. Ever. Your and my standard ISO homeowners insurance policy document usually includes a statement (like this one, from my homeowners policy - check yours if you don't believe me) that says:
We do not cover loss caused directly or indirectly by any of the following excluded perils. Such loss is excluded regardless of any other cause or event contributing concurrently or in any sequence to the loss: (scroll down to item #9)
9. Water damage, meaning: a. flood, surface water, waves, tidal water, tsunami, overflow of a body of water, or spray from any of these, whether or not driven by wind.
What that means is that it doesn't matter what caused the water to get there, it's not covered. An indirect loss, such as the additional living expenses you incur as a result of not having access to your home, are considered an indirect loss. Since the DIRECT loss is not covered by the policy, neither is the indirect. The reality of this situation is that the massive storm surge from the hurricane is what destroyed or rendered unliveable the large majority of homes. As the exclusion above clearly states, it doesn't matter that the hurricane blew the water into the home via spray or storm surge - if water is ultimately what destroyed it, it's not covered.
I don't say these things to point an 'I told you so!' finger at the people who have lost everything. I say it because if you DO rebuild and this DOES happen again, expect the exact same result. Since the insurance companies are contractually correct in denying coverage, and the NFIP insurance for flood is, at best, horribly inadequate, the decision to rebuild then puts the American people on the hook for a huge uninsured risk, and I think it's only fair that if being asked to do so that we should, in turn, be able to ask questions about the logic behind making such a decision and the pros and cons on both sides of the issue.
Only the most heartless of people would want to deny people the right to have homes and communities and the ability to live their dreams; but only the foolish would write a blank check and ignore the risks associated with doing so - something that's becoming all too common in America today.
Michael Todd, Seattle, WA (Sent Oct 22, 2005 12:23:15 AM)
To the person who made the comment about mass, ct, and ri: it seems that you are saying that all those people who live in areas usually affected by hurricanes or any other natural disatser should move to these states. now THAT is a more outlandish though to me than those who feel that it is crazy to rebuild hurricane ravaged areas. by the way people seem to forget that the gulf coast is not the only area that has to deal with hurricanes. what about the hurricane that hit maryland a few years ago? anyone who lives in a coastal state (east coast, west coast or southerncoast) may have to deal with the possibility of a storm or maybe even a tsunami. as others have stated before: there is no where that you can go IN THE WORLD were you will be safe from a natural disaster. by the way, i am a nawlins native who currently resides in maryland, so i know how it feels on both sides; to see something you love be completely destroyed and to think what's the point in going back? but not to rebuild my home, my city, where generations of my family and friends lived? my entire family (maternal and paternal) is there. katrina is the first time my family has made a major move (besides moving from ms to la) to places like houston, northern la, birmingham, arkansas and d.c.i love the gulf coast(la and ms) and all the people and towns that are so small only natives to the area would know about. i cant understand how other americans are fine with giving our tax dollars to rebuild other countries, but don't want to help our own. but on the other hand, im not surprised. maybe we are as self-centered, arrogant and selfish as the rest of world makes us out to be.
Kristen W. (Sent Oct 22, 2005 3:53:29 PM)
The fact that the United States tend to pride itself into rebuilding disaster areas like new orleans is probably ridiculous to many people. If I were to say that new orleans will be safe I would say a definite no. The geography of that place being below sea level is just one factor that makes rebuilding such a dumb move. why not save us all the time and stop pretending everything will be alright. what about the people who have nothing and who had nothin to begin with. If it wasn't obvious enough we have to deal with the racial immaturity our culture has and help these people with more than just a place to stay and some food stamps.We has a whole have to change the entire way we are. Not to mention the fact that the people who according the kayne west, "don't care about black people." run the show. The fact that the head guy of fema has no real idea on what the hell he's doing because he wasn't put there because he had the right resume. Back to the disaster if it is to be that we rebuild a place to put the poor community in once again so they can relive this when a hurricane comes and knocks down your shack is ludacris. I understand natural disasters are everywhere but, within the next 100 years an island splits making a wave a mile high into the east coast and california breaks in half. well lets just see who was smart enough to plan for these deathtraps which are coming.
john h. jackson, MN (Sent Oct 23, 2005 1:28:21 AM)
To Carol - I moved to Florida 2 years ago from Massachusetts. Maybe you prefer the CERTAINTY of blizzards every year to the threat of POSSIBLE hurricanes, but not me! The part of FL in which I live was hit moderately by Charley (I had no damage whatsoever) and is slated to be hit by Wilma - but prior to that, had no hurricanes since Donna in 1960. I'll take those odds any day over multiple blizzards every winter, attempting to drive in snow, being snowed in, plowing, shoveling out cars, etc. To say nothing of days on end of rain regularly. Give me sunshine and warmth! I will NEVER go back North!
Jan Parlin, Cape Coral, FL (Sent Oct 23, 2005 9:28:19 AM)
Flood Insurance is usually sold by the government and is sold to those that they (the government)
consider to be in a flood zone ...if you do not live in a flood zone you do not need flood insurance, at least that is what people were told.Many of the folks in Mississippi were told they did not live in a flood zone and the flood insurance was not needed.
The areas that flooded in Waveland Mississippi had never flooded before.....so many people didnt have flood insurance because the federal flood zone maps
said they were not in a flood zone.Now the private insurance companies are refusing to pay up saying that it was not wind damage , it was flood damage....
well gee beaver it wasnt the wind and pushing the tide and water on shore you wouldnt have a "flood"
...either way these people need help.
mimi pensacola florida (Sent Oct 23, 2005 9:38:52 AM)
As a former resident of both MS and LA, it saddened me to see the devastation of the areas hit by Katrina. However, living in a coastal area means making extra preparations for natural disasters. FEMA and insurance companies are not to blame if houses flood and their owners don't have flood insurance. It should have been an issue of common sense to people that, even if they were told it wasn't required, they still should have purchased the coverage. With an enormous body of water at their doorstep, I guess denial was the motivation.
As far as rebuilding those areas hardest hit, people should realize that no matter how much money is dumped into city and state governments, will it make a real difference? What do people do the next time a major hurricane hits them? Pray that Jesus will save them?
How many people actually have a "hurricane kit" that they restock every year? How many people actually heed weather warnings and go directly to the source of information (National Weather service,etc) instead of reading the outdated information provided in the local newspaper? Rebuilding those areas to their previous "quality" insures that the same devastation will only happen again. Only next time, it will have cost the taxpayers (and survivors) so much more.
Michelle, Savannah, GA (Sent Oct 23, 2005 10:04:47 AM)
Yes they should rebuild and yes our tax dollars should aid in this massive recovery.But those spending our tax dollars should evaluate where the money is spent. Monies for this disaster or just like monies spent on our welfare system. Not monitored closely enough I have personally seen people who lost nothing spend money from fema and food stamps. They quit there jobs only to be better supported by the 2000.00 dollars fema gave and yet another 2500.00 deposited into their accounts. Then another 300.00 aprx.for every family member from red cross.(family of 5, 1500.00) It did not stop there food stamps as much as 1000.00 to families. Lets see thats 6000.00 per family in cash plus 1500.00 in food stamps. Thats more that most jobs pay. There making it a no choice decision to quit there jobs and lay on their butts and get these monies. This is not for those who lost everything my thoughts and prayers go out to you. Wake up Congress and budget your check books. Spend our money wisely and help those who really deserve it buy some wood,shingles and other building materials see those who apply not just ask their zip code and hand out.
Brenda Ms. Gulf Coast (Sent Oct 23, 2005 10:32:41 AM)
My beautiful "Bay" is not gone. It's heart and soul were not in the structures that were destroyed but in the people of the "Place Apart". To all those mean spirited, self-righteous, negative statements, we can only respond "you just don't get it". Homes and businesses that have been here for 50 to 200+ years were affected. We are not a new, over-developed community, not Hilton Head, not Malibu, not Atlantic City, not Baltimore, not Fire Island, and absolutely not Miami! Much of the destruction occured blocks and miles inland and, in one instance, north of interstate 10 - tell me that we should have anticipated that! When insurance agents and mortgage companies say you should or should not have certain kinds of coverage, are they not supposed to be the experts in the field of knowledge? Would it not be prudent to follow their direction?
But, I digress - the people of the "Bay" are still here, though literally apart. What made us vibrant and unique still resides in our hearts and souls. We will help ourselves and each other and our community will have its friendly, accepting, interesting vitality emerge.
Peggy MacAniff, Bay St. Louis/Diamondhead (Sent Oct 23, 2005 11:51:57 AM)
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