Way to go FEMA! This lady only had to wait 68 days. Bravo! Then you cap it off by giving her a stupendous 32 foot trailer. That's incredible! You guys really did a "heck of job!" I can't wait to see all the other great "success stories" you wonderful people are going to pull off.

Once again FEMA is slammed (Ms. Leslie) for helping someone. When will people start taking responsibility for themselves instead of waiting for a handout? When did it become the governments job to provide housing, jobs, food, etc??? What has become of us????

When did we start expecting the U.S. government to be our Daddy? Not to downplay the needs of so many, but why do we expect Uncle Sam to have all the answers? Last time I checked, the role of government didn't include wiping everyone's noses. To all the survivors: Don't let being a hurricane victim define who you are. This is not the end. Make it a new beginning. That's the true spirit of America.

When you are barefoot shoes look pretty good, no matter how long it takes to get them. And if they are comfortable, even if they aren't stylish, they are STILL shoes....

Wow! What a lucky family. We had a 31' motor home & sold it because it was too cramped for myself & my husband, and that was only for camping. Gives new meaning to family closeness.

Who says FEMA has to give you a brand new home?!!Who do you think is footing the bill- taxpayers- people who work. If you're a homeowner, act responsibly- buy homeowners' insurance! And if the insurance company won't insure your home, it's time to move to another location!! Wake up people!!

I think that it is a blessing for this woman to have something other than a tent to live in ESPECIALLY IF IT IS ON HER PROPERTY. It may not be the home she had before but at least she still has the land that is hers.

Kudos to the FEMA people...this proves that there is light at the end of the tunnel..God Bless..

Anyone who says FEMA doesnt spend enough obviously has no job and pays no taxes or is so wealthy it doesnt even matter

When it's O.K. to spend trillions of dollars on foreign aid but not be there to help our own citizens, then people need to reflect on not only what it means to be an American, but to be a human being. It's evident many individuals are totally clueless as to the extent of the destruction that ravaged the Gulf Coast. When everything you worked very hard for is suddenly ripped from the face of the Earth, it's hard to understand where to turn to for basic necessities. It's not just a house here or there that was blown down. Entire communities are struggling for survival. I'm glad we have a system that reaches out and helps each other in times of desperation. Shame on selfish, inconsiderate people who can't help those who really need our help. I bet they'd be pushing to be the first in line if a disaster headed their way!

B. Woughter--
Have insurance "deluxe homeowners policy" actually...with hurricane rider on policy...they still won't pay. Lost 1/3 of the roof completely. Ceilings caved in. We were offered a whopping ten thousand dollars. 2500 sq foot home. 5 years old. We cannot even fix the roof with that.

God bless these thousands of folks who has lost everything in their lives. Homes, jobs, possessions and yes even loved ones. Thank God they are receiving some kind of help at all. And to those who would condemn them for their misfortunes may God have mercy on their cold and callous souls.

Why Doesn't Our Insurance Help For Housing... Why?? We pay them enough money yearly???? I don't understand why it is FEMA who has to set up housing ASAP......... INSURANCE CO> SHOULD GET A TRAILER OR HELP SET YOU UP SOME PLACE TO LIVE...........???

When your job, house and everything was washed away in a day and you're still waiting on insurance money 2 months later I'm happy to have a trailer to live in. There are no rentals and few undamaged houses to live in. No one here is looking for a handout they are just looking for a light at the end of this tunnel. Not only are our homes gone but our entire communities.

As a nurse who just came back from helping those in Mississippi, a FEMA trailer is just a small start to what they will need compared to what they have lost. They have nothing and are asking for next to nothing, the people I met were most grateful for what they were receiving. These are Americans who live here in our own country, and we should be doing everything possible to help those here at home. I don't think many realize the extent of the devastation that happened in the Gulf. Just day to day living is difficult. Shame on you who can't reach out and help or offer understanding. Be glad your not in their place.

68 days to get housing in a disaster stricken area really isn't that bad, considering the mountains of government red tape that usually goes along with requisitioning a box of paper clips. A 32 ft trailer isn't the best of accomodations, but it's a roof and a place to live; they can only build from there. I know I'd be forever grateful if it were me in that situation. We all can only hope that relief comes quickly to all that survived and as community partners, the acts of giving don't diminish so we can help others as we'd want others to help us.

Seeing ones get blessed like this is a wonderful, yet, I'm at a loss here. What took so long!? Why do people like this, yes, with children too in our OWN! country, have to WAIT!! so long. How is it that we can send billons of U.S. dollars to our neighboring countries in a blink of an eye, while our own country can't send a much needed trailer in the same time frame? 68 DAYS!!!??? I say,'shame on this government'.

I am very pleased she received a trailer to live in. I commend her for her patience. I just hope that my daughter and grand daughter will be able to afford it.

We pay insurance premiums, but they insurance companies won't no risks. Shame on them. The government could spend its money helping in other ways, other than housing, if the insurance companies did what they should be doing. Then, the government could help those that truly cannot afford insurance, etc. At the same time, we all need to do our part in helping ourselves. There should balance in all of this.

I've grown increasingly tired of the people out there that think the folks on the coast are just lounging around waiting for their "daddy" to "wipe their noses" and "wake up" in time for their "handouts". I did'nt realize that you all were the ONLY people paying taxes in this country, therefore I'd like to make a few points crystal clear to those who have this assumption about us down here..... (1)THESE PEOPLE PAY TAXES TOO! (2) Fema is not "giving" these trailers away...the people who are receiving the trailers are only USING them for up to 18 months, so don't fret...they are not getting to keep the trailers. (3) All the insurance premiums that these people have been paying for the last 5, 10, 15 or 20 years has pretty much been "stolen" from them as the insurance companies are NOT paying a tenth of what is damaged AND a few of the insurance companies are NOT going to renew the policies. (4) The value of production loses in the state of Mississippi alone are as follows: Cotton - $89,200,000.00 Rice - $19,075,000.00 Soybeans - $18,000,000.00 Corn - $17,400,000.00 Forestry - $200,000,000.00 Poultry - $30,000,000.00 Beef - $70,000,000.00 and damage to the states oyster beds and shrimp fisheries are SEVERE. So what does that mean for all you good taxpaying people that don't think this state provides enough to warrent help from the federal government????? That means that next Whopper just got more expensive and the Sunday dinner just went up with the higher cost of chicken in the grocery store and let's not forget that new deck that you were hoping for in the spring just rose in cost by up to 20% because lumber is going up. Not to mention you'll have a harder time getting that shrimp cocktell at brunch because the shrimping business is virtually non existant at this time. All I can say is that those of you who have these opinions need to stop looking down the end of you noeses when you make these "revelations" and stop to think how would you handle the same situation if you were stuck in it.

And why shouldn't people who have paid taxes for years not be taken care of by their government. I'd rather see helping them out rather than providing subsidies to the oil companies.

Seems some of those posting here have no concept of the scale of the disaster. Picture 55 MILES of homes, three blocks deep... wiped to the slab. And that is just the Mississippi coast! The estimate is that over 60,000 homes were completely destroyed in 8 hours that day.... not counting the flood days later in New Orleans. I'm here. I've seen it. Maybe a bit more charity is called for on the part of those trying to make political points.

Lynn, you look great! I'm so happy for you. I've been concerned for you, especially now that the weather is changing. Things are going to start getting better for you now that you're out of that tent.

They are doing the best they can considering all the red tape and all. What bothers me the most is that the International community expects us to always bail them out with natural disasters, but with ours there were maybe a hanful of countries that offered help. Keep our money for our disasters and then let some of these other countries see how much we really do give. I feel really bad for the people in MS cause they got hit really hard, and almost all news coverage is on New Orleans. More than New Orleans was devastated and more than New Orleans should be getting help and news about them. My wife was stationed in Biloxi for Katrina with the Air Force, and I couldnt believe the devastation I seen when I went to get her 2 days afterwards. Hopefully they can recover, but it is going to take a very long time. I also think the insurance companies are alot more liable than they are letting on. I just got my insurance check for my car on Saturday. Only took them two months. That is a small amount paid out and I sincerely hope that you homeowners that are being run around by your insurance companies can get your money to help rebuild your homes and lives. Good Luck to all of you on the Coast

We are well educated, have plenty of insurance, our families and jobs are here. Your insurance is only as good as your adjustor...mine has quit 3 times, and we still haven't settled on our damages. My brother in law is disabled with a small child and still has no place to live. We will not leave our responsibilities, but we do pay taxes and insurance, contribute to our community and thanks to churches and friends we will make it. I can't think of a better place to live!

Some should be greatful that money is flowing in, where my family is from, government aid does not exist. I could admit, things could speed up a bit but if people want to see results, they need to get up and move on. Dont use the disaster as an excuse to do nothing. I have noticed that those who get help the quickest are those who take action and attempt to make a change.

It is just too bad about FEMA and their "no pets policy" because for so many, these "pets" are ALL that they truly have left and for so very many, these "pets" are not just pets but family. Hopefully the pets will have the continued care they need and their families will get regular visits with their "pets".

Foreign aid-When tragedy strikes anywhere in the world, the aid seems to get there a LOT more quickly than it does for people here at home in the US. For this family to FINALLY get a trailer to call home is truly a blessing BUT it need not have taken SOOOOO long! And so many more without and just waiting is a shame.

As for people NOT taking the responsibility of having a good supply-an emergency supply-of food items that are non-perishable such as canned soups, can openers, etc...this is for ALL people to get with it and not expect our own government to be there to take care of us for the first few days of a situation, so PLAN people, and get those emergency kits, medical supplies and FOOD and WATER stocked up so you are NOT left without, and at least a five day supply. Date them so that you can rotate those supplies and replenish them as the date nears so you will always have fresh supplies. Do not want to be stuck with out of date food items when that emergency should hit. A supply of campling gear, tents, platic tarps, you name it, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE should have these things...as especially in an area prone to earthquakes there may be no hotels or other buildings that you can rely on. We all need to take initiative to be responsible human beings. Again, for the elderly, inferm (ill) too young or those with NO way to drive or get out of an area, maybe the idea I have mentioned before "Adopt-a-Family" and every neighborhood be as an extended family so when emergency does hit those that are ill, aged, too young and/or with special needs can have a wonderful family within their neighborhood give them a helping hand so they are not stuck alone. Hurricane Katrina and those poverty stricken areas of New Orleans was a sure sign of the worst of America, and how people began pointing the fingers of blame and how "nobody helped me get out...etc., etc." Well, when people are poor it seemed to me that everyone was expecting a handout because they either did not have emergency supplies due to low income and only having the ability to buy food for a day, and no cars (though I know there were people with cars that were just too selfish to help their neighbors) Also, there are so many on drugs or drug dealers, and of course the political situation helped non at all as to how the busses could have been used to evacuate but the politicians sitting there arguing amongst themselves about who would be paing for the gasoline...SO MANY factors led to the tragedies therein.

Again, "Adopt-a-Family" and if just one family on every street, or neighborhood were to set up like a neighborhood watch, and to get to know each and every person and/or family and to ensure the other's safety in an emergency situation then everyone would have an out of the area and an in to a place of safety. We all need to be less self-centered and to develop a compassion for our neighbors. As when tragedy strikes whether it be man made or natural, there is no discrimination. Regardless of color of skin, race, ethnicity, culture, financial status, religion, spirituality-well the tragedy will strike everyone the same.

Again, all of these things that have occurred will only occur again, and we ALL need to take responsibility for ourselves and our food, water and other basic needs until help can arrive. God truly does help those who help themselves. Again, for those elderly, inferm (ill) special needs, they need those that are strong and able to help them. For those without transportation, we with the ability and with transportation should be there to help. Treat others as you would want to be treated and we all need to develop a LOT more compassion towards our fellow human beings. God bless one and all. Assalamu Alaykum (Peace be upon you) one and all.

This is what we supposedly pay taxes for: so the Government can take care of us when we need it. That is what it is for. People need help occasionally. Stop with the pioneering spirit garbage: YOU try and manage when you are dirt-poor and still work. People iN Denmark and Germany would be FLOORED if the government wouldnt help them with childcare, insurance, housing, etc. That's where all their tax dollars are going for! For when they NEED it! Stop whining. We are lucky we are getting ANYTHING with a Republican in the white house. Hey, YOU insisted on voting him in, not me!!!

I'm so happy for the Lusish family; this is the best news I've heard all weekend! What great news! Yeah I know the government isn't there to "wipe our noses" when for goodness sake, when they promise you something....they should make good on those promises. Once again, a good use of our tax dollars!

for the people that make the rude oomments about us survivors not taking responsibilty for ourselves...maybe you should come down to the coast and new orleans and surounding areas and see it all for yourself there is nothing here no home no apts nothing to try and live in and why move away when you are trying to rebuild your home...as for the insurance policies well if you are flooded there is no ale for you to recieve...not to mention the ins will take a long time to recieve and then you still need places to live...if you have ever been in a hurricane like this then you would know the ins is not that simple to work with...we did not want this disaster and we are all well most of us our taxpayers also ....yes it is costing trillions to help us with this but honestly ppl tell us what else is there to do???????? unless you are actually in our shoes dont put us down and degrade us for accepting places to live when there is no where else around here to go!!!!!!!! AND TO ALL OF YOU OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR US!!!

It's wonderful to hear that people are FINALLY getting the help they deserve from Katrina. It makes no sense to me why it takes so long to help OUR people and only hours to help other countries who don't deserve anything from us!! Where are they when we need help--laughing I suppose and plotting their next terroist attack. I say pull our troops out of Iraq and stop helping all these third world countries and focus on the problems in our own country!!!

Having to live out of the trunk of my car & with extended family/friends for a 10 month time frame I can truly understand the Leslie's appreciation of a 32 foot 'new home'. What I can't understand is all the complaining about the Gov't 'taking so long to help'. We still have the greatest and 'most helpful' Gov't in the world. Try getting a 'new home' from any other gov't, much less getting it in 68 days. Shame on those Americans who complain about the gov't being slow to respond. How 'quick' did you dig into your own personal pockets and help? I believe that those with 'young' children, not almost grown young adults, should be helped first.

Some of these people that post messages that the government shouldn't have to help those who lost their homes, needs to experience a disaster of their own and then see how ungenerous they are. Someone always seems to be better than everyone else. Hope they get to have their homes blown up some day so they can take care of themselves!

Maybe if we were to stop helping our "neighboring countries" every time they need their nose wiped, then we would have the ability to help our own. Bring our soldiers home from Iraq to help where they would be appreciated. Not have them somewhere where they aren't wanted. All the money spent on Iraq would have come in very handy right now. God Bless all of you and may the opportunity to build a new life, bring you many rewards.

I need a new 32' trailer.. Do I need to move to a hurricane ridden location to get it for free?

Here is a news flash for all you self-righteous hypoocrites out there: None of us has any real control over where our tax dollars go. I for one am tickled plum to death to see my taxes being spent here, in my country, to help my people. You gripe because our taxes are being spent to help folks caught in a disaster of unimaginable proportions, who have lost everything down to their coffee cups and toothbrushes--including their jobs. Think about it this way: We are providing the necessities of life to our fellow Americans. They are not demanding human sacrifices from among our family members and neighbors, as the Bush administration is doing with its expensive, immoral, and downright creepy invasion of Iraq. How many kajillion of our tax dollars will be appropriated for THAT loony cause? Why is it o.k. for you to pay for tanks and bombs and the cost of shipping your neighbor's children over there to be blown up, but not o.k. to pay for a bunk with a tin roof and a few weeks of food for kids here at home? Hey, call me cynical, but these folks have two sons. How long will it be before they are called upon to pay the ultimate price for that FEMA loaner: The lives of those sons, for some other imperialistic, oil-driven and lubricated cause? And why do you not mention the corporate welfare that allows the major oil companies to reap a mind-boggling all-time record quarterly profit of some 9 billion dollars from the aftermath of this tragedy? Do you not buy gas, or heating oil? Natural gas? Electricity? Every dollar spent here at home is one less dollar wasted on atrocities committed in the name of the wealthy elite against other countries. I would rather see my tax dollars spent on homeless families. It appears, given a choice, you would rather spend your tax dollars to blow things up than to rebuild them.

Excuse me, but this lady is happy to have a roof! She is grateful and so am I that she is finally getting some help. Yes, Fema has been far more wrong than right, but this is right. How can you expect the government to provide luxurious accomidations for the tens of thousands of people displaced? This is a safe, secure, temporary solution for people who have lost everything. There is power, water, and sanitation. Give a thought to the people in Pakistan, Aphganistan, India, who fight for a blanket, who's children are dying as they watch helpless. I'm embarassed by the whining, selfish attitude of entitlement that so many Americans exhibit. This rich, generous, compassionate country is made poorer by these people, who probably either didn't vote, or helped elect our present government in the last election. Get a grip, register to vote, then vote, volunteer to help, then show up, and quit complaining.

We all seem to be missing the point here. We are the government! "By the people, of the people and for the people" We have a tendency to get what we elect. This time "we" screwed up, and got screwed. Maybe we can elect someone better next time. We should all be doing more to help these people. Why? Because it is the morally right thing to do. We would want and expect the same. My entire family are hard working tax paying Americans. I am proud to see my tax dollars going to help pay for some of these peoples needs. I would be ashamed of us if they weren't. My father, God rest his soul and mother, would never dream of accepting a hand out, like a good portion of the good folks all along the gulf coast, but when something as horrible as this hits, you are not given much of a choice. This woman didn't ask for this to happen to her and her family, but it has and now she is gracious and thankful to have an actual roof over her head. May God bless her and her family. May we as Americans continue to help those in need in any way we can.

I still can't believe the people who say "just buck up and go get a job." Excuse me, these people lost EVERYTHING...whole communities wiped out. There ARE no jobs, there IS no place to go for thousands of them. What do you want the government to do? Send the money overseas to strangers rather than take care of our own? Insurance companies are the scammers of the century, and having insurance is--as we've seen--no guarantee of getting any help. Just padding the insurance companies' pockets, that's it. These people are our own--they need help, they need help at a survival level. To chastise them for being victims of a natural disaster on a scope more than most anybody in this country has ever had to face is the most childish, selfish, behavior that I've seen. Grow up...maybe next time the disaster will be in your area, and when you're standing knee deep in ruins, maybe then you'll begin to grasp just what has gone on.

I'm disgusted by some of the posts here saying that Katrina victims just need to take responsibility and stop waiting for the government to take care of them. The judgmental, patronizing tone of those comments is offensive to me as an American who thinks that we pay taxes precisely to be able to help other Americans when they need it. As another poster said, Gulf Coast residents pay taxes too, and I’m sure that at various points in time, Katrina victim’s taxes paid for help to other regions.

An entire section of our country was devastated by Katrina, and when a region suffers such catastrophic loss that it can’t pick itself up, it is up to the federal government to help. The United States is strongest when its states are strong.

I’m not at all upset that my tax dollars are going to support efforts to get these folks back on their feet, and I would hope that the same would be done for me in the same situation. It’s too easy to sit around saying, “If you had been responsible enough to buy insurance, you would be fine,” or “If it was me, I could take care of myself.” Fortunately, most of us do not know how or if we would be able to cope in a situation where our homes and communities were destroyed, leaving no local safety net. Most of us haven’t been there, and I would bet that the focus on rugged individualism taken by some of these posters would fall apart if they were caught in such circumstances, giving way to a need for help.

Thank you to FEMA and the rest of Corporate America for helping those in need. It is almost impossible to find appropriate housing for millions of homeless Americans, and I think you guys are doing a fantastic job. Don't let the pesamistic americans of this country bring you down.

I'm sure (at least I hope) that the negative people thinking we are just looking for hand-outs truly have no personal idea of the devastation. I believe if any one of you went through what the residents of our area did you would be at the mercy of FEMA too. The insurance companies are VERY slow - and they are really NOT paying out what is due. Hurricane insurance should cover a hurricane - I know that is a whole other discussion.
To those of you that are complaining - just stop - you must not have empathy for others. One day you have your life, the next day everything around you is GONE - think about it (if you can).
I'm glad to see that people are finally getting their trailers - it is just one step on the road to recovery.
My best wishes to all my neighbors

Congrats on receiving your trailer. You deserve it, and your tax dollars go to help just like the tax dollare of those who complain because they think their tax dollars should not be spent on people who need help. It shouldnt be considered a handout. The people in the south pay taxes just like anyone else and deserve a helping hand.

I am one of the thousands of drivers who are hitching up a FEMA trailer to my truck from Indiana, and hauling it down to Baton Rouge Louisiana or Pervus Mississippi. We use our own trucks, hook up at all hours of the day and night, and head south. It takes 24 hours of solid driving to get there, about $530 in gas and a big truck to make it up the hills between here and there. Take a ride down I55 or I65, and count trailer after trailer, all driven by one or two people who have given up free time to drive 24 hours ONE WAY, just to deliver a trailer to the folks who lost it all. It takes another 24 hours to get home, and thats with sleeping in the front seat of a truck, or if you are really lucky, the back bench seat of a crew cab truck. When we get to the drop sites, there is yet another army of drivers waiting to pull the trailers to the new owners. Yes, we get paid to do this job. I want to thank MSNBC for showing us at least one happy new resident of just one of these trailers. No, they are not fancy, they are very basic, so if you are jealous that these folks are getting a nice new trailer, you need only peek your head inside one to know these have the bare necessities for life, a very simple bed, a tiny bathroom, a small kitchenette and a few small closets. Some sleep 6, some sleep 2. They have a heater and A/C, 3 or 4 small windows and one door, they are a mere 30 feet long. Hauling over 100,000 trailers, 900 miles one way, over large hills, past semi trucks and soon ice and snow, one at a time, is a monumental feat. Its absolutley overwhelming to see this operation "trailer" in person, my hats off to FEMA for being able to organize it, my respect to my fellow drivers for pulling all these trailers all night long and still arriving in one piece, and best of luck to the folks who must now call this little trailer "Home".

Wow, she has a new home and so quickly !!
Could this have anything to do with the fact that she is white??? The best we could manage was to move these poor, sick, frightened and defeated people from one delapitated football stadium to another after denying them our assistance emmediately. We sure could be there to film the devistation and looting,the elderly sitting out there frying in the hot sun and rancid waters starving to death, but we certainly could not arrive with food, medicine, drinking water, transportation and financial aid. Blessed are those who have a life that can be hauled back into a brand spanking new trailer. For some the WATER came and hauled it ALL away, including loved ones. For some that are still transposed and homeless,seperated from family and friends, the memory of our abandonment and our shameless President will never EVER be washed away.
" What a proud day America!! "

I think we have been paying taxes for decades which are then allotted to FEMA and other government agencies to, yes, help out in natural disasters. What is wrong with some of us getting a little of the tax money back, if it is what it was allotted for in the first place! People can be so heartless...

People dissin survivors need to get on a plane and go to Southern Mississippi. Seriously. Or at least look at the pictures of the devastation. There is NOTHING left in Waveland. NOTHING except debris 15 ft high all around you, devastation for miles, houses now piles of matchsticks. How can anyone look at this everyday? There is no civilian traffic (no cars left), only military, police, rescue, construction, utility trucks and countless other agencies. Residents do not have running water or electricity. They are unable to survive daily life in this toxic environment without the help of countless agencies.

If you don't think the goverment should help them recover from the worst disaster this country as ever seen who should? When are YOU leaving for Mississippi to help?

While in Waveland, I was standing in line at a relief center for food when an elderly man and woman told me they had worked all their lives, retired from New Orleans in Waveland, built their retirement home and planned on spending their golden years in Waveland. Now, they have nothing to show for years of hard work. Nothing. Tears streaming down his face, he said "I never thought I'd be standing in line for a free meal." He was devastated, his wife, eyes glazed over, was clearly suffering trauma.

Everyone we spoke to was traumatized !

For those without a clue, get your butts down there, see the devastation, the trauma survivors are suffering, the faces of the children and elderly. The face of a father of four children under age 5 whose business floated down Rt. 90 and can no longer care for his family. They have no house, no clothes, no toys....nothing!

FIRST get a clue as to life on the ground in a post-disaster zone, THEN post your thoughts.

To all on the Gulf Coast, hang in there.....tomorrow will be better than today.

The important point that Wendyl misses is that Lyn is happy in her new home. She seems to have no problem with FEMA. They may not be perfect but they are doing what they can. Either step up and help or keep quiet.

Last night I came to the realization that I finally understand the devastation that occurred on the Gulf coast. As I pondered the thought of deciding on which plumber I should call because of a backed up sewage drain, I realized that most if not all of the people affected by this catastrophe would give anything to be in my situation.
Even though I have not been there to actually see the devastation, I can only imagine what these people must go through everyday to make even the most elementary of tasks possible.
As I go to work each day I think of the countless people who each got a new job, a job that pays nothing, offers no paid vacations or holidays and no fringe benefits. It is a job that noone in their right mind would want to accept but be forced into. That job is survival, 168 hours a week.
People say that time heals all wounds. That is especially true in this time of need. We can't expect the government to help ALL of these people in such a short period of time givin the amount of damage, even though they should've responded a lot better in the onslaught. It will take a long, long time before we see anything that even resembles something of what we (you) once knew. I can only hope that they offer continued support for those in need.
I pray for those who are trying to pick up the pieces, both figuratively and physically, as each day passes. Stay strong, persevere, and you will make it through. Time will make sure of that.
May we all support one another in times like these. God knows, we'll all need it at one time or another, maybe not as severe but none the less. And need I remind anyone that we still live in the best country in the world.

What I find amazing is the heartlessness of many people - saying that people shouldn't live in risky areas unless they can't afford private insurance, have immediate access to reconstruction materials, goods, and services, and have careers that will keep them in money (and able to afford interim housing) until their original homesites are rebuilt.

Americans would have never developed the Gulf Coast as much as we have done, had we taken a purely libertarian approach to development. How much more would these hidden costs have added to the prices we pay for food, fuel, and other things, had we not subsidized the development of the Gulf Coast?

Mind you, development comes with a price - something that politicans do not adequately account for. We should have a ready supply of pre-manufactured emergency housing (available via the Federal Government)to replace much of the stick-built homes. But we should make sure that each homeowner is required to maintain disaster insurance to cover its cost.

The basic idea of insurance is to pool resources, so that the small numbers of people who suffer individual disasters (illness, home damage, theft, etc.) can be restored to a sembalance of normalcy. Insurance companies "reinsure" themselves against large disasters via reinsurance companies. Why not have the Federal government as the reinsurer of reinsurance companies if we charge properly for the service? In theory, we could have an arm of the US Govt. making money during most years - and provide jobs during lean years by requiring that disaster homes be 100% domestic content.....

Just a germ of an idea....

This is direct to JAN ANDREWS and JENNIFER DAVIS. I had three feet of water in my home. I had homeowners and no flood. I have not received a FEMA grant, nor SBA loan. I have received wind damage money for the roof of my home. THAT IS IT. I will repair my home at my own expense. I do not have a place to house my family as I rip out the walls of my home MYSELF and than PAY someone to put it together. I HAVE NOT received help from a church group, or anyone else on the repair of my home. I am doing myself but if you loose everything, your town looses everything, you have a job in your town you will willing accept a FEMA trailer. Come here, come see this town and these people. I pray you never know what we all are going thru as your response would be much more caring. What if it was your parents homeless and you and your whole family also, no where to go. You people need to be in IRAQ not America.

Thank you Justin. Also, Diane in Boston, thanks for your post. My parents (as many) can be the people you are talking about. The hardest part is for them they have no child's home they can go to because theirs is gone to. It is hard for me because I cannot help them. I have no room to offer them. They do not know where they will live nor how they will pay for it. I pray and hope someone helps the elderly as there are no apartments or etc. for them to move into. They have medical conditions and doctors they love, some so old the do not have it in them to move, nor do they have it into them to start over.
All you here, do you know how hard it is to hear your father fight back his tears at nigh as you sleep day 7 in a shelter.
I can careless about myself, I care most about my family.
Thanks to all over the US who understand. It helps us move forward without anger!

I happened on to this blog by accident and was glad I did I just cannot believe there are fellow americans who begrudge Hurricane Katrina victims of help. What do they think they would do if it happened to them.I had hurricane insurance and supplies did everything possible to be prepared. But how do you prepare for such a thing? I have never had food stamps or govt assistance in my life my husband and I have worked very hard to take care of our family. Yesterday I dug in a box in front of a flooded bldg looking for a pair of shoes for my kids, and stood in line thankful to receive some food. Do you have any idea what it is like to do that? Do you know what it is like to have dead neighbors on your street? Or wonder if one of your kids survived the storm in their neighborhood for days because you were unable to get out from where you evacuated? The people of the Gulf Coast especially Bay St Louis and Waveland & Pearlington have been to hell and back and have to justify getting a "spanking new 30 ft trailer". The absolute nerve of some people just blow me away. The citizens of the Coast very much appreciate all that has been done for them by volunteers they are a bright spot in the whole thing

Everybody is talking about how the Government will spend Billions overseas in the blink of an eye, but I don't think the money is the issue. No matter how much money the Government throws at this disaster, there aren't hundreds of thousands of trailers just sitting around unused. Trailers need to be manufactured, electrical need to be pulled to the trailers. I work in the construction field and know that these things take lots of time! No matter how much money you throw at it, it still takes time and manpower. Thank you to FEMA for what it is trying to do!

Some of the posts say that you should always be prepared for an emergency. Yes, I thought that also. Couple of years ago we got everything you could imagine that would see us through for weeks - yes, weeks not just a few days. We even got a generator that would kick in when the power failed. Guess what? Our house burned to the ground one year before Hurricane Katrina. In May before the storm we started to rebuild, we once again got all our "supplies" together, most we put at our rental house, much of the other items were stored in the work shop that survived the fire. We had refrig., window air conditioner, generator - we figured if we lost the rental house then we could live in work shop on our property (where we were rebuilding). When we evacuated we even took the time to leave one car at a friends house (tree fell on it) and take another one to our property so there would be better odds that one of them would be OK. Now you would think that all of the above is a PLAN. Our property with work shop and all emergency supplies is in an area in Pass Christian that had no water during Hurricane Camille. See which way I am going? The work shop went under 15 feet of water, there goes the other car and much of our supplies and plans for a place to stay if necessary. The rental house had three very large trees fall on it. At least our supplies there came through OK and after doing repairs and clean up inside we had a place to live.

So you see - you can plan all you want for getting your supplies together and all it takes is the wind driven surge or your house being blow away and you've lost it all.

PS: since we lost everything in the fire at least we didn't have much to lose to the water (except all the EMERGENCY supplies) And one more thing, after seeing what the surge did to friends houses and those that withstood but had water inside - yes, I am relieved that I had already lost it all to that fire!

i happen to fall on this site by accident. it was to my amazement of the opinions that are out there in wake of the natural disaters that our great nation was impposed upon. alot would say it is paradise most of the year. my fear for the safety of my family does not create such a paradise. no matter what happens in this world there will always be the less fortunate that gives us that shove to lend a hand to our fellow mankind. now we can sit here and complain about where all our dollars are being spent, but at least for the most of us we can say that we are alive. those who have lost lives my blessings and heart goes out to you. to the less fortunate as well i hope that hope is a bright light just around the corner of you. i could sit here and write all the good and bad things about this ordeal but that does not solve the problem nor would define the reasons for it. i love this country and i am proud for at least i can walk on the grass look at the stars and talk to others with tireney oppression or persecution. so maybe just maybe we need to take a longer look at ourselves and see what awe can do to help keep the untited states of america the way it is.......FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TYVM

In 2003 our area was hit by hurricane Isabelle, I think it hit land at a catagory 1, I live less than a mile from the beach and the damage was unbelievable. We went without electricity for almost 2 weeks and some went a little longer. We thought it was so hard! I cant imagine being in anyones shoes who is suffering from Katrina, so you know what? If FEMA or ANYONE else can/will help them good! Thats what they are there for. I think anyone complaining need to complain about the everyday moochers who think they are supposed to live off the government, not people who actually need and DESERVE help. Good luck to you and everyone!!

It absolutely shocks me to hear how cruel some of these people are. Why would anyone take the time to write hateful and unproductive posts about people who have been and are still living out an unbelievable nightmare? No one ever dreams something like this could happen to them personally. I don't think anyplace in this country or world that is safe from some sort of diaster, natural or man-made. For those who are writing the self-righteous and judgemental posts: be ready. To all the good folks, thanks for encouraging us.

The things some of these say make me absolutely sick. I cannot believe that the time, money and effort I put into helping anyone in need could someday go to you. You definitely are NOT worthy of America, you know who you are.

What are you thinking J&J? We help every country in the world when disaster hits. Have you really been watching CNN or FNN? Do you see the miles of lumber and brick lying on the (MS) coastline? Do you not know that those people work too?!? They pay taxes too! They are OK with you when you are on vacation during Mardi Gras or visiting the casinos or eating fresh shrimp. But now they need (us) and you look down on their despair. My God think about it: Tomorrow you wake up and your house is gone (or) shall I say your Mansion? You car is gone. No lights, phone, gas or water. No Police or Fireman. The Nanny can't come in and neither can the cleaning lady! No Mall no grocery store. No MAIL! No school, no office building. No cell phone service to call your Insurance Co. I don't care how rich you are, your plastic doesn't "swipe" in mid air! And God forbid your purse was washed away inthe night right along with everything else! Where's your plastic now? I have been in the Insurance industry since 1991. UNDERWRITER/SALES/MARKETING/FIELD REP/CLAIMS for MAJOR carriers! Did you know sweetie that some of the most expensive and broad Homeowners Policies do not cover flood (wind/water/rain)? And even if it does, do you know the limit on Additional Living Expenses? 30 days. Yes, even on "your" policy. So if you're in a disaster such as this and it's been 68 days-you've been on your own for 38 of them already! What do you do? Your whole world is gone. Your husband's job is gone. Can you afford to rent a home (cash) long enough to rebuild the entire coast? To furnish it, rent a car, buy new clothing, and of course just go out and get a new job in HOUSTON or somewhere you have never lived in your life! Well God bless if you can, but most people can't. Don't be ignorant to the depth of this tragedy PEOPLE. You can't possible prepare enough to have something like this happen to you.

Too many people want to judge what this lady had/has or should have had before they look inside themselves and ask "what would I want if this happened to me?" Probably it's as simple as a foot up to start over. Yes, it's her property. We should think in terms of the trailer being a temporary home until they rebuild. Winter's coming folks. You can't rebuild a house from a tent. And another thing, we definitely should help those who can't help themselves, for whatever reason - not enough insurance, no insurance - doesn't matter. Why can't we just say out loud there certainly would be a lot more to go around if we kept US$$$ at home instead of sending US$$$ overseas.

Yes, boy are we lucky. Us slackers here getting ourselves a free trailer after 68 days of being homeless. You guys have no idea what it is like to work hard, pay taxes, pay insurance premiums and find yourself homeless overnight. Our entire town was wiped out. No electric, water, sewer, cell phone, land phone, cable, internet, mail, or anything else from the current century. Insurance adjusters trying to welch out of what you paid to have covered. Jobs are gone. Businesses all destroyed. Grocery stores closed. Gas stations out of gas. No apts, hotels or homes to rent within hundreds of miles. Schools destroyed. We worked in the muck to salvage what little we could from the wreckage that was our homes. It was 90 degrees, flies and bugs were biting us. Mold and mildrew caused respiratory infections. People got staph infections. Some found that the few items they worked to salvage were stolen in the night. Airports and rental car agencies were closed. I had to get up in the night to wet my hair so that I could sleep a little in the humid, excessive heat. We went to a relief center to get some "free" food one day and we were insulted and treated like less than human. We are not sitting around waiting for the government to "wipe our noses" We are the survivors of the worst natural disaster in U.S. history and we were just like many of you before Katrina. The rebuilding effort is as bad as the hurricane. Many of the service companies coming from all over the country to "help" us rebuild are quoting us two, three times a fair price, trying to get rich from our misery. I was quoted 15,000 for a job I finally paid someone 2,400 to do. We have no idea when the insurance companies will pay off. In the mean time we have no place to live, no job and absurd quotes for repair work. Yep, we got it good in our FEMA trailers.

I do believe we Americans deserve at least the same treatment we give to other countries in time of natural disasters. It is not a hand out and most of the people in the region pay taxes and work for a living just as you or I. They deserve respect from their country and their fellow citizens. It so easy for us to be in their shoes someday because every part of our country has its own natural disasters be it flood, earthquakes, ice storms, or tornados. Our government owes us just as we owe it, and sometimes they have to payback to us.

Whew! Well, I am so glad they are in a decent place to live! 68 days seems like a lifetime when you are living in a tent. My sister, who lives in Lake Arthur, LA, got the news last week that her trailer will arrive next week some time. I am so happy for her. This has been very difficult for her. Thank God the trailer will sit right next to her home. Now we have to wait to see if the house will be demolished or worth saving.

Katrina has left a path of unthinkable devistation in her wake. People see houses still standing that were filled with four feet of rancid water for days and days. Mold growing on the walls, in the insulation, in the rugs. MOLD EVERYWHERE!! and make no mistake MOLD kills. The only effective way to detroy mold is to burn it. I can't believe the ignorance of the spoiled people who are saying get jobs! stop looking for handouts!! CRAP!!! If I were your mother, I would disown you!!!
What you are really saying is create jobs so you can get jobs and live in tents until you create more jobs for more people so they can live in tents too??
COME ON!!! These people pay taxes like everybody else and if your so dead set against helping them!! I suggest that you insist the people in New York give back the MULTI-MILLIONS raised after 911. I guess all those widows and children who lost a loved one..a father or mother, should just get jobs as well, and stop thier damn whining and crying. IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE and some things are SIMPLY UNFORGIVEABLE.
Thse poor people who just got battered need to
" Get a job ? "
You need to lose a job and live in a delapitated football stadium, starving, thirsty, unable to bathe or leave and without hope, surrounded by hysteria, violence and Anger, for a few long hot humid days and let us see that you would NOT be whining and crying for help. I suspect that those who have unkind words to say to those who suffered Katrina's wrath have some pretty deep seated issues that go beyond what they type here.. perhaps racism is a big one, but they are just to afraid to say it openly. If there's ever a draft.. I also hope they call you kinds of people first, after all the military hates whiners as well.. seems to me, you non whineing, get a job type, would fit right in.
I have said it before, and I'll say it again !!
" if your not part of the solution, your very much a part of the problem "!!!!!

To kat in canada..... What makes you think us whinners have not been through something like this. Dont sit an look down your nose at others until you have seen this for yourself. I myself have been through something like this an i didnt have noone to just hand me everything without helping myself. So Kat dont write long distant about something you know nothing about. Come on down an see first hand at people who wont help themselves.

To Mike Hiding Somewhere In The U.S. --- Boorish.. absolutely Boorish of you. I dare you to stand in New Orleans and tell those people that you feel they have not suffered enough in your opinion. I don't look down my nose by speaking truth. Human suffering has no govornment, it has no color, race religion or creed. It knows not poverty.. it knows not life or death.. It is what it is... suffering.
" My children, way up here" raised over 500.00 for Katrina relief. They did NOT ask me about Govornments, they did not ask me about poverty or racism. They witnessed the devistation on t.v. and over the airways and decided the right thing to do was to help thier fellow man no matter where he lived. I think perhaps it is you and those like you looking down your noses at the good people who endured this nightmare, and most especially the children who did not ask to be born into this mess but are victims at times, of thier own birth right.
Would you deny them love? help? support? Would you tell them thier parents don't deserve help and so they should suffer too??? Are we really dealing with perhaps a bit of jealousy on your part? or maybe a bit of closeted racism?? because help did not arrive when you needed it? Maybe it's because you did not suffer a category 5 hurricane or a terrorist attack. I could care less for your reasons. There are people in every country who " won't help themselves " but most often they dont all suffer through the same event at the same time. Some are there by thier own choice and others are simply vicitms of life and society. Thousands of lives are displaced, families torn apart, children and parents missing and far far to many dead. Why do you not want to preserve the history, culture and heritage of New Orleans?? It belongs to you.. it belongs to every American.
I'll ask you again, when 911 happened did you begrudge those people the help love and support they received and deserved?? Should we insist that money be returned that your gov. handed out? should we insist that the world trade center never be rebuilt if it will cost the Gov. and tax payers money? Can't those men, women and children of 911 who lost somebody get jobs too ?? Human kindness, compassion and empathy were the answer then and remain the answer now. We can't truely judge who should get and who should not get. We can't pick and choose one disaster being more important than another. We can simply say here it is, here is our love and support, and if you are NOT entitled to it but you take it, you will one day answer to a much higher power than your Govornment.. you will answer to God. I refuse to play God with the lives of others. I can't sleep at night when I know somebody is suffering and it is within my means to help. I am not sure what upset you the most about my post. Was it that I dare uttered the Gods honest truth or was it that I uttered it publically ??? maybe educated a few people?? There is enough hate in this world to go around. The least you can do it love your own people.
Look after your own people when within your means, and especially when something of this magnitude or 911 occurs. Help first.. ask questions later...
I pray you never have to beg, I pray you never find yourself in this very same situation and have somebody speak down to you as you have to me, but most especially to your very own countrymen. they did NOT deserve any of this and they certainly don't deserve your attitude, unkind words and hatefulness towards them. More and more, I am saddended to think that this perhaps this is becoming the American way.
If your not part of the solution, you are deffinately part of the problem. Ask yourself what side are you on?

I am one of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina- I for one am not one to ask for a "hand out" from Uncle Sam- but when your insurance is not enough and you have lost your job and everything you own---who should we turn to? Just for the record, I didn't ask for the trailer- they called us! So those of you who have never been through something so tragic and think you can handle it- come move to Louisiana or one of the other Gulf States and see how you feel when all of your belongings and everything you hold near to you is destroyed all at one time.....I don't think you would be pointing fingers then. By the way, I am also a taxpayer-so why shouldn't my hard earned money go to helping my family when I am in need.....

Its not about expecting a free ride or hand out, or not be willing to work and all the other sterotypes that come from apparently uneducated people. When a tornado rips through Kansas you dont hear people in Louisiana saying ..thats what you get for living in tornado ally. When an earthquake rips open cali you dont hear us say ...thats what you get for living there, wild fires rip through ..so be it, terrorists attack your comunity ..ohhhh tough luck ...none of that is ever said..meanwhile the Great old U.S. has collected taxes here from the ppl of Louisiana for years and gave nothing back to build levess or restore the coastal barriers that protect us from such massive storms....I dont believe there is a place in the U.S. that is immune from Natural Disaster...It easy to say you knew you were in danger by living there but some people were born and raised there..makes it a little harder to pick up and leave because something might happen...no person in Kansas that gew up there bails because they might have a tornado....The federal government lied to the ppl of Lousiana and told us we were protected from hurricanes to an extent ..turned out they only took out tax dollars and ran..thier levees failed us and the response to help get ppl out after all was said and done was a compete failure, Not to let local politics off the hook ...nagin, broussard and the rest should have their day to be ousted to but lets not stop there ....this goes all the way to the top ....you may call it a hand out ...I call it a refund ..i pay taxes and work my a$$ of and was told I was protected ..I dont want a hand out ..I want a god damn refund ......

that is ashame that people are just going to say we don't deserve any kind of help down here on the gulf coast you people must be all rich and think your S#!* does'nt stink that is just down right cruel.I lost everything i'd had.and it's not that easy to just move somewhere else especially when your not rich like me!and many others here on the coast.ya know for all you cruel and hatefull people out there who are writting all these hatefull things maybe you should just take a little trip down here and see for yourself the devistation that we are all going through and maybe you will change your mind and say "HEY THESE PEOPLE REALLY DO NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET" and i also want to thank all those who did lend a hand and helped out thank you all very much and may god bless you always.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNU499JS6kQ

Insurance finds a way not to pay and then FEMA calls our hole in the roof "insignifagant damage" but hey lets make sure the millionairs in Miami get some new sand.