South Texas Cleanup

[Ponca Dan]

Just got back from a 10 day vacation at Miramar Beach in Florida. Rented a big house right on the beach, brought in the kids, in-laws, grandkids. Cost a small fortune, but that's why you have vacations, isn't it? It was worth every penny! We're talking about going to a Dude Ranch in Montana next.

Anyway, spent the last two days driving back to Edmond. Followed I10 as far as Layafette, LA, when I had to turn North because the highway was closed at the Texas border. Drove up to Shreveport, caught I20 to Dallas, and then home. What I wanted to write about were the multitude of caravans headed to do cleanup. Pickups were hauling trailers loaded with bottled water. Long trails of utility repair vehicles, one caravan of about 10 trucks and vans were coming from Boston, MA. I'm sure most of them were not coming for free, they expect remuneration (from FEMA?). But they didn't have to come at all, and, yet, they packed their suitcases, loaded their trucks with gear, ignored that it is a 3 day holiday, and made the long and cumbersome trip to help people they don't even know. It makes me tear up just thinking about it. It helped to restore my faith in the goodness of the people with whom I share a nationality.

 

[Rdcldad]

Just got back from a 10 day vacation at Miramar Beach in Florida. Rented a big house right on the beach, brought in the kids, in-laws, grandkids. Cost a small fortune, but that's why you have vacations, isn't it? It was worth every penny! We're talking about going to a Dude Ranch in Montana next.

Anyway, spent the last two days driving back to Edmond. Followed I10 as far as Layafette, LA, when I had to turn North because the highway was closed at the Texas border. Drove up to Shreveport, caught I20 to Dallas, and then home. What I wanted to write about were the multitude of caravans headed to do cleanup. Pickups were hauling trailers loaded with bottled water. Long trails of utility repair vehicles, one caravan of about 10 trucks and vans were coming from Boston, MA. I'm sure most of them were not coming for free, they expect remuneration (from FEMA?). But they didn't have to come at all, and, yet, they packed their suitcases, loaded their trucks with gear, ignored that it is a 3 day holiday, and made the long and cumbersome trip to help people they don't even know. It makes me tear up just thinking about it. It helped to restore my faith in the goodness of the people with whom I share a nationality.

lots of those groups do come for free
in the moore cleanup

samaritans purse
team rubicon
salvation army

tons of churches have feeds on their grounds
and operate as distribution points for necessaries

there are roaming food trucks for workers and residents

local cops patrol
fema does plain car patrols and fraud protection

then demo crews will be reimbursed and paid by the ton at the dump by fema

initially folks have a week or so to get what they want from inside the house and the cars get hauled off

then household stuff and debris gets brought to the curb and hauled

then the houses get demo and hauled

then the slabs

that's how it worked in moore

and i promise every creatin and hustler in the world is flocking to houston, it was like the fair let out and it was carney town

 

[JimmyBob]

and i promise every creatin and hustler in the world is flocking to houston, it was like the fair let out and it was carney town

Sadly, you nailed it.

 

[Ponca Dan]

lots of those groups do come for free
in the moore cleanup

samaritans purse
team rubicon
salvation army

tons of churches have feeds on their grounds
and operate as distribution points for necessaries

there are roaming food trucks for workers and residents

local cops patrol
fema does plain car patrols and fraud protection

then demo crews will be reimbursed and paid by the ton at the dump by fema

initially folks have a week or so to get what they want from inside the house and the cars get hauled off

then household stuff and debris gets brought to the curb and hauled

then the houses get demo and hauled

then the slabs

that's how it worked in moore

and i promise every creatin and hustler in the world is flocking to houston, it was like the fair let out and it was carney town

We spent last night in a hotel in Alexandria,LA. We barely got a room. It was full of refugees from SE Texas who had been flooded out. Mostly black, obviously lower working class, lots of single moms with passels of kids. When I called to make a reservation they asked if I was FEMA. I assume the refugees had been settled into the hotel by FEMA. The babies were looking around in confused wonderment. The younger kids reveled in the pool. The single washing machine/dryer were going non-stop. I felt so sorry for those adults! Miles from home, no transportation, not knowing what they would find when they finally got to go home. And, yet, they were in surprisingly good humor. One looks in wonder at the human spirit.

 

[purkey]

lots of those groups do come for free
in the moore cleanup

samaritans purse
team rubicon
salvation army

tons of churches have feeds on their grounds
and operate as distribution points for necessaries

there are roaming food trucks for workers and residents

local cops patrol
fema does plain car patrols and fraud protection

then demo crews will be reimbursed and paid by the ton at the dump by fema

initially folks have a week or so to get what they want from inside the house and the cars get hauled off

then household stuff and debris gets brought to the curb and hauled

then the houses get demo and hauled

then the slabs

that's how it worked in moore

and i promise every creatin and hustler in the world is flocking to houston, it was like the fair let out and it was carney town

you're correct about that last part...hustlers, con men, roofers!, about every bandit within 700 miles is heading to houston. You'll see a ton from oklahoma heading down there....along with every illegal from mexico.