FEMA strikes again (Oklahoma)

[rainbow4321]

Why do these people even bother showing up??

Have family in Tulsa who are riding out the post-ice storm disaster 4th day with no electric except for what her generator/space heaters are giving off so the house is now 62 degrees and not 52--and now the living room roof is leaking from ice/tree damage,

She called FEMA to ask what they were doing/giving to individuals/families to get thru the devastation from the ice damage and was told "I don't know what you have heard but Pres. Bush has not authorized us to give ***individual aid***, we are here for businesses and communities as a whole, NOT individual assistance". No $$ for individuals to recover/fix their houses/survive in a house with no electric, etc..money/aid is just for businesses and being given to cities.

Keep in mind the area is going to be hit next with a snowstorm this weekend so recovery is going to be hampered even more.

Is this a another case of chimpass screwing with a state that has a Dem governor???

[ixion]

1. just like so many corporations today, they'll take your money

but good luck getting anything in return.

[thepurpose]

2. Note the businesses. We need to get contracts to em so they can collect tax payer money at the max.

[Suich]

3. It took four days from the time our governor asked for help for

* to declare certain counties disaster areas, then FEMA came. They are helping everyone, as far as I know, but it will take 10 days for anyone to get any $$$. As ineffecient as FEMA is, I have never heard of helping businesses only...it doesn't even make sense, since businesses rely on people to be successful.

I hope your family gets some help soon. The films I've seen on the news are horrendous.

[rainbow4321]

4. No idea about the FEMA wording

:shrug: No clue as to why the FEMA person phrased it that way. Right now $5 million in FEMA $$ is authorized to be dispersed to local governments once they apply for assistance. To get anymore FEMA $$ than the $5 mil, "Congress approval" is needed. Given the widespread damage throughout the state from the worst storm in OK history, that $5 mil is probably a drop in the bucket.

Sidenote, one online article had Rudy Guliani touring an OKC neighborhood. Please, politicans, don't just use this disaster as just a photo op for your campaign...guess that's just what we have to look forward to, though, at every natural disaster between now and next November!

[lonestarnot]

5. MADOKIE! Are you here? And you rainbow4321 what can we do?

I'll send you some firewood if it will help.

[madokie]

10. Thanks, you can come and help me remove the tree limbs scattered throughout the yard if you want

other than that we're just fine, kids too. we only lost electric 3 times for a few hours at a time. I have a welder/generator so we had the electric covered and we had lots of wood pellets so we were able to stay nice and toasty and well fed. Lots of damage to our trees, in fact what was left of my prized sassafras tree that was almost destroyed in last January's ice storm took a real f**king this time, I don't know if I'll be able to save it our not.


Sassafras tree, the tree with three different distinct leaves: http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Sassafras.html

:hug: ;-)

[lonestarnot]

11. I used to pick wild sassafras along the woods road in Illinois. Mmmm good pie!

I was worried about you loosing power, but I see you were ready for that too. Good boy sprout! :hug: stay warm now ya hear. :hi:

[KatyaR]

6. This doesn't surprise me--I knew the minute they said FEMA would be

sending aid that no one would get any help.

I did see something in the Oklahoman earlier this week that said FEMA was sending supplies, i.e., generators, tarps, etc., but that it would take a while for them to get here. Basically, by the time whatever they send gets here, we won't need it anymore or everyone will have already spent their own money to buy what they need.

I'm not sure I would ever take anything from FEMA--I don't trust them at all.

[lonestarnot]

7. I sure wouldn't eat any of their damn chinese food.

[Thothmes]

8. Just out of idel curiosity

Why call FEMA directly. Doent the city of Tulsa or the State of Oklahoma have anything to do with disaster relief?

[rainbow4321]

9. To be honest, I don't know why she called them directly

Only thing I can think of is that she probably heard in the past during other post-disasters news coverage how people have gotten FEMA "loans" or repair $$ for house damages.
I think the locals have read/heard that FEMA is in the state and are talking amongst themselves about exactly what FEMA if offering. What prompted the phone call was a conversation she had with a friend about "rumors" in town that FEMA was helping families/individuals. So sis may have decided to get the info directly from the horse's mouth instead of rumors flying around town.
For just a snippit of an idea of what everyone in the state is going thru, watch the video below, keeping in mind that it is just a single neighborhood's damage..then picture it happening statewide in the city limits and out in the countryside. I **don't know** the people who posted the video but it is from the Tulsa World website.


http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=23779332

[Swamp Rat]

12. Has Blackwater shown up yet?

:hug:

[clyrc]

13. I've been trying to get in touch with family for four days now, no luck

most of my family lives in Tulsa, and I'm worried for them. I hope my parents have enough wood for the fireplace and coal for the grill, but I have no way of knowing.