Re: 18 years ago at this time - where were you and how were things going
Posted by hanna on 8/27/2010, 1:46 pm
August 21 - 24, 1992
August 21: I was sent home from work I went straight to the Red Cross, watched a weather report then I called mom and said a major hurricane was coming.  Mom said it's only a tropical storm not to worry.  
August 22 I spent the day at the Red Cross routing evacuation calls, the information re bus pick up points etc was wrong.  That night I called shelter managers, no answer, the majority had  evacuated.  I got one man he said "There is a major hurricane coming I can't open a shelter I need to evacuate."  I was very P#####, "What about all the people that need a shelter" he did not care.  At midnight I became a shelter manager.  
August 23& 24: I spent 2 hours looking for the shelter, wrong info.   I stopped to call the Red Cross two of us arrived at the same time; "I have to open a shelter."  The man said "I have nine pregnant women I need to evacuate."  I asked for phone book.  I got to the school the principle & I did the inspection; I had no one to help manage or set up.  Hours later I got help from some fantastic teens from CO (don't remember the club name).  Fire rescue, police etc were uncooperative like many others they laughed when I said you have no idea what you are in for.  During the night an older man said I was no longer in charge.   For some time I sat in a dark room crying watching TV/news listening to the horror of families (phone calls) that had not evacuated.  Later trying to sleep I asked "What is the train sound I keep hearing about?" a woman said "You are hearing it now."  About 10 am call the Red Cross told them I was leaving, I learned the older man had lied.  I said since John Doe said he was in charge he can clean up this mess, he let the septic tank back up people urinated everywhere.  The school refused to be a shelter after that.  I was horrified with the failures of the volunteers, the failures of the government etc...   To this day I cry when I think about Andrew I cry.

Bateauxdriver  ouch!  Bobbi so glad your child graduated.
19
In this thread:
18 years ago at this time - where were you and how were things going - DTB_2009, 8/26/2010, 10:45 pm
< Return to the front page of the: message board | monthly archive this page is in
Post A Reply
This thread has been archived and can no longer receive replies.