Safe, but Homeless...Thanks to all & Need advice

[lightd]

This is my first post here, even though I have been a member since last year. The damage to the areas of Louisiana, east of downtown New Orleans is catastrophic. My community, St. Bernard Parish, about 50,000 homes & businesses, have been devastated. The entire area is flooded, and almost all are to the roof-tops (or worse). Other surrounding areas of New Orleans, and lower parishes are in similar circumstances, and I'm not sure of the actual numbers from those areas. My family evacuated, and we are safe, but we don't really know what to do. We are told that it may be weeks, or even a month, before we can get to our homes, so insurance companies cannot do anything until the water can be pumped out. I don't know what to do now. We have been told that we cannot return home, we can't stay in a hotel room much longer, and we are homeless. If anyone has advice that may help, please post. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Finally, I would like to thank everyone at Storm2K for all of the information that was provided prior to Katrina's arrival. And, a special thanks to the pro mets (and other very well-informed board members) who give so much of your time, detailing forecasts and answering questions.

Sorry for the long post. I guess I'll go cry a little more, and hope for any replies you may have.

[thunderchief]

Call FEMA or the Red Cross

[ccsuzy]

I would suggest contacting FEMA as soon as possible. Perhaps they can help you with a place to live. I wish I could say more, my heart is very heavy. God bless.

[Sanibel]

Contact FEMA or Red Cross

[cswitwer]

Call the Red Cross - any number. They will put you in touch with the people who can provide you with emergency food, lodging or cash for lodgings, clothing, etc. There was a FEMA number on CNN earlier, but I don't have it. YOU WILL BE OKAY. You have experienced a terrible disaster, but there are people who will help you. Get on the phone with the Red Cross, FEMA, local authorities where you are and tell them that you need help. There will be many others doing the same thing - but just be persistant and keep calling until you get what you need.

And thank god you were smart enough to get out and stay alive.

[soney]

I would suggest start with the Red Cross wherever you are, they are the ones who provide immediate relief in these situations and have shelters set up right now. FEMA should be bringing in temporary housing for folks in your situation shortly but, in the meanwhile, the Red Cross will be filling in the gaps. Call FEMA as soon as you have your immediate situation sorted out.

Start with one step at a time, one day at a time. My heart goes out to you, and I'm sure many others on this board feel the same way.

[MomH]

Also contact the Salvation Army where you are and if you are a member of a particular religion, contact a minister. It is hard to ask for help, I know but many are out there who will be more than happy to help.

MomH

[inotherwords]

Thank God you are safe but I'm sure right now you are feeling horrible and scared for the future. I sheltered some refugees from Charley last year in a rental house I own after they became homeless, which FEMA subsidized. So maybe...MAYBE you can find someone who can afford to do so who will rent you a place and defer the rent until the FEMA paperwork is processed. It's just a thought. I am not sure where you are now, but if you're high and dry, it's worth picking up the newspaper tomorrow to see if there are any local for rent ads, and check with the landlords.

I would imagine that tomorrow there will probably be some local media announcements and numbers published about who you can contact, including FEMA and Red Cross. Talk to the people who run the hotel where you're staying and see if they can provide some space to you for a while longer. FEMA erected mobile homes for refugees of Charley who could not find local rental accommodations. It is not going to be easy in the short or long term, but I know that a lot of individuals and agencies are going to be mobilizing to help the victims of this storm. I wish I was closer so I could help you more.

I wish you strength and good luck to you, and keep in touch here. Maybe there are some S2K members nearby who can reach out.

[CajunMama]

The others have given you great advice. All I want to say is I wish you and your family good luck in whatever may happen in your future. As you are now part of our s2k family please keep us informed.

Keeping you and your family in my prayers,

CM

[soriano2]

Call FEMA and get a case number. Tell them that you have immediate needs for money to stay in a hotel while you are displaced from your home. (Red Cross usually focuses on very short-term needs, but FEMA is better suited to situations where you will be displaced for a longer time.) Also, FEMA can issue checks to you, whereas Red Cross tends to issue vouchers, which are less convenient for you and less attractive to hotels.

The Red Cross will probably help you with vouchers for food and clothing.

It is important for you to keep receipts for EVERYTHING that you spend money on while you are displaced because you may be able to get reimbursed by FEMA.

If you don't have a cell phone, get one immediately. It is important for you to have a way that other people and agencies can contact you at any time, and it is quite possible that you may end up living in several different places before you get back home.

[NC George]

The Red Cross and FEMA set up 'one-stop' shops for disaster assistance in our area after Floyd. Due to the large number of people unable to return home, you can expect these to be set up in numerous communites surrounding NOLA.

[inotherwords]

f you don't have a cell phone, get one immediately.

Good advice, Virgin Mobile has pay-by-use cell phones available now, so if you don't have a cell phone and are in a difficult situation and can't qualify for a two year contract with a traditional cell phone provider, or if you don't have all the ID info required with you on the road, this might be an option.

Also, with regard to my tenants last year, they kept saying how grateful they were to have found a comfortable small house/apartment instead of having to live in a hotel or a FEMA trailer. Like I said, it might be worthwhile to try to find a furnished rental property quickly before they get snapped up if you think you're going to be stuck without being able to go home for a couple of months.

[Lori]

My advice is to relocate somewhere where you can find employment and keep your family far from the disaster area.

[wayoutfront]

I am an insurance adjuster

Go ahead and make a claim... depends on your policy you might be entitled to Alternate Living expense while your home is not habitabal.

ALE is paid on an accrued basis.. which means keep your reciepts and keep submitting reciepts for reimbursement.

If you do not have the funds.

well I as an adjuster would pay you for your contents up front. That would give you cash that would be reimbursed to you as you file ALE.

Fema can and will help ... but with all that they have in front of you .. definitly file your claim now...

It is important for you to keep receipts for EVERYTHING that you spend money on while you are displaced because you may be able to get reimbursed by FEMA.

thats not entirely true,...

[soriano2]

My advice is to relocate somewhere where you can find employment and keep your family far from the disaster area.

I think that this advice is correct in the long run, but in the short run you may want to stay in the general vicinity. You may have health insurance that is only good in your state. You need to be around in order to meet with claims adjusters and FEMA inspectors. You probably want to salvage as much of your belongings as possible. You probably want to reconnect with friends and neighbors; you may find a strong degree of bonding with them because of your shared experience of the hurricane.

In the long run, you may be able to put this behind you much quicker if you do relocate somewhere and start a new life there. But you will find that people elsewhere that didn't experience what you did just don't understand what you went through.

[Deb321]

Contact FEMA My neighbor last year had the same problem and he went to FEMA and got money right away for a hotel. He had 2 children and he stayed with neighbors here for a day or so until FEMA got set up and then they gave him money immediately Good luck to you

[lightd]

Many thanks for your replies! I just got the FEMA phone number, and will call them in the morning. I am over 500 miles from my home, or what once was my home, and it has been hard to get information. Media was concentrating so heavily on the French Quarter and Superdome, it appeared that they had forgotten that the rest of the city, and other LA parishes may have problems. Unbelievable, since the eye of Katrina passed right over the eastern parishes, and eastern Orleans parish. We finally started getting some info about our area this evening. I'm going to try to get info on apartment rentals that are closer to where my home was. I hope that this works out, but I fear that so many people are homeless, it may be very difficult to find something nearby. We have 2 cell phones, but the service is from the New Orleans area, and is not working very well. I didn't know that the cell service would be affected like this. Thanks again, for all your help and good wishes. I feel sickened by what has happened to my family. We all lived in the same area, so have lost 3 homes, a business, cars, and many things that were dear to us (we just couldn't take everything). However, as I sit here feeling sorry for myself and my family, I am keeping in mind that we are together and safe, so I should feel fortunate. There are people who have lost their lives, others injured, some that are still waiting to be rescued from roof-tops, and families are still searching for their loved ones. I am broken hearted to see what is happening to the community that I've called home for so many years.
Thanks so much, D

[Windsong]

How else can we help Lightd?

[Rainband]

Prayers to you and you Family!!! (((HUGS))))

[HurricaneGirl]

My prayers are with you.