My email today to Nancy Pelosi's senior aide in San Francisco

[EFerrari]

Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 14:12:13 -0800 (PST)
From: "Elizabeth Ferrari"

Subject: I have to tell you this about Nancy's office response to Katrina survivors.


It's horrendous.

I talked to the Leadership people today and they actually sounded irked that I asked a question.

Dan, it's December! There are people in Biloxi who haven't been issued their TENT yet.

I'm sorry to be a loud mouthed pain. But, this is a disgrace.

www.democraticunderground.com has about 80,000 registrants. And most of us are just stricken at how easily our Gulf Coast members have been side lined.

Please tell me that the response I got today was just Friday ephemera, holiday season craziness. I just couldn't believe my ears.

People are still dead and uncounted, still homeless and forgotten, still struggling and being fended off. What is this about, exactly?

Sorry to blow a gasket. And, San Francisco is the next Biloxi, waiting to happen.

Be well, Dan. And please, give me a name and an addy I can talk to.

Bagdhad? What about Biloxi?

Beth



On edit: Let's see how he does.

[merh]

1. thank you

:hug:

[EFerrari]

2. I know Dan a little.

We met after he kept showing up to represent Nancy at benefits that we also worked in town.

He is a sweet, smart man.

He can help us.

[merh]

3. Folks have tents, they don't have trailers.

It's hard to sleep in tents in the winter and cooking on coleman stoves gets old.

[uppityperson]

4. Anyone know Congressman Ellen Tauscher?

One of her aids was helping out of camp covington as a private volunteer. Started gathering stories a couple days before returning home as was aghast at what people were saying.

[EFerrari]

5. No. We have some contacts with Nancy's office, and in our local

board.

I'd be very interested in those stories. I bet we could get them placed as an OpEd. The outrage quotient is just way too unbelievably low.

[merh]

6. Tell them to contact Congressman Gene Taylor to get an idea

of the problems and to work with him on resolving the troubles

Taylor fires off angry letter to FEMA

He demands daily counts on trailers

By ANITA LEE
[e-mail]

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor wants answers from FEMA.

Residents in his home county, Hancock, are still living in tents three months after Hurricane Katrina hit, wondering when their FEMA trailers will be delivered.

Taylor wrote a letter Wednesday to FEMA's acting director, R. David Paulison, demanding daily information on FEMA's trailer delivery rates. He also wants to know how much FEMA is paying contractor Bechtel and how much Bechtel is paying subcontractors, per travel trailer, for delivery.

In the letter, Taylor wrote: "During the course of a workday, 90 percent of the phone calls received in my district offices pertain to temporary housing and the progress of trailer delivery... I now find it necessary to track FEMA's travel-trailer delivery on a daily basis to keep my constituents updated.

"FEMA has announced its goal to deliver 500 trailers a day, and I want to be able to reassure South Mississippians that FEMA and Bechtel are making a full and concerted effort to meet this goal."

(snip)

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/local/13308099.htm

Posted on Fri, Dec. 02, 2005
Click here to find out more!

Taylor fields gripes on FEMA, Bechtel

By JUSTIN HOOKS

SUN HERALD

LONG BEACH - Congressman Gene Taylor held a town meeting at Long Beach Middle School Thursday night, hearing many residents complain about the slow process of receiving FEMA trailers on their property.

The complaints centered on what many residents said were FEMA subcontractor Bechtel Corporation's lack of preparation and knowledge of how to properly place the trailers.

Taylor, D-Bay St. Louis, agreed with many of the residents, but said Bechtel is under contract with FEMA and nothing could be done fast enough to expedite the deliveries.

(snip)
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/local/13308107.htm

[EFerrari]

7. I'm just amazed that more Congressional Dems haven't

called on him and extended any help at their disposal. :wtf:

[merh]

8. As you told him in your email, if this is how FEMA is helping

the Gulf Coast, do you think they would be any more organized or helpful should a disaster befall San Fransico?

[EFerrari]

9. merh, that footage led me to lay in a 2 week supply

for sheltering in place and also to put together "to go" packs for us. Including for our 8 animals. No, I know now *exactly* what to expect from these horrible people. Next, one of my friends here in the hood and I are going to organize the hood.

No. I wouldn't trust them with my trash.

[merh]

10. Be sure you let your congress critters know that.

You may want to give them links to the footage, maybe they have never taken the time to see for themselves the devastation. Maybe they have no idea that there are people living in third world conditions right here at home.

[EFerrari]

12. I will. Can't stand not to. n/t

[uppityperson]

11. Us too and many others

CaI refreshed/enlarged my emergency food/water/supply kit and made one for my car. Most everyone I talked with that visited post-hurricane has made emergency packs since returning home and several have been pushing a community-wide preparedness here. Forget this "3 days of food and water in case of earthquake" bs. I guess you could stretch 3 days into a week, but get 2 wks if possible. We are on our own and must help each other.
peace

[EFerrari]

13. Yes. We have had a horrible demonstration of what we can

expect.

Up to us to gear up and help our neighbors

[EFerrari]

14. Btw, I got good deals and good stuff here:

http://www.geoduck.com/epicenter/order.cgi

Radios that run on batteries, solar and winding, etc. MREs, first aid supplies.

[Swamp Rat]

15. Thanks so much!

:hug: