Katrina lessons for Joplin MO

Lately I've been thinking about Hurricane Katrina and the recent tornados in Joplin,
Missouri. I can't begin to imagine what it must be like to lose everything, EVERYTHING! I know what it's like to lose things through a divorce, and because of circumstances. But an act of nature that I have no control over? I've always been responsible for my own failures or misfortunes. It was because of my choices I either made or refused to make that impacted my outcomes. Good and bad.
What must it be like to wake up one morning and know that I haven't got an extra pair of underwear to change into? What if I want a snack... no problem? Go to the cabinet and make a choice, right? I take for granted that I have clothes in my closet that will be there when I want to change into something more comfortable or fitting for an event that requires a different choice. What if I get cold and need a jacket? I take for granted that my toothbrush is in the same place I left it this morning. My car is in the garage where I parked it last night, yes? I may need it to go somewhere tomorrow, it has to be there!
It's fair to assume my child that was in the crib where I put him last night. But now he's missing and blown 2 miles south and landed in a field, ALONE. How does one process this crap? How do you find a rainbow in all this? How do you put one foot in front of the other and begin to build your life back? When does that start?
I don't know the answers, I can't imagine having to face this stuff. But I saw it up close and personal 5 years ago after Hurricane Katrina and i've never forgotten those images and the impact it made on me that day. It's all come back seeing the pictures of Joplin Missouri this past week.
I'll share...
5 years ago... the day after the hurricane in the gulf I was in touch with the Red Cross. I don't remember how that contact was made. Did they call me, did I call them? I forget.
They had asked me if I would take our big truck, a 14 box van to Denton to pick up 400 cots and transport them to the Reunion Center in downtown Dallas. It was the recieving station for the 10's of 1000's of refugees from the gulf states that would arrive throughout that day. They had no processing or accounting of who arrived, that would come later. These were evacuation busses. If there was a seat available you got on and would figure the rest out later. It was pure chaos~
Of course I agreed and off I went. Once I got to Denton, they loaded me up and I headed south on I-35 back into the city. That's where it got interesting.
The traffic coming into Dallas was impossible. Every freeway downtown was at a standstill from every direction. 100's of buses coming in from the south, people coming downtown to donate food, clothing, supplies, ANYTHING! All these good intentioned people were causing more problems by their willingness to help . They were sitting in traffic for 3 hours to donate 3 cases of water, 100 bottles!!! It was impossible to sit home and do nothing. Others had loaded their BBQ's and emptied their freezers. All they were looking for was a place to park and set up their little cafe, hoping to feed hungry, displaced people that were desparate, starving, scared and in some cases literally half naked. On the driveway into the arena, there must of been a 100 BBQ set-ups of people just trying to feed the masses. Trying to DO SOMETHING~ The smell from the BBQ's unfortunately didn't cover up the greasy slimey smell that was overwhelming. The smell was on the people! They were ALL covered in a greasy goop and the smell was dreadful. Add to this some babies had been in the same diapers for 24 hours by this time. It was NOT pleasant.
You had to be there to fully understand what was going on. The evacuees were in shock, the looks on their faces were blank of any emotion. I bet if you asked them today what happened on that day most would draw a blank. They were physically present, but emotional absent. Even the little babies were silent. Among 10,000's of people, including many small children and infants you hardly heard a cry. They were numb.
Back to my adventure with the cots..... After working my way through the traffic nightmare and gaining a "emergency pass" for my truck I was led onto the floor of the arena. They had asked me to drive into the arena where I'd be met by more Red Cross volunteers ready to unload me and get me back on my way to get another 400 cots. So, I snake my big ass boy truck onto the floor of the Reunion Center, through the massive amounts of cots and bodies. They'd clear a path for the trucks and as soon as we'd pass the voids would fill up again behind us. Floor space was a premium and the competition to claim 10 sq feet was fast and furious. Didn't they think that we'd need to remove the trucks at some point? Needless to say, we had to follow the same process to get out.
While I was inside, what I saw will forever change my thinking.
I had about 45-60 minutes to kill while the truck was unloaded and readied to leave. I wandered around and was beyond sad and overwhelmed at the sheer scope of this human disaster. The Reunion Center was a mass of humanity, dirty and broken.
I saw people as I described earlier, in shock, devoid of emotion, hurt, injured, and butt ugly dirty!! They smelled and they knew it.
I went into the ladies restroom and that's where it hit me hardest. Women were in various stages of dress. Some women had pants on. Others had no pants, but had traveled for 8-10 hours on a bus in their underwear. One women had a bra on and had no shirt. She'd traveled like that. Many were naked, trying desparately to wash their underwear out in the sink to put it back on. Others had one leg up on the sink trying to erase the oily gunge that was in every creak and cranny of their bodies. Since the bathroom had no soap left, it was a losing battle and they knew it. It smeared but wouldn't wash off.
Some of these women had injuries where they'd been hurt by debrie. There were alot of cuts and scrapes that had been in dirty nasty water for hours. I imagine some of them would require hefty medical attention before long for their wounds, but the first aid station wasn't up and running yet. It would be a busy place soon.
Right about then something happened that made all of it a little less ugly. The officials started unloading the massive amounts of "stuff" that had been brought downtown and collected around the city. They set up a number of long tables and dumped 100's of boxes of soap, toothbrushes, shampoo, tampons, deodorant, diapers, etc. These women, that moments before seemed defeated began to cry over bottles of soap, tampons, and the simplest of items that we all take for granted. They grabbed equally at half used bars of soap, half full bottles of shampoo. Half used boxes of Kotex were gone in a snap. It was the little things..... Nobody cared that some things were new and packaged nicely. It was soap and exactly what they needed. These woman could now attempt to get cleaned up some. Of course they'd have to put dirty clothes back on, but they had some control of their circumstances. Baby steps.
I've never known what it is like to need something I can't go get. What is it like to need something, REALLY REALLY NEED IT and not have the ability to get it? I don't know. I try to imagine that, but it's difficult to know where to start to feel something so foreign.
If I want something, I will work harder to get it. I will save until I can have it. I will simply get in my car and go buy it. Isn't that how it works? I've never been hungry, or needed something I can't get. Seldom do I not get what I want either. I've never had to rely on someone to feed me, clothe me, provide my basic needs. Dopey stuff like my feminine hygiene products, stuff you never think about but take for granted. These women had NO control of anything. They had no food, no soap, no water, no money and even if they did, they had nowhere to spend it. They had NOTHING and no ability to get it! They didn't have clothes to put on to go shopping. I've never gone shopping in my panties, or with out a shirt. Is it even allowed?
That day these women were at the mercy of people who gave. Or didn't?
I have never forgotten that lesson. Yes, I was very irritated with all those people clogging the freeways trying to donate 100 small bottles of water. What were they thinking?? There are bigger needs and you people are in the way! MOVE!!! I'm guilty of thinking that on that day. Can't you see that your contribution is too small to bother with? This problem is massive and you want to drive 30 miles to donate 100 small bottles of water?? Hmmmpth!! Grrrrrr.
I watched as Walmart pulled up trailer after trailer of food. They'd open up the back and a line a mile long would form. So what that these trucks were full of soda pop, cupcakes, bags of candy and baked goods, chips, all processed food? People were simply hungry and whatever Walmart threw together, fed them. At the time I was a bit critical of Walmart. COME ON WALMART!! You are big shots, you can spare some fruit, some milk, something besides processed food and crap! All over that arena you'd see small children clutching their bag of chips and a 2 litre bottle of pop. It was crap food , but it was food and some of these people hadn't eaten in over 36 hours by then.
I take back all that bad stuff I said about Walmart that day. They knew there was no refridgeration, no storage, no organization to create meals. They simply found a way to get food in those bellies. Soon trailers from Albertsons, Tom Thumb and Kroger showed up. These trailers were packed full of food to help people from being hungry, at least for a while till processes could be set up to feed the masses in some sort of organized way.
Diapers were in good supply again thanks to those trailers. Formula was available for moms who were too stressed to nurse. People brought bottles and pacifiers. Toilet paper, kleenex, chap-stick, OTCantibiotic stuff. Some people brought balls to play with, color books to keep small children distracted and occupied. Clothes began to build in huge piles, used clothes but it was welcome. A bottle of Advil was like gold.
All this happened within about 40-50 minutes.
To all those people who I thought was in the way and whose contribution wasn't worth the inconvience they created with their 100 small bottles of water, I apologize. I am certain that every one of those bottles of water was drunk and appreciated. I better understand your "need" to do something. I felt it too. I was just snotty enough to think my contribution was more important than yours that day.
I hope that people today feel the need to "do something". The people of Joplin need us to "do something". Everyone of us! Send a check to the Red Cross, take a half empty bottle of body wash to a collection site. SOMETHING!! ANYTHING!
Look at those pictures of Joplin, MO again, and again. Imagine how (or if) you'd put one foot in front of the other if you didn't know where your kin were.... dead, alive? Your house, full of your treasures and soap, shampoo, toothpaste, your clothes, coats, car, medicine is now blown across 7 miles and you may never see any of it again.
Every little bit helps. Even 100 small bottles of water.
Karen