Having experienced the same during our last Texas hurricane, I’m glad to hear that the American spirit was alive and well during your disaster.
The American people can get along well without FEMA during such times. In fact, everything usually goes well until Week 2 of the emergency when the government bureaucrats arrive to “help.” Steer clear of signing any government forms for any assistance. That’s the lesson we learned down here.
I think this is why System D is growing:
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/28/black_market_global_economy?page=full