Posted on 08/16/2004 11:12:19 AM PDT by Pikamax
Floridians Who Lost Homes to Charley Frustrated Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:53 AM ET
By Jim Loney PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (Reuters) - Relief supplies poured rapidly into southwest Florida after Hurricane Charley's devastating punch but some of the thousands of newly homeless on Monday were frustrated as they faced rebuilding their lives.
Charley, which also caused damage in a wide area of central Florida including the area around Orlando, killed 16 people, ripped apart thousands of mobile homes and damaged tens of thousands of buildings.
By Monday, more than 2,000 people were still in shelters, according to Florida emergency officials, and many more had sought refuge with relatives, friends or in hotels.
Some 890,000 people in the state were without power, said Florida Secretary for Community Affairs Thaddeus Cohen.
Florida officials were predicting the storm's rampage would cost at least $15 billion, according to preliminary damage estimates.
The death toll for the fiercest storm to hit Florida in 12 years climbed to 16 on Sunday, but it looked like the fatalities would not be as high as originally feared.
"I thought we would be looking at a significant loss of life," said Wayne Sallade, director of emergency management in Charlotte County, on Sunday evening. "I am feeling better."
Since shortly after the storm hit like a 10-mile-wide tornado with 145 mph (233 kph) winds on Friday, supplies were pouring into the worst-affected areas, the coastal cities of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte.
Immediate needs such as water, food and shelter appeared to have been quickly met. Some 4,000 National Guard troops ferried supplies, erected tents for temporary shelter and patrolled against looting.
"We're very well taken care of, there's lots of everything," Kathy Tooker, 30, said. She and her four children were among some 500 people at a Red Cross shelter at the L.A. Ainger Middle School in Englewood.
But frustration, fatigue and anger were beginning to set in.
Some of the people at the shelter were wondering when they would get vouchers for food and housing, others worried they might be forced out soon.
"I've seen this before," said Ken Wheaten, a licensed crisis counselor. "People are becoming angry and people will get depressed. It's going to be our job to help them through."
Showing rapid support for the state where his brother, Jeb Bush, is governor and which could be key to his re-election hopes in November, President Bush toured the worst-hit areas on Sunday. The president freed up federal emergency funds on Friday night, hours after the storm roared ashore.
Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, was criticized for reacting too slowly when Hurricane Andrew hit the Miami area in 1992, causing some $25 billion in damage.
Like many of the people whose homes were demolished or destroyed, Tooker said she would need help to get back on her feet.
"We need all the help we can get moneywise, we have to repair the ceiling, the walls, the floor, we need to replace all the furniture, all our clothes, everything."
Many of the people hit by Charley lived in mobile homes and lost almost everything.
"It's tough.... Just trying to clean up. Tough to start over," said Anthony Jones, 42, whose two-bedroom mobile home in Punta Gorda was shredded.
Jones, speaking after a day of picking through his scattered belongings, said he was not insured and hoped for help from the federal government.
"I don't know. They say they're gonna pump billions in here but I don't have a lot of hope." (Additional reporting by Michael Peltier in Punta Gorda)
Slow news day for Reuters.
Why the H-E-double-hockey-sticks would anyone live in FL and not have hurricane insurance?
I hate stories like this. No matter what the circumstances are, how much people are trying to help, how good logistics are . . . people who just lost a home will be ticked off, nothing will be enough to help, and everyone will be an idiot.
My impression is that people on the ground are working as fast as they can.
If I just lost a home in a hurricane but my finally survived intact I'd be on my knees in gratitude.
I think anyone who lives in a hurricane or tornadoe region should read "The 3 Little Pigs"..should open a few eyes to the construction methods used in those areas...
MD
It's Bush's Fault!!!
/sarcasm
An entire article of good news for the hurricane survivors with a downbeat headline, yeah, that's Reuters.
Everything I hear, including from people on the scene, indicates that people are being taken care of.
There was ice and water in rural areas yesterday.
But there are literally thousands of trees and power poles down. It's unrealistic to think that everything is going to be normal on Monday when this just happened on Friday.
That last post was meant for Pikamax and not intended to convey that either of you are impatient.
Just some unrealistic media folks, I think.
This is so typical -- skip the homeowner's insurance, skip the national flood insurance, and hope someone else picks up the tab for you.
Well, maybe because the elderly and poor can't afford insurance. Not to excuse anyone for being poor or anything.
Kerry needs to shoot some more Charlie in the back.
First, insurance should pay for temporary housing if you have proper insurance. Second, if you need food, do what you would normally do - pay for it yourself.
"We're very well taken care of, there's lots of everything," Kathy Tooker, 30, said. She and her four children were among some 500 people at a Red Cross shelter at the L.A. Ainger Middle School in Englewood.
But frustration, fatigue and anger were beginning to set in.
Some of the people at the shelter were wondering when they would get vouchers for food and housing, others worried they might be forced out soon.
-snip-
Like many of the people whose homes were demolished or destroyed, Tooker said she would need help to get back on her feet.
"We need all the help we can get moneywise, we have to repair the ceiling, the walls, the floor, we need to replace all the furniture, all our clothes, everything."
Many of the people hit by Charley lived in mobile homes and lost almost everything.
"It's tough.... Just trying to clean up. Tough to start over," said Anthony Jones, 42, whose two-bedroom mobile home in Punta Gorda was shredded.
Jones, speaking after a day of picking through his scattered belongings, said he was not insured and hoped for help from the federal government.
"I don't know. They say they're gonna pump billions in here but I don't have a lot of hope."
I'm just guessing here, but do you suppose these people might have cable tv, cell phones, and a heavy reliance on SSA for their retirement? Oh yeah - I forgot to add, a "D" following their voter registration.
No kidding. If they can get 75% of the power back by the end of the week that would be close to a miracle.
The DNC will soon come out questioning the timing of the hurricane. Why would one hit so close to the election? Could it be just a publicity stunt to make President Bush seem compassionate?
Where's Kerry's UN and international help?
We should have a pool over which Dem will blame Charley on global warming and Bush's refusal to support the Kyoto Accords. My money's on OwlGore.
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