Monday, September 29, 2008

Hurricane Ike’s Affects still hurt

Tears and frustration after hurricane Ike

No matter how much hurricane preparedness you do and all the emergency survival kits stored away in the hallway closet there are still nothing that can fully prepare one for the hurricane damage that is done to the heart, mind, and spirit of a person, family and community when all is destroyed. There is just no type of hurricane safety for the heart. I wish there was.

As people in south Texas try to deal with their own personal disaster response there is now the complications of the economic storm that is hitting the nation with a 778 point Dow Jones plunge in the stock market today.

Families trying to secure loans for flood damage not covered by an insurance policy it is becoming more and more difficult more challenging to get fully started on disaster recovery. There is no emotional or financial storm shelter for them to flee to for safety.

Numerous families suffering form Hurricane Gustuv and Hurricane Ike beside the tropical stro Hanna that flooded out communities even past Chicago are not getting the emotional and financial disaster support that other natural disaster victims in the past have received. I have not seen any Hurricane Ike aid concerts or mass collections for Hurricane Gustuv. Emergency response socially to help thee families is not that common at all.

Crisis management teams are running low on money especially when the cash flow is almost no where to find. It is becoming harder for the Red Cross and other humanitarian groups to get donations. There is little in the way of advertisement. Disaster supplies in a number of areas are very limited.

Volunteer help is also limited as well. Many who would have been willing in the past to take time off from work as vacation time or even in many accounts leave without pay are terrified to be away from their jobs even for a day. Besides there is no money to travel to the disaster sites and offer disaster supplies. People and companies don’t have the extra money to do that now days.

The face of disaster recovery has changed so much so fast in a few years. Everyone is so preoccupied with their own personal security that few are able to help like they would want.

Yet disaster survival will occur no mater what. It will be harder but it will occur. The people of Galveston and surrounding area are strong and they will survive oh yes they will survive and even more so they will thrive.


Dr. Terrie Modesto, disaster grief specialist, author of Train For A Hurricane. Website: www.trainforahurricane.com Blog: http://disastergrief.blogspot.com/


No comments: