HURRICANE KATRINA UPDATE INFORMATION

Hurricane Katrina Updates for Lakewood Residents

 

Note:  All information is provided as a convenience for Lakewood Residents only and is general information.  Consult your own advisor before making any decisions.  LPOA and LCPID take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information on this web site and cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.  If you are not willing to use the following information under these terms, please exit immediately.

 

As new information becomes available we will post it here.  If you have information (water levels, condition of our neighborhood, helpful tips for neighbors, etc.), please email to ssmolkin@yahoo.com.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

       10/18 - Councilman Batt is holding a meeting on 10/25 for civic association presidents to try to get their questions answered.  If there are questions you would like us to ask, please email ssmolkin@yahoo.com.

       10/12 - Have you had a good or bad experience with a contractor doing tearout or mold remediation work?  If so, email me (ssmolkin@yahoo.com) so that we can share this information with your neighbors.

       10/12 - You can pick up MAIL for our zip code (70124) at the uptown post office, located at 2000 Louisiana Ave. from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.  For more information, click here.

        10/12 - Council Member Batt Announces Renovation Permits Issued in Lakeview.  For more details, visit his blog site (http://www.jaybatt.blogspot.com/).

       10/4 - Councilman Batt has a new web site (blog spot) to communicate with us

       9/28 - MAYOR ANNOUNCES WE CAN GET BACK INTO LAKEWOOD ON WED. OCTOBER 5!!!  Click here to see announcement!

       9/27 - Tetanus shot is required for re-entry (see City safety recommendations).  But, hepatitis shots are NOT required.

       9/26 - There is a "Rebuild Lakeview" discussion group on the internet.  Click here to reach it and participate.  There are presently 447 members, 40 photos, and over 500 messages.

       9/26 - Mayor opens some parts of city but Lakewood still closed.

       9/25 - No one being let back in yet (including Metro security) due to standing water in streets.  See update from Steve Benton on the resident reports page.

       9/24 RITA UPDATE - minimal impact on Lakewood.       

       9/22 - Rita evacuation continues - no one being allowed back into neighborhood, even with passes, at present (see Metro Security page).

       9/21 - Mayor Nagin's resident re-entry plans - sympathetic towards 70124, but thinks it is still too early

9/19 IMPORTANT - REENTRY PROGRAM INTO ORLEANS PARISH HAS BEEN SUSPENDED TEMPORARILY DUE TO RITA!  Click here for details.

LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU ARE SAFE, AND HOW TO CONTACT YOU.  If you would like me post your whereabouts and contact information, send an email to ssmolkin@yahoo.com.  I will start doing this as of Wednesday, 9/21.  To see postings, click here.

METRO SECURITY IS ON PATROL AS OF 9/15.  To see their updates, click here.  See 9/19 note about communications with the guards being very difficult at this time.

LATEST WATER LEVELS & REPORTS FROM NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN - click here

PHOTO PAGE (started 9/18)

USEFUL LINKS (Note:  I am currently adding new links at the top to make the new stuff easy to find.  Later, I will try to organize the links into meaningful categories.)

 

WAS BROWN THE FALL GUY?  This is a fascinating article about who was in charge when the initial delays occurred.  http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/hurricane_katrina/12640351.htm

 

APPLYING FOR BENEFITS

From a resident 9/13:
You can register for assistance with FEMA online.  Within days, they will mail you $2,000 or deposit it directly in your bank account.

From a resident on 9/13:
I have found that the Red Cross has a program with Walgreens, CVS and
perhaps Rite Aid whereby you can receive free Prescription drugs for 30
days by presenting your ID and insurance card and either prescriptions
(on file on pharmacy computer or written) or bottles of meds.  I
suggest calling the pharmacy to verify, because we had problems with
some uninformed people at CVS.

The Red Cross will also pay for 2 weeks at a hotel.

 

RETURNING TO NEW ORLEANS

    JEFFERSON PARISH OPENS 9/15 FOR RESIDENTS TO RETURN.

Kenner and Harahan are officially open for residents to return home effective 5:00AM Thursday morning (9/15).  There is a curfew still in effect in Jefferson Parish from 8:00PM until 5:00AM until further notice.

 

IS FEMA RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDEMNING HOUSES?  Apparently not.  Here's some information I found on the internet pertaining to a flood in West Virginia.  Also - see the section below on FEMA buyouts (mentioned in this article as well).

Charleston, WV -- The calamitous floods and mudslides that struck West Virginia recently destroyed many homes and left hundreds of others unlivable--damaged beyond repair. State and federal agencies are moving rapidly to get residents out of flood-prone areas and protect them from future tragedy.

The West Virginia State Fire Marshal, acting under state statutory authority created for emergencies, has condemned over 430 houses. The hard-hit counties of McDowell and Wyoming account for nearly 90 percent of these condemnations.

Property owners normally would have to pay for the removal of these condemned structures. But as part of the disaster recovery assistance, the West Virginia Department of Transportation is expediting title paperwork; the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers is contracting for demolition, removal, and dumping; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state are assuming the costs of demolition and dumping.

FEMA does not condemn property. The agency participates with state and local governments in property buyouts or other hazard mitigation efforts, usually on a 75/25 per cent cost share. But condemnation is the responsibility of state and local officials.

The State of West Virginia has suffered through four flood and mudslide episodes in the past year, two of them given major disaster designations by the President. FEMA and the state Office of Emergency Services will be working well past 2001 to provide disaster recovery assistance for people anxious to rebuild their lives. But they will also be working with residents and local governments to assure greater safety for people and property in future disasters.

 

FEMA BUYOUTS - WHAT ARE THEY?  HOW DO THEY WORK?  Click here for details.