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Author
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Topic: Katrina Victims now Detainees?
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WildB
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Member # 2917
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posted
edkostiuk
posted on 11-9-2005 at 12:48 PM Post Number: 1678054 (post id: 1699947)
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
If I may break down the report that was posted about our facility as Falls Creek in Oklahoma.
Page 1 stated: I packed up two car loads of us and headed over to Falls Creek. In the Emergency Management Community we have asked the population over and over not to "self deploy" and the following reason are given for such request.
Prior to Jesse Jackson making his comments our Governor and the State Officer of Emergency Management asked all Oklahomans to please refrain from using words such as refugees and displaced people. We were asked to use the wording "Oklahoma Guest". This went out on the media here in Oklahoma and in print.
The author of this report continues to use the term refugee throughout the paper.
One of the primary reasons for using Falls Creek was the picturesque area and having the ability by faith-based groups to allow these folks the ability to put their lives back to normal, as much as possible, without having the press and lot’s of concerned citizens hound them for interviews and “how was it”.
We knew from the start that we needed additional security at the site so Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers were assigned in double shifts to protect those “guest” from the media and other “well concerned citizens”.
She states her daughter “turned and snapped a picture of his vehicle (Page 5)—very conspicuously”. There was no reason for some James Bond type of picture taking OHP officers are very friendly and will allow their photo’s and that of their cruisers to be taken.
The reason (page 7) for not allowing clothes was the fact we need to ensure they are clean and in good order. We have over the years at disasters received soiled and dirty diapers, ripped clothes and other related items by well meaning citizens. We now have retired ladies who help us select clothes that can be used by these folks. I have photos’ of thousands of clothes at Fall Creek that were standing by ready to be delivered to these folks.
(Page 8) The occupants of the camp cannot leave the camp for any reason. That is true once they were placed on the busses we had no way to determine their medical status. They have been exposed to several elements and prior to allowing them off camp we wanted to have them checked out by the Doctors and Nurses we had lined up at Falls Creek (Page 15 the people in the blue jump suits). We also had 22 ambulances standing by for medical emergencies. We had a similar camp in Northern Oklahoma and had 4 medical emergencies the night these good folks arrived and they needed immediate transport to a local hospital. Many of these US Citizens arrived with pre-existing medical conditions.
The reason your “pop-tarts” were accepted is they are sealed in an enclosed package and are “tamper proof”. We are trying to protect our Louisiana friends from the criminal element and bad people that might want harm done to them. This is the reason Apples and Oranges were not allowed. I wonder if this lady allowed her children to go around on Thanksgiving and accept open candy from strangers.
Oklahoma never had the intention of accepting 5,000 guests (page 9) as she stated. Our cap and the cap that our governor worked out was 3,000 at falls creek. This is the maximum number of meals, toys, clothes and other related things that needed to be in place prior to our guest arriving.
The Cell phones were put in place by our Office of Emergency Management due to a request of our emergency workers since cell phone coverage is so poor. Cingular and others donated the towers and equipment including the coverage. We also place these cell towers at Falls Creek so once the people were on their feet they could start calling loved ones throughout the country and inform them they were OK.
The toys she refers to must first be checked. We have had “Christian groups” donate toys such as swords, toy guns and other devices that usually mean harm donated to our causes over the years so we check them closely before allowing any kids to play with them.
The meals were going to be provided by the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. We at the Health Department were requiring that they eat hot food with plenty of vegetables not the “junk food” that this lady stated she was brining. Snacks were to be laid out during the day and night for their use, but meals which included the basic food groups were required 3 times a day.
Ed Kostiuk
Oklahoma State Dept of Health
Emergency Management
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/fema_rebuttal.html
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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Bat Elohim
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Member # 3739
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posted
This past weekend, I went and worked at one of the local centers where they are sorting and distributing food, clothing, and toys.
The amount of clothing and toys was overwhelming!! I was working in the children's area (ages 0-5) and there was a wide range of stuff that had been donated. From brand new clothes with the tags still on and still on hangers, down to clothes that were stained so bad you couldn't tell what the original color of the garment was. So I understand the need to sort.
I also went to one of the shelters here and wasn't allowed to volunteer because my son wasn't old enough. I would have had to leave him with some one, and I didn't want to do that. We do volunteer work together.
But at this shelter, we were allowed to walk around freely. People everywhere were talking on phones, walking outside, playing football, baseball and volleyball. Yes there were cops everywhere, but they were sitting down talking, laughing and just relaxing (and there were donuts EVERYwhere!!! LOL!!!)
There were a couple of news crews, but they didn't seem to be causing any problems.
There were snacks of all kinds everywhere I looked. There were snack machines everywhere with chips and candy fully stocked.
These people were getting on with their lives. There was a job fair and now a lot of them are employed. They have even closed one of the three shelters because so many people have either gone to live with family, friends, or gotten an apartment.
Life is getting back to "normal" around here.
I feel sorry for all those that were shipped off to other states. It won't be as easy for them.
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Numbers 6:24 May ADONAI bless you and keep you. 25 May ADONAI make his face shine on you and show you his favor. 26 May ADONAI lift up his face toward you and give you peace.
Posts: 704 | From: Louisiana | Registered: Aug 2004
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SoftTouch
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Member # 2316
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posted
I was reading through some of the posts that followed that story and this poster brings up a few really good points!
quote:
mOjOm - Post Number: 1664339: Does it seem to strange to anyone else that within a matter of days FEMA has leased this whole place, set up complete communications, security, staff, organized id and housing systems, setup a system of rules which everyone has already been trained to understand, prepared organized buckets of toys for the kiddies, racks of clothes, etc. etc. etc...???
I mean it's not like the church leased out the property last month or even last week, yet the paperwork has all been done and the staff is ready and in place.
For a government agency that didn't even show up until almost a week after the crisis hit, it sure seems a bit odd that something like this would come together so well so soon.
BTW, what exactly happens in 5 months when the lease is up and obviously these people still have no homes, no where to go, haven't been in contact with the outside world in almost half a year and have basically just been held captive under conditions that are similar to a military quarentine facility or POW camp without the torture???
There weren't any any large "shower rooms" with unfamiliar pipes or exhaust fans attached to them anywhere to be seen were there???
The original poster of this article (nickname: Valhall) answers questions beginning on page two of this thread.
This is a Very Long Thread, so I have not read through it all, but it's very interesting to say the least! I hope this story gets out to some of the news sources (we'll see....) But even if it does, it will be white-washed over by FEMA reps. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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Psalm 119:104Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
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WhiteEagle
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by helpforhomeschoolers:
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
edkostiuk
posted on 11-9-2005 at 12:48 PM Post Number: 1678054 (post id: 1699947)
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
The reason your “pop-tarts” were accepted is they are sealed in an enclosed package and are “tamper proof”. We are trying to protect our Louisiana friends from the criminal element and bad people that might want harm done to them. This is the reason Apples and Oranges were not allowed. I wonder if this lady allowed her children to go around on Thanksgiving and accept open candy from strangers.
Ed Kostiuk
Oklahoma State Dept of Health
Emergency Management
Does our own Government really believe that it's own citizens who donate to victims of this disaster are going to send them a poison apple?
That show me what they think of the average American.
Also I would like to point out that POPT TARTS packaging is NOT something I would consider tamper proof. Someone could inject through the package with a fine needle and it would not be seen by inspection by eye. If that's really the concern, they should only accept canned donations.
Posts: 1392 | From: Maine | Registered: Aug 2004
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SoftTouch
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Wow… I’m struck by the ‘tone’ of this ‘rebuttal’ – especially the following quote:
quote:
The reason your “pop-tarts” were accepted is they are sealed in an enclosed package and are “tamper proof”. We are trying to protect our Louisiana friends from the criminal element and bad people that might want harm done to them. This is the reason Apples and Oranges were not allowed. I wonder if this lady allowed her children to go around on Thanksgiving and accept open candy from strangers.
If I were to read voice inflection into the first sentence, the word ‘your’ really sticks out… and, the use of “Thanksgiving” for going around receiving candy? I’m sure they meant Halloween. There is much sarcasm in this paragraph.
If I had been this lady (or one of her family who went to help), I’m certain that I would have had much the same reaction she did to how they were greeted and what was said to them. Surely there had to be Someone there who was in charge and who could have explained things to them better then what was done.
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Psalm 119:104Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
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WhiteEagle
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by helpforhomeschoolers:
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
edkostiuk
posted on 11-9-2005 at 12:48 PM Post Number: 1678054 (post id: 1699947)
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
The meals were going to be provided by the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. We at the Health Department were requiring that they eat hot food with plenty of vegetables not the “junk food” that this lady stated she was brining. Snacks were to be laid out during the day and night for their use, but meals which included the basic food groups were required 3 times a day.
Ed Kostiuk
Oklahoma State Dept of Health
Emergency Management
While there is nothing wrong about providing 3 meals a day of healthy foods to these people displaced by Katrina, it also smacks of facism, in that they deny those same people any autonomy of what they are ALLOWED to eat. It seems they can only eat GOVERNMENT APPROVED FOODS based on the FEMA'a guidelines.
I'm now going to be facitious, and say it the GOV is so worried about a riot, this is not the way to prevent one. If I was there and couldn't have a chocolate bar or something like junk food occasionally at my own whim, I'd be starting a riot myself. ![[crying]](graemlins/crying.gif)
Posts: 1392 | From: Maine | Registered: Aug 2004
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WhiteEagle
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Member # 3728
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by helpforhomeschoolers:
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
edkostiuk
posted on 11-9-2005 at 12:48 PM Post Number: 1678054 (post id: 1699947)
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
If I may break down the report that was posted about our facility as Falls Creek in Oklahoma.
Page 1 stated: I packed up two car loads of us and headed over to Falls Creek. In the Emergency Management Community we have asked the population over and over not to "self deploy" and the following reason are given for such request.
Ed Kostiuk
Oklahoma State Dept of Health
Emergency Management
SELF-DEPLOY?????? ![[hyper]](graemlins/hyper.gif)
While I can appreciate this government employee's answers to the original post, he is so brainwashed in terminology he can't see the human factor, and that's the scary part.
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
edkostiuk
posted on 11-9-2005 at 12:48 PM Post Number: 1678054 (post id: 1699947)
Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
If I may break down the report that was posted about our facility as Falls Creek in Oklahoma.
Page 1 stated: I packed up two car loads of us and headed over to Falls Creek. In the Emergency Management Community we have asked the population over and over not to "self deploy" and the following reason are given for such request.
Prior to Jesse Jackson making his comments our Governor and the State Officer of Emergency Management asked all Oklahomans to please refrain from using words such as refugees and displaced people. We were asked to use the wording "Oklahoma Guest". This went out on the media here in Oklahoma and in print.
The author of this report continues to use the term refugee throughout the paper.
One of the primary reasons for using Falls Creek was the picturesque area and having the ability by faith-based groups to allow these folks the ability to put their lives back to normal, as much as possible, without having the press and lot’s of concerned citizens hound them for interviews and “how was it”.
We knew from the start that we needed additional security at the site so Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers were assigned in double shifts to protect those “guest” from the media and other “well concerned citizens”.
She states her daughter “turned and snapped a picture of his vehicle (Page 5)—very conspicuously”. There was no reason for some James Bond type of picture taking OHP officers are very friendly and will allow their photo’s and that of their cruisers to be taken.
The reason (page 7) for not allowing clothes was the fact we need to ensure they are clean and in good order. We have over the years at disasters received soiled and dirty diapers, ripped clothes and other related items by well meaning citizens. We now have retired ladies who help us select clothes that can be used by these folks. I have photos’ of thousands of clothes at Fall Creek that were standing by ready to be delivered to these folks.
(Page 8) The occupants of the camp cannot leave the camp for any reason. That is true once they were placed on the busses we had no way to determine their medical status. They have been exposed to several elements and prior to allowing them off camp we wanted to have them checked out by the Doctors and Nurses we had lined up at Falls Creek (Page 15 the people in the blue jump suits). We also had 22 ambulances standing by for medical emergencies. We had a similar camp in Northern Oklahoma and had 4 medical emergencies the night these good folks arrived and they needed immediate transport to a local hospital. Many of these US Citizens arrived with pre-existing medical conditions.
The reason your “pop-tarts” were accepted is they are sealed in an enclosed package and are “tamper proof”. We are trying to protect our Louisiana friends from the criminal element and bad people that might want harm done to them. This is the reason Apples and Oranges were not allowed. I wonder if this lady allowed her children to go around on Thanksgiving and accept open candy from strangers.
Oklahoma never had the intention of accepting 5,000 guests (page 9) as she stated. Our cap and the cap that our governor worked out was 3,000 at falls creek. This is the maximum number of meals, toys, clothes and other related things that needed to be in place prior to our guest arriving.
The Cell phones were put in place by our Office of Emergency Management due to a request of our emergency workers since cell phone coverage is so poor. Cingular and others donated the towers and equipment including the coverage. We also place these cell towers at Falls Creek so once the people were on their feet they could start calling loved ones throughout the country and inform them they were OK.
The toys she refers to must first be checked. We have had “Christian groups” donate toys such as swords, toy guns and other devices that usually mean harm donated to our causes over the years so we check them closely before allowing any kids to play with them.
The meals were going to be provided by the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. We at the Health Department were requiring that they eat hot food with plenty of vegetables not the “junk food” that this lady stated she was brining. Snacks were to be laid out during the day and night for their use, but meals which included the basic food groups were required 3 times a day.
Ed Kostiuk
Oklahoma State Dept of Health
Emergency Management
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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yahsway
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Member # 3738
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Very interesting. I work as a nurse in a town 13 miles away from my home. There is a facility similar to this one that I have heard is to house around 5000 in the small isolated town where i work. It is a park facility with cabins and such and is called Fall Creek Falls. This is where the people will be housed.
I was going to take supplies and clothes up there this weekend. It will be interesting to see how this one is run now that I have read this article.
Shalom
Posts: 1238 | From: Tennessee | Registered: Aug 2004
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SoftTouch
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Member # 2316
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posted
Here is the EyeWitness account of the family who encountered FEMA at the Southern Baptist Church Camp in Oklahoma. This was posted by a member of this family on “Above Top Secret” message board.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/fema.html
I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
I'm extremely depressed to report that things seem to only be getting sadder concerning the people so devastatingly affected by Katrina last week. Two car loads of us headed over to Falls Creek, a youth camp for Southern Baptist churches in Oklahoma that agreed to have its facilities used to house Louisiana refugees. I'm afraid the camp is not going to be used as the kind people of the churches who own the cabins believe it was going to be used.
Jesse Jackson was right when he said "refugees" was not the appropriate word for the poor souls dislocated due to Katrina. But he was wrong about why it is not appropriate. It's not appropriate because they are detainees, not refugees.
Falls Creek is like a small town that is closed down about 9 months out of the year. It is made up of cabins that range from small and humble to large and grandiose, according to how much money the church who owns the cabin has. Each cabin has full kitchen facilities, bathrooms and usually have two large bunkrooms - one for women and one for men. The occupancy of the cabins varies according to the church. This past week the Southern Baptist association of Oklahoma offered the facility as a place to house refugees from the Katrina disaster. Each church owning a cabin was then called to find out if they would make their cabin available. Churches across the state agreed.
I started my journey by loading six large trash bags full of clothes in the back of my beetle buggy. I then went to the local Dollar General and purchased various hygiene products, snacks and even a set of dominoes and a deck of cards. I had my daughter take her own shopping cart and go and select her own items that she wanted to take. I told her to imagine herself without anything in the world and then select what she would need to live every day.
We then met up with my elderly parents who had gone to the Dollar Store themselves, and to the grocery store and had spent WAY too much of their limited social security on the venture. But that's okay. We ended up having to take both vehicles on the 150 mile round trip because they were both pretty full. My son showed up and wanted to go. He drove my parents while my daughter and I rode in my car.
To say we all left with excitement would be appropriate. My 78 year old mother is a "fixer". She loves to help people and she absolutely needs some one to dote over. That she was about to be able to help some people who had lost all in their lives had her feeling physically healthier than I've seen her in days. I was glad to get the chance to actively do something other than donate what little I can to some faceless charity hoping it would get to the people who needed it. I felt glad I could do some small something that might cut through the helplessness I've felt over this situation. Both of my kids were eager to assist.
The only odd thing that occurred prior to setting off happened while I was gassing up in our small town. My daughter was pumping the gas and a lady she knew pulled up to an adjacent pump. My daughter started telling her where we were going and that we were taking things to the refugees. The lady told my daughter that she had been told the Red Cross was not allowing any one to deliver supplies. When I returned to the car from paying for the gas my daughter informed of this. I told her that the Red Cross would not be preventing the members of our church from entering our own cabin, so it really didn't matter. It was at that point we decided to stop back by the house and get my daughter's camera so that she could take pictures if required.
From the moment I heard about Falls Creek being scheduled to receive refugees I had two thoughts run through my mind:
1. What a beautiful place to be able to stay while trying to get your life back in order.
2. What a terrible location to be when you're trying to get your life back in order.
The first thought is because Falls Creek is nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains of south central Oklahoma. One of the more beautiful regions of the state. It would be a peaceful and beautiful place to try to start mending emotionally, and begin to figure what you're going to do next.
The second thought comes because Falls Creek is very secluded and absolutely no where near a population center. The closest route from Falls Creek to a connecting road is three miles on a winding narrow road called "High Road" (It gets that name for two reasons - it's goes over the mountain instead of around it like "Low Road" does, and it's where the teenagers of the area go to party). The road has not a single home on it for over 3 miles. After battling that 3 miles over mountains, you'll find yourself about 5 miles from the nearest town, Davis, Oklahoma, population ca. 2000. This is no place to start a new life.
A few pictures headed toward Falls Creek over High Road to give you a feel of the seclusion.
(Note from SoftTouch: Please refer to the original post on “Above Top Secret” (at the top of this post) to see these pictures)
All of sudden the landscape changed from picturesque mountainous rural America, to something foreign to me as we approached the rear gate of the camp. Two Oklahoma State Patrol vehicles and four Oklahoma Troopers guarded the gate. We started through and they stopped us.
"Can I help you, ma'am?"
I informed him we're here to deliver supplies to *our church's name* cabin. He stood silent and stared at me. My daughter turned and snapped a picture of his vehicle - very conspicuously.
(More Pictures on site – one of a FEMA truck)
I smiled at him and he asked, "Do you know where that cabin is located?"
I informed him I did. He looked at me a bit longer and then said, "Ok" and stepped away from the car. They stopped my parents' vehicle as well, but I assume my son informed them he was with us. They let them pass.
(Another Picture)
We made our way through the narrow streets toward our church's cabin.
We noticed that the various church cabins had numbered placards on them that normally weren't there.
(Another Picture)
We arrived at our cabin and started toting the clothes in. We finally found a group of men upstairs in the dorms trying to do something alien to them - make beds. They had almost completed the room of bunk beds and told us we could go over to the ladies' dorm room and start on it. We lugged our sacks of clothes back down the stairs. Then we got the first negative message. "You can't bring any clothes in. FEMA has stated they will accept no more clothes. They've had 30 people sorting clothes for days. They don't want anymore." My mind couldn't help but go back over the news articles that have accused FEMA of refusing water in to Jefferson Parrish, or turning fuel away.
We lugged the bags of clothes back to the car. We then turned to bringing in our personal hygiene products. That's when we learned our cabin had been designated a "male only" cabin. Approximately 40 men, ranging from age 13 on up would be housed there. We started resacking the female products and sorted out everything that would be useful for men.
We lugged the bags of female products back to the car. We asked if they knew of a cabin that had been designated for women. The "host" (the hosts are Oklahoma civilians who have been employeed??? by FEMA to reside at each cabin and have already gone through at least one "orientation" meeting conducted by FEMA at "BASE" which is some unknown but repetitively referred location within the camp) told us he believed McAlester cabin was dedicated to females. He then explained there were male, female and family cabins designated.
We then started lugging in our food products. The foods I had purchased were mainly snacks, but my mother - God bless her soul - had gone all out with fresh vegetables, fruits, canned goods, breakfast cereals, rice, and pancake fixings. That's when we got the next message: They will not be able to use the kitchen.
Excuse me? I asked incredulously.
FEMA will not allow any of the kitchen facilities in any of the cabins to be used by the occupants due to fire hazards. FEMA will deliver meals to the cabins. The refugees will be given two meals per day by FEMA. They will not be able to cook. In fact, the "host" goes on to explain, some churches had already enquired about whether they could come in on weekends and fix meals for the people staying in their cabin. FEMA won't allow it because there could be a situation where one cabin gets steaks and another gets hot dogs - and...
it could cause a riot.
It gets worse.
He then precedes to tell us that some churches had already enquired into whether they could send a van or bus on Sundays to pick up any occupants of their cabins who might be interested in attending church. FEMA will not allow this. The occupants of the camp cannot leave the camp for any reason. If they leave the camp they may never return. They will be issued FEMA identification cards and "a sum of money" and they will remain within the camp for the next 5 months.
My son looks at me and mumbles "Welcome to Krakow."
My mother then asked if the churches would be allowed to come to their cabin and conduct services if the occupants wanted to attend. The response was "No ma'am. You don't understand. Your church no longer owns this building. This building is now owned by FEMA and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. They have it for the next 5 months." This scares my mother who asks "Do you mean they have leased it?" The man replies, "Yes, ma'am...lock, stock and barrel. They have taken over everything that pertains to this facility for the next 5 months."
We then lug all food products requiring cooking back to the car. We start unloading our snacks. Mom appeared to have cornered the market in five counties on pop-tarts and apparently that was an acceptable snack so the guy started shoving them under the counter. He said these would be good to tied people over in between their two meals a day. But he tells my mother she must take all the breakfast cereal back. My mother protests that cereal requires no cooking. "There will be no milk, ma'am." My mother points to the huge industrial double-wide refrigerator the church had just purchased in the past year. "Ma'am, you don't understand...
It could cause a riot."
He then points to the vegetables and fruit. "You'll have to take that back as well. It looks like you've got about 10 apples there. I'm about to bring in 40 men. What would we do then?"
My mother, in her sweet, soft voice says, "Quarter them?"
"No ma'am. FEMA said no...
It could cause a riot. You don't understand the type of people that are about to come here...."
I turn and walk out of the room...lugging all the healthy stuff back to the car. My son later tells me the man went on to say "We've already been told of teenage girls delivering fetuses on buses." My son steps toward him and says "That's because they've almost been starved to death, haven't had a decent place to get a good night's sleep, and their bodies can't keep a baby alive. I'm not sure that's any evidence some one should be using to show these are 'bad people'."
We then went to the second dorm room and made up beds. When we got through and were headed outside the host says to me and my daughter, "How did you get in here?" I told him we came in through the back gate. He replies, "No, HOW did you get in here? No one who doesn't have credentials showing is supposed to be in here." (I had noticed all the "hosts" had two or three badges hanging around their necks.) I told him it might have had something to do with the fact my daughter was snapping pictures of the OHP presence at the gate. He then tells us, "Well, starting in the morning NO ONE comes in. So if you have further goods you want to donate you will have to take them to your local church. They will collect them until they have a full load and then bring them to the front gate."
Me and my two kids then walked over the hill to the camp's amphitheater.
First - just another OHP car...
(another picture)
The amphitheater is full of clothes (but I'm not sure I'm seeing enough for 5000 people for 5 months).
(More pictures)
But there was more...an Oklahoma Department of Safety truck and a military vehicle...
and a cell phone tower (which fretling didn't get a pic of...grrr). Falls Creek, because it sits in a "bowl" surrounded by mountains, is notorious for no cell phone coverage.
There were buses coming in the front gate at about a rate of 1 every 2 or 3 minutes. We could hear them below us as we walked back up the hill. We could also see their white tops through the trees. We figured these were busloads of refugees arriving, but we never saw these buses in the camps, nor were any refugees visible at the camp while we were there.
We then loaded back into our vehicles and headed toward the cabin we had been told was for women so that we could off-load our appropriate products. When we arrived there was no one in the cabin so we preceded to unload our vehicles and take the merchandise in to the cabin. A horde of "hosts" who had been hovering at a nearby cabin head toward us.
"Can we help you?"
I explained to them what we were doing.
"Uhh... you can't just leave donated goods in the cabins. FEMA has stated they want all supplies to go to their central warehouse. They said they have had far too many supplies come in and they need to handle them. You can't leave ANY clothes."
I just stared at them.
One chubby-checker, after several moments of pregnant pause broken only by the sound of my 82 year old dad continuing to shuffle boxes out of the back of his car (GO DAD!), says "I'll call "BASE" and confirm what should happen here."
I continue to stare.
He pounds out the number on his cell phone and when some one picks up he chickens out and just asks "I need to verify that cabin 11 is a female only facility." When he hangs up he says that it is and I respond, "Well, good, we'll get on with this then." It's at that point my son pulls me aside and says, "Every damned one of them have the same phone. That's what the comm tower is for at the amphitheater. Now we know how FEMA runs through billions, they've given every one of these people a Cingular phone when walkie-talkies would have worked just fine."
We off-load our goods into the McAlester cabin. Fretling takes pics of the buckets of toys that have been donated by citizens for the kiddos coming this way.
(more pictures)
And a dorm room:
(More pictures)
We then start out of the camp. I tell my daughter I want to go out the main gate this time. Here is what we saw on the way out:
Just another OHP car...
(more pictures)
This cabin was apparently commandeered by a group of people in navy blue jumpsuits with insignias all over them. You can see them in the left side of this pic. But they were standing all over the place on both sides of the narrow street.
(another picture)
This is just one OHP car in a long line of them parked along the side of the street.
(another picture)
Three firetrucks parked along the river.
(another picture)
Talk about a surreal moment...troops (unknown if Regular or National Guard) have taken up residency in the Durant First Baptist Church cabin very near the main gate of the camp.
(More Pictures)
Two things to point out in the pictures above...we passed a row of about 6 or 8 ambulances parked in the street just in front of the troop cabin, and the large tent on the top of the hill...we have no idea what that is for.
Main gate completely blocked by OHP vehicles as we approach:
(another picture)
More OHP vehicles parked at the rear gate as we pass by:
(another picture)
Now I'm starting to understand why it doesn't matter that this location is not conducive to starting a new life.
[edit on 9-6-2005 by Valhall]
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From SoftTouch:
At the top of this site it says that the Government has added it’s ‘rebuttal’ to this eyewitness testimony at this website as well. I’m sure they have… However, I don’t care to read it.
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Psalm 119:104Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
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