Katrina and some heros

This weekend I was at the Alabama Coast. On Saturday night I was *ahem* reading the Upper Room at my favorite watering hole when a sailboat returned from Pass Christian to a standing ovation of applause and cheers. FEMA and the Federal Gov't may not be able to get their heads out of their asses, but the citizens of a small unincorporated town in Baldwin County sent 6 tons of supplies over on a sail boat and have $7,000 more to send at some point this week.

Those who went are true heros-- they didn't wait for permission, or a plan, they knew what was needed. Their VFD contacted another VFD and the pickup was arranged-- propane tanks, disinfecting wipes, work gloves, clean underwear, water, food...a few beers... Were loaded onto the boat and sailed to the waiting needy people. The VFD in Pass Christian now had more supplies to give out to their community- after all they are there on the ground and working so hard to help people. They know what is needed-- if they only had the supplies and tools to give out. These people are working themselves to exhaustion to do what has to be done- not the Federal Government who is too tied up in red tape and controlling the situation and telling the people on the ground what they need.

Here is what killed me: My friends in the sailboat were stopped by the Coast Guard coming in and allowed in-- after much bureaucracy. On the way out, they were stopped, told to anchor-- that they could not leave. Luckily, the sailors are an intelligent and feisty lot and they told the Coast Guard that if they wanted to board them that was all well and good, there was no legal reason to do so, and they'd have the media on them faster than would be believed. They were allowed to proceed quietly.

The things they saw on their route-- thousands of packages of packaged chicken floating in the water. Bodies. Dead Alligators. They said the stench and bacterial count of the water was overwhelming.

And FEMA-- bah humbug. They said the Red Cross is there all right-- charging for coffee!!! That's right CHARGING DISASTER VICTIMS FOR COFFEE! So, give your money to the Salvation Army- or call your local VFD or other small agency. Or take in a displaced family.