Strike Team Reaching Out To Shipboard Evacuees
Release Date: February 16, 2006
Release Number: 1603-350
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Walk up the gangway and onto the cruise ship Scotia Prince and the first thing visitors will likely see are blue shirts from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). When crossing through the main reception area on the way to any of three meals provided to them daily, residents also see those blue FEMA shirts. From 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. those shirts are there. They belong to a Community Relations strike team that has taken up position at tables in the lobby of this ocean going hotel. Their mission assignment is simple: Get results.
The Scotia Prince is one of several ships brought to the Gulf Coast by FEMA to provide temporary shelter for residents and emergency responders displaced by Hurricane Katrina. As the ship lodging program draws to a close, the strike team has arrived at this St. Bernard Parish dock southeast of New Orleans to help resident find other housing solutions.
The team has taken up residence on the Scotia Prince to increase their accessibility and although they have gotten a very warm reception from the ship's inhabitants, they admit some are frustrated.
"Where's my trailer?" asks one resident.
"I have a trailer, but I'm waiting on electricity," says another.
The team's response is usually the same. They offer the person a seat and start dialing a telephone. "We get someone on the phone that is closer to the answers," says Julius Gibbons, the strike team leader. That someone could be a FEMA caseworker, a contractor tasked with setting trailers in place or a local official in charge of issuing permits.
The team has been happy with the cooperation between FEMA and St. Bernard Parish officials. Bill Hyland, a parish employee acts as liaison between the residents and local government and has been instrumental in the team's mission. "Anything we've needed Bill has gotten," said Gibbons. "He's batting a thousand for us."
Due to the size and scope of this disaster, many of the displaced residents have lived in more than one temporary residence since the hurricane. "Often, the problem we find is FEMA has an old mailing address and/or phone number and has been unable to contact the registrant," continues Gibbons.
A recent example points to the importance of keeping registration information up to date. Several days ago Hyland came to the strike team with a man he found living in a van. While Hyland got the man a room on the ship, the strike team got on the phone to FEMA to update his information. Two days later, the man walked off the ship and into his new FEMA travel trailer.
The team stresses their goal is to assist every parish resident, not just those living on the ship. And, their help is not just limited to questions about housing. They proved this when a woman walked up and explained she was trying to find her husband's fishing boat. It had been commandeered by someone to rescue victims after the storm and had not been seen since. In a matter of moments, they had the woman on the phone speaking with a Coast Guard representative.
For some members of the strike team, the mission hits very close to home. Wanda Robertson is a St. Bernard Parish resident who lost everything in the storm. Her story is not unique. According to one parish official there were over 25,000 homes in the parish before Katrina and now only a handful are habitable. Many like Robertson didn't or couldn't stay in the area. "This parish is scattered all over the country," said Robertson. "I got a job with FEMA because I want to be a part of helping put my community back together."
The team is helping put it back together one resident at a time. And they are learning even success can be bittersweet after Katrina. Mama Rose is leaving today.
"I have been treated great," said Rose Acosta, who was living in Delacroix, Louisiana before her home was destroyed by the storm. At 87 she is the most senior resident on the ship and everyone's unofficial "mom." Her outgoing personality has also made her something of a celebrity onboard. "I love it here," beams "Mama" Rose after leading a TV crew from The Oprah Winfrey Show through her quarters.
With the help of the strike team, Mama Rose will soon be moving to her new FEMA travel trailer. She'll be sad to leave her ship "family" but she knows it's time. "Her spirit is what settled this country," said Joe Bonaccorse, another FEMA strike team member. "Go the distance."
Residents and crewmembers stop to say their "goodbyes." Everyone is sad to see Mama Rose leave, but inside they know every step she takes down the gangway will be another step closer to recovery.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Friday, 17-Feb-2006 08:15:00