Medical volunteers for Katrina turned away by Surgeon General

Message from Angela:
I opened the email below on Tuesday evening, September 27th - after my first full day in Pearlington, Mississippi. In one short day, I had bandaged cuts; distributed first aide supplies, food, water, and clothing from the back of my SUV; and, taken nurses from the free clinic in Bay St. Louis out with me who immunized at least 15 people against Tetanus and Hepatitis A. We had to quit and return the next day because they ran out of vaccine due to the overwhelming need. Every day for days they went out with me in the afternoons and immunized adults and children.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Katrina, HHS"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2005 2:57 PM
Subject: Message from the Surgeon General


> When you offered to volunteer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, you
> demonstrated a terrific willingness to help your fellow Americans during a
> time of great need. That dedication to service is commendable. Since there
> was such an overwhelming response to my call for assistance, there will
> not be opportunities for all who signed up on the HHS website to be activated
> to go to the affected areas at this time. All, however, are needed to help
> strengthen the public health infrastructure and improve emergency
> preparedness; the needs are national in scope, but can be addressed by
> assisting at the local level. Therefore, I would like to take this
> opportunity to tell you how you can continue to help your nation on an
> ongoing basis.
>
> One of my highest priorities is public health preparedness. One way I
> address this priority is through my leadership of the Medical Reserve
> Corps(MRC) program. This is a national system of community-based MRC units. MRC
> units are cadres of public health and medical professionals, and others
> too, who work on public health activities throughout the year, and who can
> readily be called upon if an emergency strikes the community. By
> volunteering ahead of time, MRC members are identified, credentialed,
> trained and prepared in advance so they can help immediately in a
> disaster.
>
> Some of the first public health and medical volunteers who responded to
> Hurricane Katrina were MRC members in the local communities along the Gulf
> Coast. In Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, MRC members were prepared as
> the storm approached. After it hit and needs were identified, MRC members
> helped staff medical clinics, supported special needs shelters and
> provided other assistance as needed. As evacuees poured into communities throughout
> the nation, MRC volunteers were already prepared to help with their needs
> as well. And when the need for additional public health and medical
> assistance was identified, MRC members from around the country were asked to help
> outside of their local jurisdictions and to deploy to the affected areas.
>
> I urge each of you to learn more about the organization by visiting the
> MRC website at www.medicalreservecorps.gov. Find the MRC unit near you and
> join. If there's not a nearby unit, you can assist your community and our nation
> by helping to establish one. If you would like more information or some
> help in getting started, please call (301) 443-4951 or email
> MRCcontact@osophs.dhhs.gov.
>
> Thank you for your willingness to help. I hope we can count on you in the
> future as well. Join the Public Health Service team by becoming a part of
> the Medical Reserve Corps and help our nation to be better prepared!
>
> Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
> VADM, USPHS
> United States Surgeon General

Tags: Surgeon General

Angela leaves Pearlington MS and returns to the real world where we have already forgotten Katrina

Another post from Angela.

Dear All,

Once again, I find it somewhat difficult to find the words to write. Many of you have asked for an update regarding the situation in Pearlington, Mississippi. For several days, I have been struggling with just how to describe these past few weeks and give you said update. As I write to you this time, I am not sitting under a Christian aide organization's large food tent being eaten alive by mosquitoes while using their free internet service or balancing a laptop on my knees inside the old train depot in Bay St. Louis while nurse practitioners, doctors, and nurses see patients around me at the free clinic. I am sitting in the quiet stillness of my home office. It is infinitely more difficult to write from here. I feel isolated from the people whose names and faces have become such a part of me: "Big John" and his larger-than-life smile; Toby and his ever-present bandana and head-on stare; Yvette and those penetrating, resolute eyes; Mr. Sonny and those pearly whites; Butch and that blue fishing hat and those pain-filled eyes that will never forget what he saw on August 29, 2005; Lula, Brittany, Mr. Ike, Orelia, LeeAnna, Tom, "Preacher Man," Mikey, and Mamma Sams whose deep and plentiful lines write a novel of strength and survival across her 88 year-old face. I feel a deep void now that I am 1,000 miles away from them. After almost 3 full weeks in Pearlington, I felt it was time to return to my home in New York where I can advocate for these new friends on a much larger scale.

There is no question I have learned much throughout the course of this experience. As with all experiences in which we truly engage, some of the learnings have been good and some have been not so good. As most of you know by now, there is no question the people of Pearlington, Mississippi were overlooked in the days - even weeks - immediately following Hurricane Katrina. It is well-documented that the most basic of services - a place to receive ice, water, and food and portable toilets in which to empty wastes were not readily accessible until weeks after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. And, even then, those services quickly turned from within reach to unattainable. Goods at the "distribution center" set-up at what was once the Pearlington school were - and are - being rationed. Residents are limited to only 2 bags of ice - 2 bags of anything - at one time. As my photos have shown, these people are still living outside in tent "clusters" with sometimes 10-15 people in a cluster. 2 bags will not get you through the day, much less the week. As for the portable toilets - the ones not delivered until some 3-4 weeks after the disaster - they were only scattered throughout Pearlington some 10-14 days before being taken away on Sunday, October 2nd. And, sadly, the few aide organizations that are present in Pearlington sit in the air-conditioned school distribution center and ration goods while residents fight the flies, mosquitoes, and heat in their encampments. Aide organizations are not doing outreach and delivering goods directly to those that need them the most. It is not difficult; I did it for some 3 weeks from the back of an SUV - people gratefully taking bread, peanut butter and jelly, bottled water, first aide kits, clothing, blankets, Ensure, and other supplies. However, all was not - is not - lost because word of the situation in Pearlington spread; and, many of you personally responded - some of you in a big way.

On Sunday morning, October 9th, I had the distinct honor of guiding a 48' tractor trailer loaded with supplies sent from Newnan, GA into Pearlington, Mississippi. We were met by local residents who unloaded, sorted, and distributed goods throughout the day. We unloaded in the yard of the Mount Zion AME Church, the church built by Mamma Sams' late husband. It was a symbolic day of hope and renewal as goods were delivered directly into the hands of the people of Pearlington - no lines, no forms, no rationing - relief as it should be in my opinion. Men, women, and children, Black, and White came throughout the day to visit with each other and take water, clothes, and food as needed. We worked together to get the bulk of goods distributed before nightfall. To most of us, it was a good day. To others, it clearly was not.

On Tuesday, October 11th, another truck arrived - this one from Rev. Richard Clay and members of his congregation from Newnan, GA. As had happened on Sunday, residents gathered in the yard of the Mount Zion AME Church to unload and sort the goods. Of course, I had the permission of the current pastor, Rev. Fred Fields, to have the trucks unload there. However, on Tuesday, what was seen as hopeful to some was seen as threatening to others. Rev. Fields angrily approached and informed me that I was to have no further goods delivered directly to the people of Pearlington. He stated that all future deliveries "must" go to the school and go through their distribution center. He further stated that if I persisted, the Hancock County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) would shut me down for not being an official distribution center and the goods would be taken to the school. I explained to Rev. Fields that it was my understanding that private citizens could indeed make private donations to other private citizens. It has been and is happening throughout the disaster zone with no repercussions. To be certain that I was hearing Rev. Fields clearly, I called-over some of the other church members and had him repeat his "warning" to them. Their reactions were strong and clear - as was their gratitude to the people of Newnan for their generosity. However, with a tacit understanding of how things still work in the far corners of the deep South, just before nightfall, four local women and I quietly lifted as many of the remaining cases of water and supplies that we could approximately 50' over onto Mamma Sams' private property, which borders the church yard. The goods were no longer on the property of the Mt. Zion AME Church; and, Rev. Fields, who is on the payroll of the distribution center, could go back and report that the goods were no longer on the property of his church. However, he could not report that the goods were going to be transferred to the school either. In the days that followed, private citizens and I persisted until all supplies were off church property and in the hands of those who need them the most. Clearly, this incident is disturbing on many levels. The citizens of Pearlington gathered, unloaded, sorted, and distributed all donations in an orderly, caring fashion. They did not hoard; there was (and is) no need for rationing. They made deliveries to their elderly neighbors; and, more often than not, were reluctant to take "too much." I constantly reassured them the supplies were meant to be used by them as needed. There was no rationing from the back of those trucks. And, there will be no rationing on all future deliveries. I have been assured that the trucks from Newnan, GA will continue to roll into Pearlington and their wares will continue to be placed directly into the hands of those that need the goods the most. While the reports of corruption, "mis-allocation" of supplies, and rationing at the school distribution center are incredibly disturbing, I find it even more disheartening that my "close encounter" with an authority figure was someone who identifies himself as a representative of the church. While Rev. Fields could not see his way clear to offer even a prayer of thanksgiving on a Sunday morning when his people were receiving much-needed necessities, he could indeed very clearly deliver a strict warning to me to have no further supplies delivered to Pearlington. Since Rev. Fields is on the payroll of the distribution center, I suppose he was able to report back that he did his job well. I do not know how or what he can report to his parishioners.

On Friday, October 14th, an article about Pearlington ran in the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/14/national/nationalspecial/14tent.html

I had been visited by a reporter earlier in the week; and, true to her word, she did file the story. It profiled the Earl family, who were still living outside some 7 weeks post-Katrina. It also mentioned the portable toilets that had been suddenly and inexplicably removed. On Monday, October 17th, I am told that the portable toilets suddenly returned to Pearlington, 14 days after their exit but only 3 days after the NY Times article ran. On Tuesday, October 18th, the Earl family suddenly received their family-sized FEMA trailer for which they had applied some 5 times due to the repeated loss of their application. Coincidence or the power of the pen? I'll let you draw your own conclusion.

In spite of some basic sanitation back in place, the piles of debris being used as garbage dumps still remain; the putrid water still stands; the little distribution center still rations goods; and, so many who were not featured in a major newspaper still sleep outside under tarps and in tents. The temperature is predicted to drop into the 40s at night over this coming weekend. Over the next several days, another truck from Newnan, GA is set to roll with coats, boots, and blankets and a wonderful group from Pensacola, Florida is set to return and finish the job of mucking-out Mamma Sams' home. Yet, much remains to be done and many questions remain to be answered:

- Why have the public health risks caused by lack of sanitation, contaminated water, and piles of garbage not been addressed by the appropriate government agencies?

- Why did the State Epidemiologist for Mississippi, Dr. Mills McNeill, stop the Air National Guard MASH Unit from even assessing the public health risks on October 3rd when they had the staff and the materials to do so?

- Why did Colonel Janet Sussman, colonel in charge of the MASH unit, allow Dr. McNeill to stop Colonel Ridkey, the Guard's public health official, from proceeding as planned?

- Why did a minister in Pearlington, Rev. Fred Fields, who is on the payroll of the Distribution Center order a relief nurse to stop the delivery of goods directly to the people; and, how does he have the authority to do so?

- When does the lease the county holds on the land in Pearlington expire? (While the people own their houses, they lease the actual land from Hancock County, Mississippi; and, the houses in Pearlington are gone - completely destroyed and not covered by insurance.)

- Does the US government wish to expand the NASA Stennis Space Center that borders Pearlington? (These people were moved years ago when Stennis was built.)

- Is it true there are corporate interests in the thick, pine forest of Pearlington (such as International Paper)?

- What, if anything, would be done for the people of Pearlington if it were not for private citizens from outside the area who care?

I certainly do not have all the answers; but, I am knocking on the doors of those who just might. I am continuing my quest to have the Pearlington situation investigated; and, I am keeping in contact with residents there and with the good people of Newnan, GA and Pensacola, FL who are committed to delivering on-going supplies directly to those who need them. I refuse to allow politics to prevail over poverty. Sadly, not everyone feels quite so strongly. The work teams promised by the Mississippi United Methodist Conference never materialized. The last time I spoke with their director of disaster relief, he told me, given the situation in Pearlington, they did not want to "get involved in any politics." He assured me he would call me back; however, he did not and the promised teams never came. The promised mobile medical van from Methodist Hospital in Memphis did come. It stayed for a total of 2 days. Rev. Fields wasted no time in having a private conversation with the corporate representative from Methodist Hospital who accompanied the mobile clinic. I was not included in that conversation.

These past few weeks have been amazing in many ways. I am honored to have had the opportunity to meet so many resilient, hopeful people and the wonderful individuals who read my emails and came (and are still coming) to help. Rest assured, the people of Pearlington are grateful for your efforts, each and every one. I wish I could end this final update email from my time in Mississippi right here - with the image of hopeful people receiving supplies - all their problems solved. However, I can not. While my new friends are hopeful, they are also tired and worn-down from weeks of living outside - most of that time without even the most basic sanitation facilities and still without clean drinking water or electricity. They are tired from standing in long lines to complete the same forms again and again; and, they are weary from seeing a landscape littered with the refuse of their former lives. While the neglect of the people in Pearlington is well-documented, I am certain of the high probability that this sort of thing is happening in poor communities all along the Gulf Coast. And, of course, my deep concern is that once the newspaper stories stop running and outsiders stop coming, the abuses will become even more flagrant. So, I will continue to fight for the people of Pearlington and I will return to visit them in the near future.

Someone asked me since I have been back in "the world," how I feel. That's a tough question to answer, but I'm going to try. I am angry. I am angry about the neglect I witnessed first hand. I am angry about the excuse of politics being used to deny readily available services to the most vulnerable among us. I am hurt for those still struggling to survive each and every day deep in the woods. I am exhausted and I miss those who became such a part of me so quickly. Lastly, though, I am resolute. I will rest for a bit; and, when I am refreshed, I will put on a suit and walk the halls of high places and tell the truth of Pearlington, Mississippi. I can do no less for those citizens of this country; they are our neighbors, our cousins, our aunts, our uncles, our brothers and our sisters. They deserve the best we have to offer. We must not allow politics to prevail over poverty - not today; not in Pearlington, Mississippi; not anywhere.

Thank you again for what so many of you have done and will continue to do.

In Peace and Justice,

Angela J. Cole, MPH, RN

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO RESPONDED (Please forgive me if I missed anyone - it was not intentional):

- Chris and Claire Stehling of Red Hook, NY whose generous donation and connection with WalMart allowed me to re-stock my SUV early-on after arriving in Pearlington before word was really "out" about the situation there;

- All the good people of Newnan, GA who sent a 48' tractor trailer of supplies thanks to the coordination of Reggie and Suzanne Lybrand (and are sending another truck soon);

- Pauline Harris and family for their hard work to get that first truck stocked and loaded as well as their generous cash donation which allowed me to re-stock my SUV with water, Ensure, cots, and many other supplies;

- Susan Smith and family whose generous cash donation also allowed me to keep my SUV stocked with supplies;

- Rev. Richard Clay and his congregation of the Miracle Tabernacle Family Worship Center in Newnan, GA who brought-over, unloaded, and sorted another fully loaded truck;

- Paula Payne and the tireless men and women of the Perdido Bay United Methodist Church of Pensacola, FL who spent an entire day mucking-out and salvaging priceless treasures from 88 year-old Mamma Sams' house (and who are returning today to finish the job);

- Mary Kay Deen, who in spite of losing her own home and all her belongings in Bay St. Louis, worked alongside Paula and her team to muck-out Mamma Sams' home - you're an inspiration to all who know you;

- Ellen Wilson and her husband who made an old man's dream come true with the purchase and delivery of a chainsaw so he could clean-off his property;

- Last, but most definitely not least, the many nurses and staff of the Loudoun Medical Group from Leesburg, Virginia who followed me deep into those piney woods and vaccinated young and old against Tetanus and Hepatitis A - ya'll are amazing!


Tags: Pearlington MS

French Quarter Information

I found a couple of sites with information about what is open in the Quarter. Check them out for details.


http://www.innthequarter.com/cominghome.htm
http://www.quartercrawl.com/


Tags: French Quarter

Bush's Catch 22

It's now 48 hours since a devestating earthquake hit Pakistan.

American C130 cargo planes arrived in Pakistan with aid within 48 hours. Pakistan is somewhere around 10,000 miles away. In addition the Department of Defense is assessing what assets can be brought asap to the region.

48 hours after Katrina Bush was still on vacation. There had been no federal response whatsoever. As reported here by Angela Cole, portions of Mississippi are still waiting aid 6 weeks later.

Of course, Bush couldn't do the right thing in this situation. After the tsunami and Katrina he had to respond quickly. Yet, it exposes the paucity of the Katrina response by demonstrating what can be done when motivated. If we can get aid half way around the world in 48 hours, why can't we get it down the road in 96 hours? It exposes the fact that he was on vacation for Katrina and the tsunami. Can Bush really respond to crises while on vacation, or is he more tuned out than usual when on vacation? It exposes the pure politics behind what Bush does in response to natural disasters. Louisiana is one of the poorest states in the nation with few if any powerful lobbyists and Bush cronies. Thailand, Indonesia and India are not important allies. Pakistan on the other hand is an important ally in the so called war on terror.

Regardless of the reasons for the lack of response to Katrina, we now know that the US can respond rapidly to natural disasters when the desire is there. The important point then is that it is clear that the Commander in Chief was asleep at the wheel on August 29th through September 3rd 2005.

Tags: katrina

Angela in Pearlington MS Part 2

Dear All,

Thank you for your overwhelming response and support to my email of yesterday morning. It is deeply appreciated. I had a lunch meeting yesterday with a Senior Vice President at Methodist Healthcare located in Memphis, TN. About halfway through our discussion, he just turned, looked at me, and said, "I want to see this place. What are your plans for today?" With that, we drove the 3 hours to Pearlington so I could let Chaplain Davis see what I have seen. After visiting only 3 families, he picked-up his cell phone and called the CEO of Methodist Healthcare and made his recommendation: that Methodist send-in their fully equipped mobile medical trailer with a staff of physicians and nurses as soon as they can. I can not overstate my appreciation for the responsiveness of the Methodist denomination to the situation in Pearlington. It is decisive and timely.

The situation in Pearlington yesterday was decidedly different from the day before. There was a quiet, sad, stillness among the people. The piles of debris were still unmoved; the mosquitos and flies were still biting; and the putrid water was still standing - And, noticeably absent were the porta-potties. As one man said to the Chaplain and me, "How can we keep from gettin' sick if we got nowhere to use the bathroom?" His question is not an easy one to answer. As grateful as I am to the Methodist for all they are about to do in Pearlington, there is still a huge, unmet need to restore clean water and sanitation to the area. I fear these things can only be done with the help of a television camera. I found yesterday to be much more painful than the day before. On Monday, the people were fired-up and advocating for their right to basic - if even temporary - sanitation facilities. Yesterday, I saw in their eyes the look of quiet resignation and defeat. I would guess these are feelings with which they are quite familiar. As the man mentioned above posed his question, he broke down and cried. This proud, strong Southern man wept. He and his family almost drowned because first responders did not respond in Pearlington; he has removed the dead bodies of his neighbors from their homes; and, now, the one tiny shred of dignity he had for his family - a porta pottie - is gone. These people are exhausted and losing hope. That is not a good combination.

I have heard reports from various (and many) residents in Pearlington that the land there is bordered by the NASA Stennis Space Center on one side (government land) and International Paper on the other. Some feel that perhaps there is a feeling to drive people from this area so that this prime piece of land (thick with tall pines for timber) may be used for other purposes. I have no idea if this is true or not. I have not had the time or resources to research this issue. What I do know to be true is that state and local officials are not fulfilling their public health - or humanitarian - obligation to these people.

I will return to the area today and will keep trying to instill some hope where there is none. And, I will keep beating the drum for someone to come here with a camera and see what I have seen. I am getting my film developed today before I return to the coast. I will try to start posting the photos on the Kodak Gallery website. I will also send hard copies to my sister in GA so someone besides me has them.

Again, thank you all for your efforts and I will continue to be in touch as I can.

Angela in Pearlington Part 1

The news from Pearlington MS is not good. Below is the latest dispatch from Angela.

Dear All,

It is so difficult to find words this morning given what I have seen and experienced over the past several days. Many of you who read this email will find it hard to fathom what has transpired; others of you from this region of the country will nod your heads in sad acknowledge of the harsh reality of the Southern poor. I am concentrating my efforts on the community of Pearlington, Mississippi. The people of Pearlington are scattered throughout the thick pines of the Mississippi Sound. As I wrote earlier, they are existing under tarps and tents in the shadow of their ruined, moldy homes. Some are even seeking shade under what is left of their roofs within the moldy, dusty environment. But, that is not even the most egregious part of this story.

Pearlington is a tiny community of people with no "city" government - no government of any kind, really. Therefore, they have no advocates. The "fire chief" seems to be a sort of de-facto leader; but, that's it. 5 weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit, these people are still living without clean water, without sewage, and without electricity. The temperatures have been and continue to be in the 90s with heat indexes in the 100s. Of course, the humidity is, at times, unbearable. As you know, I have been deeply moved by this situation and, in only a week's time, have gotten to know names and faces and stories. In short, the exhausted, battered faces of Pearlington have become the faces of this disaster for me. I came here to provide first aide and relief (food, water, supplies) from the back of my SUV - to be a nurse. However, I have come to realize that I can not feel that my work here is done until the issues of water and sewage are addressed. These people are citizens and human beings who deserve no less.

So, I sprang into action last week with a "big picture" perspective. I met with the Bishop of the United Methodist Church here in Mississippi. Bishop Ward is a wonderful, compassionate woman and minister who walked alongside me in Pearlington and listened and comforted residents. She left the area having made a commitment to send-in home clean-up teams to try and help get residents back inside and out of their yards as well as a promise to engage Methodist Hospital in Memphis about a long-term mobile clinic in that area. The clean-up teams land today and I am having lunch with a Senior Vice-President from Methodist Hospital who is coming to talk logistics about a clinic. The Bishop is a woman of her word.

In order to address the public health issues of Pearlington, I attended a meeting on Sunday with the National Guard MASH hospital team and local health care providers. State and local public health officials were supposed to attend but did not. I started receiving reports of diarrhea from people on Friday and I am concerned that a water-borne or sewage related outbreak is beginning. The Colonel in charge of Public Health took me seriously and told me to return yesterday (Monday) morning and we would go with a BioEnvironmental Engineer to assess the situation. He told me the National Guard could supply C-130s to spray for mosquitos; remove the huge piles of debris by the roadside that are now being used as garbage dumps; drain the pools of putrid, standing water; and document and treat any outbreak that might be occurring. For the first time, I felt that between the Methodists and the military, true hope was coming to Pearlington. But, then, Monday morning came and everything changed.

When I arrived at the MASH unit, I was greeted by the Public Health Colonel and the Commander of the MASH hospital. They had met earlier that morning with Dr. Mills McNeill, the state epidemiologist, from the Mississippi Department of Public Health. They had wanted him to meet me and go with us to Pearlington. He informed the Guard that the situation in Pearlington is a "county public health" issue and that the Guard is not to set foot in Pearlington AT ALL. Therefore, the National Guard - who has the supplies, staff, and capability - to address the public health needs in Pearlington gave me their apologies and escorted me to my car. We walked past the Jeep loaded with supplies for Pearlington. As we parted, I was told how sorry they are about the way things turned-out, but they have to follow orders. As the colonel said, "We don't know you and you don't know us. Good luck." Within a half hour, I received a call on my cell phone from Dr. Mills McNeill. He was livid that I am in Pearlington. He yelled at me that "everybody's workin' as hard as they can" and "we've had sporadic outbreaks of gastroenteritis throughout this thing" and ended with "we don't need another list of what the problems are - we know what they are - we got enough smart people here already." I asked 3 times during his rant for the name and phone number of a county public health official with whom I could connect; he never gave me a name. I invited him to come with me and see the garbage piles, the water, and talk with those with diarrhea - he refused. His message was clear - shut-up and go home. It gets worse.
On Sunday afternoon around 5:00 PM, the few porta-potties that were on corners in Pearlington were removed - loaded on a truck and taken away with no explanation. The one sign of progress, of dignity these people had was removed. I have seen where these porta-potties once stood; and, I can attest to the fact that they are gone. Residents tell me that they are now being limited to only 2 bags of ice at the Distribution Center at the little school in Pearlington. 2 bags of ice are nothing given the intense heat and the fact that so many of these people have no transportation. They can maybe get a ride to the school once/day - but, usually, no more than that. They are now rationing their ice use.

Yesterday morning, a group of residents went to the school and demanded that the porta-potties be replaced. The Fire Chief called the police and a small army responded. Frightened that they were about to be taken away, residents returned to their properties and hunkered down with their guns. When I arrived there yesterday afternoon, there were police cars parked where the porta-potties used to be just sitting and watching people. It was intimidation in a manner that conjures up images of a time and place that should be long forgotten. Please understand that I was not at the school yesterday morning. I am reporting what I have been told. But, I can tell you the porta-potties are gone and the police were parked there yesterday afternoon. I was there for that. It is clear that local and state officials want these people to just go away. They do not want to spend a single resource to help them re-build or re-locate. They are doing their best to keep the forgotten people of Pearlington forgotten.

It is clear that someone must advocate for these hardworking, but poor, citizens. As one man told me yesterday afternoon, "I'm a citizen; why won't they help us?" They are getting no help because they are the dirt poor of the deep south. Prior to Katrina, they were hidden deep in the woods and our delicate sensibilities remained intact. But, the mighty winds of Katrina blew away the tall pines that covered their poverty and shielded our eyes and now we must act - all of us. I can not advocate for these people alone. This morning, I contacted the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. I got someone's voicemail and left them a message. I spoke with the PR person for the United Methodist Church and she is following-up with the Bishop here in Mississippi. I will continue to try to get someone from the media here. This is a volatile situation and I do not want to tip the balance; but, make no mistake - you can only force people to live in squalor before they will break. We all have our breaking point.

I came here to give basic healthcare and then go home. But, I can not pretend to not know what I now know. I know that the elderly and children are sleeping outside in the heat and humidity with the snakes, mosquitos, and flies. I know that while people are living in squalor there are hundreds and hundreds of FEMA emergency housing trailers parked one hour north of Pearlington at the Purvis, Mississippi exit off I-59 North (just south of Hattiesburg) - I have photos to prove it. I know there are huge piles of bacteria-breeding debris and pools of putrid water alongside where people sleep and empty themselves of their waste - I have photos to prove it. I know what I know and I will share that knowledge with the world. Someone has to tell this story - and someone has to help change its pending, tragic outcome. I will do all I can.

Angela in Waveland MS

This post is part 1 of a series from a nurse on a personal mission to help victims of Katrina.

Hi All,

I am now in what I refer to as *the zone* (the *disaster zone*, that is). My basecamp is Waveland, Mississippi - the spot where Hurricane Katrina made her dramatic and devastating entrance into so many lives. I have now been in the zone a little over 24 hours. It has been an eventful 24. This place is unlike anything I have ever known, any place I have ever gone, or anything I have ever seen. The devastation here is complete; that can not be overstated. Yesterday, I stood on the street shown by so many networks - a street where not one single home remains. It is overwhelming to see homes (and lives) so utterly and completely shattered. It is one pile of rubble after another - literally nothing remaining. This is a place of chaos - cars atop cars still where they landed that awful day; piles upon piles of debris (furniture, roofs, trees, and so much more) close by the side of roads and streets - too much to be removed at this point. It is a place of waiting - long lines for food, ice, and water; longer lines for FEMA information, city permits, and aid. It is a place of dodging debris and the massive machines that are attempting to painstakingly remove it. It is a place of people - victims and those who are here to help them - government, non-governmental agencies, churches, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and on and on.

And yet, in spite of all this,there is a rhythm to life in the zone. I arrived last yesterday afternoon (after wasting most of Sunday bobbing-and-weaving to avoid one tornado after another). I talked with many people along the way to determine where the clinics might be and was told there was a free clinic at *the old train depot.* I walked in to find a private healthcare system from Virginia that has set up a free clinic here for as long as needed. It is hot here (110 degrees today and very humid) and the old depot has air conditioning and communications (the Army Corps of Engineers has their offices here as well.) I was told I could crash inside the depot instead of camping in my SUV (my plan) to avoid the oppressive heat. So, last night, I lay my sleeping bag on a table and went to sleep. Folks came in and out through the night - always something happening; but, I slept - until the Army guys arrived at 0530. (This is one of so many reasons I never joined up!)

So, I started my day with what was supposed to be a quiet walk - and encountered the first of many heartaches this day. I met my first Katrina stray - a beautiful yellow lab who clearly has been loved and had a home at one time. With an SUV fully stocked with food for people and animals as well as clothes and medicines and first-aid supplies, I ran back, filled a Ziploc bag with dog food, and fed my first stray. She, like all the dogs that lived through that hellish night, are skittish; so, I left the food and headed back to the clinic. I came here to find the *hidden folks* - those deep in the woods and back waters that could not come out for services. After chatting up the Corps of Engineers guys and the Parks Service folks, I had an idea of where to go - deep in the *piney woods* - literally. I drove from Waveland and turned off the main highway, took a long, sandy, rutty, dirt road surrounded by massive shattered pine trees, and suddenly began to see what was once homes and communities. Homes twisted into hideous shapes, roofs in places they don*t belong, cars nose down in the middle of houses, boats where boats do not belong (like in the front door of a battered church) - and, among all this devastation, I began to notice signs of life. There are people *camping* in the midst of this hell because they have nowhere else to go. This is their home. I stopped everywhere I saw any sign of life (like a tent in the front yard) and yelled hello and identified myself as a nurse. Little by little, clusters of people began to emerge. And, I began to do what I came here to do - I cleaned and bandaged cuts; I distributed bread, and peanut butter and jelly; I gave clothes to a young mother of two who has virtually no personal belongings now; I emptied dog and cat food into quart-size Ziploc bags; and, of course, I gave out cases of liquid gold here - water.

We*ve heard so much about the *death toll* from Katrina; but, there is a *life toll* as well and I saw it today. Deeply moved, I returned to the clinic and told the nurses about what I had found. We put together a team and returned to the woods where they gave over 20 shots for Hepatitis A (the water here is contaminated - dangerous to drink or use at all) and Tetanus. I will return there tomorrow morning.

It is different here in ways words alone can not describe. I am taking many, many photos that will hopefully speak for themselves. There are thousands of individuals, citizens, neighbors, who will never know life as it was before. There are lost animals and traumatized adults and children surviving in conditions most of us can not even begin to imagine. The currency here is water and ice and MREs with the occasional hot meal from an aid organization. The game is still survival even though it has been almost a month since this nightmare started. This is the zone - the war zone of Katrina - and the casualty count goes higher each day that even one of these folks has to scrape and scratch to survive. My job is to make certain that at least for a few weeks, they know that one nurse from NY will make certain they do not scrape and scratch alone. I have to get some sleep now - tonight, it will come on a cot graciously offered by the Army Corps of Engineers. And, tomorrow, I will go back into the woods, bandage some more cuts, hug some more shoulders, look into some more weary eyes. It will be just another day in the zone.

Until next time,
Ang