As I walked into the house, I noticed immediately that it was barren. A few items managed to be salvaged, but like most in the neighborhood the majority stood on a curb waiting for its day to be picked up. Realizing quickly that there wasn’t much more that could be done, I eventually picked up a push broom and swept. That’s the least I can do right? For about two hours off and on I swept and mopped. If someone came in and mud-tracked the floor, I picked up the mop to immediately clean the floor.
Overhearing the words, “tear up”, and “gut” referring to the floors and walls of the house, made my heart go out to my family member, because the work that will have to be faced is far from over. How can you tell someone that was not preparing to remodel their house anytime soon, that they will have to start over?
Governmental agencies have now made its way into the state providing assistance to those who qualify. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, commonly known as FEMA, has been on the ground assessing damages door to door and is providing as much assistance as they can to everyone. The DSNAP program, also known as the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a program designed to help those with food expenses in the case of a federal emergency. Many state workers have been dispatched out to affected areas to sign up anyone in need of assistance.
Fast forward to the 21st of August and I am preparing myself for my journey to northwest Louisiana. Feeling like I’ve accomplished nothing, I hug my family members goodbye and make promises to visit again soon. As I pull out of the driveway, another torrential downpour is falling from the sky, and I think to myself “How much more can one city take?” I continue to drive onto Interstate 10 and I run into 2 more showers, reminding myself quickly that many towns between Lafayette and Baton Rouge have suffered the same fate.
No matter what the circumstances, Louisianians are known to be “Louisiana strong.” The same people who were faced with life changing promises are tackling them on with a smile.