Wal Mart disaster relief.

[RSKY]

My cousin who is a retired WalMart store manager posted this. And I agree with her feelings. When the tornado destroyed most of our little town WalMart was one of the first to respond. You couldn't drive thru their parking lot without somebody trying to give you something to eat. We could tell them we had no damage and it didn't matter, they would insist you took something. And they took out the beauty parlor part in the front of the store and put in washing machines and dryers and let people use them for free. Kept that going for a year. Also there was no price gauging, they actually sold small electric heaters, kerosene heaters, and generators at a very competitive price. They brought in piles of them. Same with Lowes, they pulled up two semi trailers, one with showers, one with washers and dryers. Then fenced off part of the parking lot and brought in rental equipment for people to use. They did more than some of the national 'name brand' charities.

 

[ponytug]

Lots of folks stepping up.

The damage is extensive, and with roads and power lines washed out in many areas, it won't be quick to fix. It is a ton of work.

All the best,

Peter

 

[etpm]

It is great that folks are stepping up to help. I myself have used my chainsaw to open a road or two after a storm. And I was joined by others wanting to help. And it is also great to see folks in the community getting together to help each other. In the meantime many homes were destroyed as well as businesses. Wouldn't it be better to make sure future construction isn't, as well as can be determined, not going to be in the way of floods? Or etc.? Often county building codes allow stuff to be built in areas that will eventually suffer catastrophic damage. A perfect example is here in Washington State. Maybe twenty years ago, maybe a bit longer, a family had a house on one of the islands near Seattle, I think it was Vashon. The county had red flagged the house because it was at the bottom of a cliff that was showing signs of an imminent slide. The teacher, his wife, and their children refused to move and the county really didn't have the funds to fight the red flag. So the cliff slid, buried the house and pushed it into Puget Sound. The whole family died. Can you imagine what the poor kids went through? If you wanna live at the bottom of a cliff or in a flood zone or on top of a fault then that's fine, but it is not OK to condemn your kids when it all goes to hell. Plus there is the cost of insurance to rebuild your folly if you live through the disaster. I think it would serve society better if we stopped issuing building permits in areas where we know disasters are likely to occur.
Eric

 

[jmc]

IIRC, Walmart had trucks in after Katrina before most or all organizations that specialize in disaster recovery got there.

 

[ponytug]

In many of the valleys, the flooding was so extensive that there is not much of any flat land left. It is just boulder strewn floodplain.

From 'Nothing like this': National Guard rushes supplies to communities cut off by Helene
Which has some staggering photos in their gallery.

Before and after selection here;

Aerial footage shows Asheville, North Carolina before and after Helene's devastation

Aerial footage is capturing the extent of Hurricane Helene's cataclysmic impact on Asheville, North Carolina. Watch the aerial footage.

www.usatoday.com

And Baxter, which manufactures 60% of the IV bags used in the US at their NC facility was partially flooded, damaging access. This is a big deal for kidney dialysis patients and folks needing surgery.

Baxter closes largest IV solution factory, sparking fears of a shortage

Flood damage forced Baxter to close a facility that makes 60% of IV solutions in the U.S., a loss of 1.5 million bags per day.

healthexec.com

All the best,

Peter

 

[RSKY]

IIRC, Walmart had trucks in after Katrina before most or all organizations that specialize in disaster recovery got there.

The same Walmart manager told me the first trucks were always filled with Bud Light Beer and Strawberry Pop Tarts. Those were the two things most in demand after a disaster.

 

[Hay Dude]

WHERES FEMA?

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

IIRC, Walmart had trucks in after Katrina before most or all organizations that specialize in disaster recovery got there.

Yes, it was great marketing! Even empty trucks made there way to the cameras. Sometimes its smoke and mirrors, thankfully most of the trucks brought in relief supplies.
But I had a whole new appreciation for those not trying to get attention out of someone else's misery.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

WHERES FEMA?

I've posted this before, but FEMA to me has always been "Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association".
Federal Emergency Management Agency is an after the fact manager, not a quick response right after all the hell broke loose.

 

[ultrarunner]

It is great that folks are stepping up to help. I myself have used my chainsaw to open a road or two after a storm. And I was joined by others wanting to help. And it is also great to see folks in the community getting together to help each other. In the meantime many homes were destroyed as well as businesses. Wouldn't it be better to make sure future construction isn't, as well as can be determined, not going to be in the way of floods? Or etc.? Often county building codes allow stuff to be built in areas that will eventually suffer catastrophic damage. A perfect example is here in Washington State. Maybe twenty years ago, maybe a bit longer, a family had a house on one of the islands near Seattle, I think it was Vashon. The county had red flagged the house because it was at the bottom of a cliff that was showing signs of an imminent slide. The teacher, his wife, and their children refused to move and the county really didn't have the funds to fight the red flag. So the cliff slid, buried the house and pushed it into Puget Sound. The whole family died. Can you imagine what the poor kids went through? If you wanna live at the bottom of a cliff or in a flood zone or on top of a fault then that's fine, but it is not OK to condemn your kids when it all goes to hell. Plus there is the cost of insurance to rebuild your folly if you live through the disaster. I think it would serve society better if we stopped issuing building permits in areas where we know disasters are likely to occur.
Eric

Some of these affected were in 500 or 1000 year flood plains.

I don’t know how much more power individuals must cede?

Much of the country could be a no build zone based on hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes…