Thread: Trying to Walk and Chew Gum Simultaneously

Ya gotta Hate dealing with bureaucracy. I'm also glad these unforunate people have someone like you to help! Filling out forms or dealing with large corporate or government entities is one of my most dreaded chores. Feels like my head is going to explode after a while. I'm still trying to sort out my health insurance calims witht eh hospital billing department who 3 times have sent the claim to Blue cross/blue shield of North Carolina. And I call them up and specify my insurance is Empire BC/BS out of New york. then some genius sends it to ther wrong place once again.

Well, I understand the privacy thing, since we have to lock up all our files every night, and not divulge any information from anyone's file to anyone who doesn't have authorization. In fact, we don't even give out information about our waiting list over the phone, and we don't modify applications over the phone. The reasoning is that someone could cancel an application on the phone, and it could be some spiteful, vengeful ex, and we'd get sued by the applicant for cancelling the app. We do, however, give out addresses because that is not confidential info. Unless, of course, the tenant specifically requests we don't, like if it's someone afraid of an ex coming after them. I mean, you gotta use some common sense.

When we moved my dad in with us, he'd had a stroke and could not speak well. I tried to change his mailing address and banking info from Ohio to Texas with Social Security. They could not let me update his info without him there, on the phone to grunt ok. I could have had my husband do that! But still, where does paranoia about privacy end and common sense begin?


Maggie, you deserve a big bouquet of flowers for volunteering to help during your vacation.

Ah, he//, Nita. Most of us do the best we can to help one another. If that ceases to be the case, I've got guns.

Which, BTW, I would like to use to force these FEMA jerks to get their act together.

1. If the ACTUAL person calls FEMA for any reason, they (when they finally get a human) are STILL being told that the "New York State information" hasn't become available to them yet.

2. Today, the local newspaper had a big promo for the fact that FEMA now had set up offices in the worst areas to take applications. Those who showed up were handed a poor quality photocopy of the FEMA FAQ's that appear on their web site. All were told that they were "unable" to take applications, that it should be done on line at their less than reliable web site.

Just so everyone knows - your tax dollars are being spent on a bunch of guys (wearing FEMA hats, milling about big shiny FEMA vans, which have big impressive satellite receivers on top) handing out a bunch of photocopies to people who have been through the worst flood since they've kept records in this state. And on the news tonight, they are STILL touting these FEMA assistance centers AS IF they could actually do something.

Gah!

Oh good grief. Not that I expected a LOT; but better than what you all are experiencing there Maggie. Is there any way to get what is really happening out to the national media?

we had a flood here in 96, i think it was..
man oh man.. what a nightmare for those people who lost everything!
fema sweeema.. NOTHING they did helped right away.. when these people were walking around in a daze..
our road (at that time it was my parents road) was closed and really destroyed .. but at least MY parents had somewhere to go (our home) and they didnt LOSE anything ..
but working at a clothing store at the time.. i saw first hand how devastated these people were who DID lose everything.. and most of them had young children too! ... how little they got... and how confusing it all was..

actually? i think the local people did more to help than any GOVERNMENT agency did..

as for the media? duh! did anyone see that national news bit last year i think it was, where they were sitting in a boat talking about flooding, and then someone walked by and it was ANKLE deep water?
man.. unreal..

When Rita hit, my husband's sister and her husband drove up to spend the duration with us. They couldn't go home because they had no electricity and my sil needs regular breathing treatments. They were with us for 8 days. Thankfully their home was not damaged, but they lost food that they couldn't bring with them, plus the cost of evacuating. She called FEMA and they took all her information, and because they were right in the path of the storm, they were given $2000. No proof of loss or damage, just that they lost food, had the inconvenience of having to live for over a week 400 miles from home, and she is severely handicapped due to her health problems. And since they were staying with us, they were required to use our address, so the check was mailed to our home AFTER they had already gone home. So we sent it certified to them. They didn't have to fill out tons of papers, it was all done on the telephone. She could have been lying through her teeth, and still gotten the money. Now there are people much more desperate than her, (they could have stayed with us indefinitely; however, I would have been a stark-raving madwoman, as much as I love them, they drive me crazy!), people without homes and clothes and personal items, and they have to jump through hoops to prove that they are in need. FEMA really messed up with Katrina and Rita, and now they're being overly cautious, and it's not fair to those who are in real need.

Rant over.

OK, where was I?

A day or so after my last post, FEMA finally put some "boots on the ground." What I know from the people I've been working with:

Inspectors pretty much started swarming over the worst areas and seeking out anyone who had managed to register ... whether or not the applications were completely accurate or complete. They managed to find all the people I helped get registered on line, even if it meant a walk to their address because the phone contact information had changed in the chaotic environment.

The FEMA people were armed with little handheld computers, did quick assesments and uploaded the info on a daily basis. Most people were approved on-the-spot and are supposed to get checks (or, as I recommended) direct deposits within 10 days.

On the state level, folks are now starting to get call-backs from the Dept. of Labor (which, for some reason, is the agency handling the disaster grants) confirming that they've been approved - sometimes for more than they expected. These payments are supposed to get out in 2 weeks or so.

For those who have flood insurance, adjusters have been around and most are being given information by the adjusters at the site, as to how much their policy will pay, and most should get checks within 30 days.

For those whose homes have not been condemned as destroyed, all this will go a long way toward helping them to re-build/re-furnish.

There's still no actual money available except, as I mentioned, the small cash grants from the Red Cross, which are being distributed by means of debit type cards. The Red Cross, however, has been very helpful with free cleaning supplies and they've been very present in the worst hit areas, where people are tearing out the guts of their homes and trying to repair. They show up with water, drinks and even meals, to feed all the workers. Further, there are many volunteer & church groups now organized that are going around donating labor anyone who needs it.

This is a pretty great community, when you get right down to it.

There are some, however, that will do very badly no matter what's done, such as those with condemned homes and a big mortgage. ***sigh***

amazing! i dont even HEAR about that disaster.. or most of the others ... after a day or two..

thanks for letting us know, that after the cameras stop rolling, people STILL need help... and some people...*glancing in mags direction* *wink*.. are DOING that helping!

Excellent news Maggie! At least for most of the people you helped. Thanks for the update. Most people with heavy mortgages and ravaged homes will end up defaulting and the bank will suffer the loss. They can afford it far better. Unfortunately the credit ratings of the homeowners will be ruined for a while.

Well, Maggie, perhaps now you can take a minute and get a DEEP BREATH! You've certainly earned it! Your friends and neighbors have got to be absolutely grateful that they have someone with the intelligence and tenacity to help them.

I hope you've been keeping yourself healthy during all this.

Maggie, it's so sad to hear about all the destruction and what people are going through. I'm so glad, though, that you live in a community that is committed to helping their neighbors. And you are providing such a tremendous service - they are lucky to have you there.

Ag & Margaret report: The garden is doing wonderfully! Deck flowers and herbs are fantastic and the vegetables are doing great.

Many tomatoes - none red yet.
Couple of baby bell peppers.
Couple of baby eggplants.
Broc's - main heads already harvested - are putting out side shoots.
Pickling cukes are coming in like a plague! I've only got a few plants, but I'm getting 7-8 cukes a day ready to harvest. I've made some sweet pickles and have started a big dill crock, to which I add cukes and however much brine is needed to cover each day.
Salad cukes have a number of them that are just about ready to pick.

Oddly, my peas are trying to give me another small crop. I was just about to pull them out and make room for some fall crop when several of the vines started flowering on top. Now I've got a number of pods that will be ready in a couple of days. They usually poop out when the weather gets this hot.

Another discovery. I harvested the last couple of heads of romaine last week so they wouldn't bolt in the heat, but instead of pulling the whole plant out as I usually do, I just whacked them off with a sharp knife at ground level. Well, each plant has now put up dozens of sets of baby romaine leaves. I chopped them off as well today and they were great in a salad. I can't wait to see how long they'll keep doing this.

We've had real heat for a change - 90's in the day and low 70's at night. This is what I live all year for. I'm so happy!

Hey Maggie..I just stopped in to say thanks for stopping by my journal and encourageing me. Your garden sounds wonderful!

Maggie, so glad your garden is doing well! Mine is suffering miserably with the heat. Been over a 100 for days and days and no rain. Does little good to water daily with all the heat, but I still try. I am going to have to plant some cucumbers next year..... I always mean to, but somehow forget!