Complaint Review: FEMA

I just want to say that I registered with this site just to leave a message to the other rebuttals made. I have been offended by the comments and would like to respond to their remarks.

I am a Hurricane Gustav and Ike victim. My area, Houma, LA, was directly hit by Hurricane Gustav. We sustained major wind damages by this storm. My roof was partially blown off. My shed was blown away. Eight of my big oak trees were uprooted and fell inches away from my house. Following the storm, it was two weeks before power was up and running. However, lightning struck my home leaving power in only one room of my house. In addition, I lost all of my electronics and appliances from the surge. I just received power two weeks ago (thanks to my husband), putting me without electricity for almost two months.

While I do maintain adequate coverage on my home, my insurance has still not processed my claim. First, they lost my claim a month after it was filed. The adjustor had to come out to my home again to reevaluate my property. So, we are still waiting for our claim to be processed. We have recently learned that the insurance company will not be totaling my roof, because I did not receive any damage to the backside of my attached shed. What the f***! Therefore, we will not be compensated for our total losses.

Although we have begun our own repairs, we are financially tight. We have drained both our savings and checking accounts. FEMA has not yet processed our claim, because they are awaiting our insurance settlement. However, they did help us with $500 for evacuation costs and hotel assistance while we could not live in our home. I believe they have certainly done what they could for us. Each individual situation is handled differently. I have heard some unfair stories, and I feel for those people. Yet, in our case, FEMA has not let us down.

Moving on, we were flooded by Hurricane Ike just a week later. Now, I have mold throughout my house. I am still waiting on adjustors to come out from my insurance company and FEMA.

I would like to first reply to Ms. Dallas. I did not evacuate to TX for Hurricane Katrina. It was extremely unfortunate the circumstances that took place to your fellow neighbors. However, you can not stereotype this entire state for the problems with New Orleanians. We are a completely different category of LA residents in a completely different location. New Orleans is not the only city in Louisiana. And as for lending a hand to TX following Hurricane Ike, we were still recovering from Gustav when we were flooded by Ike. We were not in any position to assist another state, but Governor Jindal did invite evacuating residence into our state and offered them hotel discounts. Who are you to say "your people". Last I thought, we were all Americans- one people. I am ashamed of your and many other Americans' unqualified beliefs. We should all be helping one another.

Mr. NC resident, this is our home. This is what we know. Instead of facing the threat of unpredictable natural disasters, we choose to stay here because of many reasons. Personally, my husband has been in the oil field for over 20 years. As this being his only occupation, he is not qualified for just any other profession. In addition, I like to give my children stability. Moving around from one location to another is showing them insecurity. They have made their friends and are comfortable with their schools. I am not about to take that away from them. Moreover, our family is located here. If you know or would meet anyone from LA, you would know that family is a priority to us. We stand beside one another. I also carry sufficient insurance, flood and homeowners' insurance, for my home and contents. I do not expect help from the government in this area. However, we do expect help from the government in relation to our levees. It is not just my levees, or Louisiana's levees. It is the United States' levees. They should be taking the necessary precautions to save our coastal regions. Without proper levees, our lands are dissappearing before our eyes. Soon, we will not have a choice but to relocate further north. It is our government's obligation to protect us.

Finally to the Californian proposer, thanks anyway for your suggestions. While I agree with your perceptions of FEMA and the government, I believe your suggesion for relocation is not effective. What message was it we were suppose to get from Hurricane Katrina? Why haven't you moved from California? The wildfires and earthquakes are well known in that area.

In closing, I would like to respond to the original claimer. While I can relate and have compassion for your friend's situation, I can say that FEMA has pulled through for my family. If I only receive the $500 from them, they have supplied me with more than I have contributed to their fund. I would suggest for your friend to go through other programs being offered: food stamps, American Red Cross, SBA, etc. I was not approved for the food stamp program due to our financial status. Yet, I applied for an SBA loan with 2.8% interest. Hopefully I will be approved for this loan, so I can repair my home.

My brother was also failed by FEMA. His apartment complex was destroyed completely. He has a four children (a family of six). As he was trying to gather some items found on the grounds of the complex, the FEMA adjustor told him to leave everything alone. The agent said it was unsafe for him to be there, and he would be compensated anyway. My brother has not received a penny. They denied him given his financial situation. So he has to go out and buy new clothes, furniture, baby items, cooking supplies, everything. However, he was approached by a rental insurer just weeks prior to the hurricanes and opted against it. I believe everyone in this area should have proper insurance. It is just unfortunate the insurance companies do not work for us. They make so many stipulations and do not cover us entirely.

Your friend may be able to qualify for one or all the above mentioned programs. Please tell him or her they have been heard. I have them in my prayers.

My house in NC is roughly 3 miles from the intercoastal waterway. I built it in 1986, and it has withstood many hurricanesnce. It still stands, and has suffered very little damage. This is because I made sure it was built to withstand hurricanes. DUH!

I have never asked for, nor recieved a penny in Federal assistance. Ditto for State money. I paid for my own insurance...what a concept.

Your friend lives 12 feet below sea level, with water surrounding her. Who would have guessed that was a bad place to be in a hurricane? The people in Los Angeles rebuild because they don't live 12 feet below sea level. How stupid does someone have to be to do that? Ask your friend...she's an expert.

Guess your friend did not see what Ike did to Galveston and areas surrounding -
Even Houston got hit and she wants FEMA aid??
Get real - We Texans hosted your people and how did they pay us back??
By demanding that our State do more for them - give them more money, hotel rooms, on and on, and on top of that your "people" killed and robbed MY fellow Texans - I have not an ounce of compassion for your friend -
So guess payback is hell!!! There is no help or welcome arms from Louisiana
NO RIP OFF HERE!

Here are some things your friend Tammy should consider:

1. Moving away from Louisiana - permanently. Clearly, Katrina and Rita were not sufficient messages for her. I mean I feel bad for her, but you can't keep coming back to the same place that is destroyed one year after another and expect a normal life. It's time to find a new home.

2. Never depend on the government for anything. It has nothing to do with Ike, or Katrina, or Rita for that matter. If you place government resources up against a category 3 storm to se who will win - the storm wins everytime. If the government says get out before the storm - it means they can't help you.

3. Do NOT Close FEMA. They actually did a good job this time managed by people experienced in helping those harmed by disaster. However, as earlier stated, if the resources of government cannot help those who were hit by the storm, chances are no one will. Besides, if you close FEMA - your suffering would be far worse.


Ike is not a 100 year storm, just as Katrina and Rita were not. These storms occur with great frequency and it's time you consider moving from Louisiana and living elsewhere permanently. Don't simply evacuate - otherwise you will have this happen again...and again...and again... until no one will help you rebuild.

Here are some things your friend Tammy should consider:

1. Moving away from Louisiana - permanently. Clearly, Katrina and Rita were not sufficient messages for her. I mean I feel bad for her, but you can't keep coming back to the same place that is destroyed one year after another and expect a normal life. It's time to find a new home.

2. Never depend on the government for anything. It has nothing to do with Ike, or Katrina, or Rita for that matter. If you place government resources up against a category 3 storm to se who will win - the storm wins everytime. If the government says get out before the storm - it means they can't help you.

3. Do NOT Close FEMA. They actually did a good job this time managed by people experienced in helping those harmed by disaster. However, as earlier stated, if the resources of government cannot help those who were hit by the storm, chances are no one will. Besides, if you close FEMA - your suffering would be far worse.


Ike is not a 100 year storm, just as Katrina and Rita were not. These storms occur with great frequency and it's time you consider moving from Louisiana and living elsewhere permanently. Don't simply evacuate - otherwise you will have this happen again...and again...and again... until no one will help you rebuild.

Here are some things your friend Tammy should consider:

1. Moving away from Louisiana - permanently. Clearly, Katrina and Rita were not sufficient messages for her. I mean I feel bad for her, but you can't keep coming back to the same place that is destroyed one year after another and expect a normal life. It's time to find a new home.

2. Never depend on the government for anything. It has nothing to do with Ike, or Katrina, or Rita for that matter. If you place government resources up against a category 3 storm to se who will win - the storm wins everytime. If the government says get out before the storm - it means they can't help you.

3. Do NOT Close FEMA. They actually did a good job this time managed by people experienced in helping those harmed by disaster. However, as earlier stated, if the resources of government cannot help those who were hit by the storm, chances are no one will. Besides, if you close FEMA - your suffering would be far worse.


Ike is not a 100 year storm, just as Katrina and Rita were not. These storms occur with great frequency and it's time you consider moving from Louisiana and living elsewhere permanently. Don't simply evacuate - otherwise you will have this happen again...and again...and again... until no one will help you rebuild.

Here are some things your friend Tammy should consider:

1. Moving away from Louisiana - permanently. Clearly, Katrina and Rita were not sufficient messages for her. I mean I feel bad for her, but you can't keep coming back to the same place that is destroyed one year after another and expect a normal life. It's time to find a new home.

2. Never depend on the government for anything. It has nothing to do with Ike, or Katrina, or Rita for that matter. If you place government resources up against a category 3 storm to se who will win - the storm wins everytime. If the government says get out before the storm - it means they can't help you.

3. Do NOT Close FEMA. They actually did a good job this time managed by people experienced in helping those harmed by disaster. However, as earlier stated, if the resources of government cannot help those who were hit by the storm, chances are no one will. Besides, if you close FEMA - your suffering would be far worse.


Ike is not a 100 year storm, just as Katrina and Rita were not. These storms occur with great frequency and it's time you consider moving from Louisiana and living elsewhere permanently. Don't simply evacuate - otherwise you will have this happen again...and again...and again... until no one will help you rebuild.