No Way Out: Many Poor Stuck in Houston

tybee204

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HOUSTON - Wilma Skinner would like to scream at the officials of this city. If only someone would pick up their phone.
I done called for a shelter, I done called for help. There ain't none. No one answers," she said, standing in blistering heat outside a check-cashing store that had just run out of its main commodity. "Everyone just says, 'Get out, get out.' I've got no way of getting out. And now I've got no money."

With Hurricane Rita breathing down Houston's neck, those with cars were stuck in gridlock trying to get out. Those like Skinner — poor, and with a broken-down car — were simply stuck, and fuming at being abandoned, they say.

more at link
 
tybee204 said:
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HOUSTON - Wilma Skinner would like to scream at the officials of this city. If only someone would pick up their phone.
I done called for a shelter, I done called for help. There ain't none. No one answers," she said, standing in blistering heat outside a check-cashing store that had just run out of its main commodity. "Everyone just says, 'Get out, get out.' I've got no way of getting out. And now I've got no money."

With Hurricane Rita breathing down Houston's neck, those with cars were stuck in gridlock trying to get out. Those like Skinner — poor, and with a broken-down car — were simply stuck, and fuming at being abandoned, they say.

more at link
They have been bussing people out for three days. Announcements were made on channel 2 news along with numbers to call for help.
 
Link

Best-Laid Plans Weren't Enough in Texas

HOUSTON - It was envisioned as the anti-Katrina plan: Texas officials sketched a staggered, orderly evacuation plan for Hurricane Rita and urged people to get out days ahead of time.

But tangles still arrived even before the storm's first bands. Panicked drivers ran out of gas, a spectacular, deadly bus fire clogged traffic, and freeways were red rivers of taillights that stretched to the horizon.

In an age of terrorist danger and with memories of the nightmare in New Orleans still fresh, the Texas exodus raises a troubling question: Can any American city empty itself safely and quickly?

Thousands of drivers remained stranded Friday to the north and west of Houston. Many were stuck in extreme heat, out of gas — as gas trucks, rumored to be on the way, or at least buses to evacuate motorists, never came.

More at link
 
Even those who aren't poor couldn't get out because of traffic and gas shortages. We know quite a few who couldn't get out....looks like the storm will go east of them. Being in Austin I'm bummed we are not getting a thing!!!!!!!!
 
Not to worry, help came. TX National Guard sent huge trucks, containing a total of 650,000 gallons of gas to give free of charge to those stranded. Buses were sent to collect those who had disabled cars. For any who wanted to shelter immediately, schools were opened up and one local judge called and had the Wal Mart opened up so the new shelter could be supplied with food, diapers, formula for babies, water etc.
 
right, TexMex...

local government and citizenry are handling this one pretty well so far. Mayor Bill's demeanor has been most adequate and I'm impressed with him, Judge Eckels and the rest of local governmental agencies to date, by and large.

getting some breezy WX here now...I have fingers and toes crossed hoping Rita's fury will be limited to the less populated areas of SE TX and SW LA.
 
GonzoReiter said:
right, TexMex...

local government and citizenry are handling this one pretty well so far. Mayor Bill's demeanor has been most adequate and I'm impressed with him, Judge Eckels and the rest of local governmental agencies to date, by and large.

getting some breezy WX here now...I have fingers and toes crossed hoping Rita's fury will be limited to the less populated areas of SE TX and SW LA.

I agree Gonzo. Where are you?
Very breezy and cloudy here, no rain yet.
 
A friends son just left Houston at 3 and the highways were empty...they made it to CS in 1 1/2 hours.
 
I am sure the highways are much better now knowing that the hurricane will hit well east of the Houston area. The Texas/Louisiana border is the concern and everything on the east side of landfall will bear the brunt of this storm. So, it won't impact the Houston area as severely as thought. People are better off in their homes than on the highways.
 
TexMex said:
I agree Gonzo. Where are you?
Very breezy and cloudy here, no rain yet.
Jersey Village now, gonna hunker down here for the weekend...see how much damage Ms Rita does to Lake Charles, LA (relatives) and take it from there.

breeze didn't last very long here, altho for sure it will pick back up again later...with gusto.
 
GonzoReiter said:
Jersey Village now, gonna hunker down here for the weekend...see how much damage Ms Rita does to Lake Charles, LA (relatives) and take it from there.

breeze didn't last very long here, altho for sure it will pick back up again later...with gusto.

I am looking at New Iberia (relatives) and Lafayette (friends and relatives) my Lake Charles relatives moved to New Iberia. We will see what the storm surge does in the next 12 hours. None of them have evacuated as they have generators and such and hard heads and no common sense. Sometimes all you can do is throw your hands up!
 
When you have people all along the gulf coast evacuating the highways get bogged down. Even those that try to leave early get caught in it.

Some have to turn aroung and go home or get stuck on the road. Your gas runs out waiting in traffic, your car overheats and breaksdown, or it can be just such a physical toll it takes on people to make them go back home.
 
My friend's mother, who is 67 years old, packed up her car on Wednesday night and left the Galveston area early Thursday morning. 9 hours and a full tank of gas later, she ran out of gas only 150 miles from home. She's been stuck on the side of the road with many other people hoping since last night, waiting for one of those gas tankers to come by and fuel them up. If that doesn't happen, they are hoping that a nearby Home Depot will open its doors and provide shelter from the impending storm.
 
tybee204 said:
Link Here

HOUSTON - Wilma Skinner would like to scream at the officials of this city. If only someone would pick up their phone.
I done called for a shelter, I done called for help. There ain't none. No one answers," she said, standing in blistering heat outside a check-cashing store that had just run out of its main commodity. "Everyone just says, 'Get out, get out.' I've got no way of getting out. And now I've got no money."

With Hurricane Rita breathing down Houston's neck, those with cars were stuck in gridlock trying to get out. Those like Skinner — poor, and with a broken-down car — were simply stuck, and fuming at being abandoned, they say.

more at link
There will always be the poor, the homeless and others who could have acted far before now to evacuate or seek a shelter, especailly the able bodied ones!

There are always those that drag their feet and then cry that no one is helping them. Look at all those who acted early and are gaining very little distance from the danger area.

MANY ARE STAYING IN HOUSTON hunkered in their homes that aren't as safe as some of those commercial buildings in Houston where this lady and the others could, and probably will seek shelter.
 
concernedperson said:
I am looking at New Iberia (relatives) and Lafayette (friends and relatives) my Lake Charles relatives moved to New Iberia. We will see what the storm surge does in the next 12 hours. None of them have evacuated as they have generators and such and hard heads and no common sense. Sometimes all you can do is throw your hands up!
Sister, Nephew and family evac'd yesterday...with no problems on the road. The concern I have now for them is of course for their property (2-homes/workshop/etc.) and my nephew's company (he's Chief Engineer for CITGO refinery in LC).

Like you, I have friends all along the Gulf Coast and hope all will be fine after Rita has passed thru...to date, no loss of life for my NOLaean folks but property damage was sustained there.
 
Oh dang, it is the poor people again. I hate when that happens. They should have made better preparations. The 401K's weren't available and the ATM's didn't function, oh well, they are screwed!
 
concernedperson said:
Oh dang, it is the poor people again. I hate when that happens. They should have made better preparations. The 401K's weren't available and the ATM's didn't function, oh well, they are screwed!
:laugh: :laugh:
 
It is said that adversity is a test of character. What's interesting is to see how other people's adversity can be a test of one's own character as well. -Schadenfreude
 
Just having 4 lanes exiting the city wasn't enough. City officials should have acted sooner to open the other 4 southbound lanes to help w/ the traffic. They could have just left one lane open southbound and the other 7 lanes for evacuation.

This is just my opinion, but I think it could have helped w/ the bumper to bumper traffic. People might have made their destination prior to running out of gas or turning back towards the city in frustration.
 
Michael Iscovitz had heard enough. Friday morning, while on the air, the KRIV (Channel 26) meteorologist let his emotions show.

He had listened incredulously as Mayor Bill White announced evacuations but did not mention local shelters.

"We got phone calls from people who were frantic, who had no place to go or no money," Iscovitz said. He admits the issue was making him "a little hot-blooded."

So when he got the chance to to ask White about it, he pounced. The mayor said there would be no local shelters and advised people with special needs to call 311. Not the answer he wanted.

"I was getting phone calls from the same people I talked to before saying, 'Mike, I called 311, they told me they'd be there last night; they never came,' " Iscovitz said.

Encouraged by his news director and general manager, Iscovitz and the Fox 26 Morning News team chose not to let the issue rest. Friday, reporter Todd Duplantis interviewed U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston. She was asked about plans to house people locally.

"She said, 'If we felt Rita was going to make a significant impact on Houston, we would go ahead and take the necessary action,' " Iscovitz said. "This is when I began to question my sanity. Everybody is reporting this as a Category 4, extremely dangerous hurricane barreling up the Texas coast."

Houston Chronicle cont'd.
 

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