Katrina having widespread effects

[emmitt01]

It seems that Katrina may wreak havoc on me as well. As many of you have probably read Dallas is expected to take in at least 25,000 from New Orleans...that's a conservative estimate because it doesn't take into account those who got out in their cars and came here.

If Houston is any indication of the way things could become in downtown then I may be missing some, most or all of the football season and working some serious overtime. In Houston they have reported 200 house burglaries in the area around the Astrodome. Apparently looting in New Orleans didn't give them their fill. (And no, the businesses that are broken into in Texas won't be magically covered by insurance so looting is a "no no" regardless of the circumstances!) Dallas' downtown was already grossly understaffed when it comes to police so expect the tide to turn in a negative direction. Those that are coming to Dallas are the ones who didn't have the resources to get out and have nothing, and as an extension nothing to lose. No, not all of them are criminals...this isn't Miami taking in Cuban prisoners...but you're talking about 25,000 homeless possibly hopeless individuals.

There is talk of us going to an alpha/bravo schedule where we will be on duty for 12 hours then off for 12, 7 days a week. That's an 84 hour work week. No vacation days, no comp days. No football games. It's not certain yet but our traffic and swat units are already working like this. And there is no timetable for when this will change. You can't just house these people for a week or two and then send them home.

I'm not the only one feeling the pinch either. Lera's mom who is the head secretary at Colleyville Heritage told me their taking in 10 students a day with only the clothes on their backs.

My mom, who works for Tarrant County CPS, is on call indefinitely.

[H-towngreen]

Living down here, the thought of those people being here in the city for a long period of time worried me greatly. That's 25,000+ people who are jobless and homeless just wandering the streets.

[ScreamingEaglesFan]

We just found out Tarrant County has 4000 on its way and should be here within the next 5 days. We are going to house 400 at our church (First Baptist Euless) and have created a make-shift shelter.

In addition at work we lost ~ 30 stores (I work for GameStop) and have agreed to bring on the displaced workers at our local stores/headquarters in Grapevine. But it could be much worst Walmart had ~ 120 stores completely wiped out (not including those that were looted)

[ipEAGLE]

Please tell me you are not like the other 99% of 'I know All' employees at Gamestop... I love the store but I have quit shopping there because of the employees and having to buy pre opened games!

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---There is talk in West-Texas of trying to get some them out here and giving them jobs and a new start... Many have absolutely nothing to keep them in N.O. area now.. no home, no job, no anything.... We have the lowest unemployment rate in Texas out here and with the oil situation like it is there are jobs for those willing to work. A effort is being made to find and relocate some here with jobs.

---Jobs and a temporary place to stay is what is needed most to get many of these people started back to a normal life. It will be a while before paid jobs start appearing in South Louisiana again even in clean-up and reconstruction.

---I understand there are some students entering this area as well.

Edited September 3, 2005 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[vpackrats]

Emmitt --

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you may not be able to post much having to work those kinds of hours. But if you can, keep us posted on how things are going down there. Hopefully all will be well, but who knows if the Dallas news media will give us an accurate picture of what's REALLY going on down there. Let us know. (Wonder what everyone's going to do?? They'll be unable to return for MONTHS, even if they want to return, which a lot don't).

[MeanMag]

Heard they already thought of taking away DPD's vacation days, but decided against it for now. Please keep us posted emmitt.

I, for one, am all about helping out neighbors, but Texas alone cannot bear this burden, and I would hate to think what my state would turn into. We already have problems of our own.

Edited September 3, 2005 by MeanMag

[posiesnivy]

Oklahoma is also getting refugees. There are 12 families here in the metro area, some in Muskogee and next week they are preparing Falls Creek Baptist Church Camp Grounds into an area for refugees. I know they'll be more to come. Also, HUD has taken all HUD properties off the market in Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia and a couple of other states, to provide housing as well.

[emmitt01]

There is one positive in all of this. 12 hour shifts means 44 hours of overtime a week, or about $5808 extra a month.

[shaneb]

but Texas alone cannot bear this burden, and I would hate to think what my state would turn into.  We already have problems of our own.

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What in the world makes you think that Texas is bearing the burden alone??? You have what? 25k people in the city of Dallas? Try nearly 45k in the 200k city of Shreveport. They are all over the place. Arkansas, northern Louisiana, Northern Miss. Northern alabama and yes.... even Texas.

Shane