Information

[scrapadikt1]

I am a TN resident. I live about 40 miles from the edge of the disaster area. Please keep the victims of this disaster in your thoughts and prayers. My two youngest step children have been unable to go to school all week.
Sadly some of you may not even know of this disaster has it has barely been covered by national news. Pictures and covereage can be found at www.newschannel5.com


While not directly affected I do have family that was and just ask that you keep Nashville and the other areas in your thoughts.



Thanks!!

[killarney_rose]

My thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends.



To be honest this whole situation in Nashville just has me up in arms. I'm furious President and Congress has had so little disregard for those residents in the area. They won't mention it at all. The press could care less. The President opens his mouth and threatens thousands upon thousands of jobs by shutting down all new drilling in the Gulf. And no one in the press will tell you China, Brazil and Argentina are deep water drilling in the Gulf. He hasn't told them to leave. How can he, they are in International Waters. I guess I'm mad because I'm one of those thousands. He won't even open his mouth about Nashville never mind going there.

Hurricane Katrina, Ike and Tropical Storm Allison got more news and concern then poor Nashville. Come to think of it, Hurricane Rita got little to no coverage either and the devastation in Beaumont and Southwestern Louisiana was at the same as what Nashville is going through.

[scraptag]

oh definitely. My friend from Tn says that it is really bad. She said the only difference between this flood and Hurricane Katrina was that Obama didn't visit and there is no Federal Assistance, just neighbors helping each other.

[aceason]

I live in the Seattle area and they have been covering this heartbreaking story. The video they have been playing shows the vast devastation, I can't even imagine what the clean up is going to be like. I've been paying close attention as my cousin lives in Nashville and is supposed to be graduating this weekend. My aunts are flying from Seattle to Nashville and hoping for the best when they get there that everything goes as planned.


Your city is in my prayers.

[JDs Mom]

We've been watching coverage on the nightly news. My heart goes out to everyone in that area. When DH and I were first married we lived in a tiny apartment on the Illinois River and the year we were there, it flooded us out twice within a very short period in the late spring. There is nothing so humbling as having the Red Cross feed you. I think if anyone could spare a few bucks, a nice contribution to the Red Cross Tennessee flood relief fund would be a wonderful thing. I think as charities go, these guys are aces.

[AmyTeets]

Hmm...I know that I always see something on the news about it. I thought the gov't has already pledged federal assistance? I know there are a bunch of county music stars that are doing benefit concerts as well. The destruction is horrible. I think I heard it's going to be the costliest natural disaster to date? (someone correct me if I'm wrong) Here's some photos I found:
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/weathe ... r/#slide=1

[LyndaKay]

Your city is in my prayers. And, Kim, ..... well said! I guess the Prez. did declare some areas a Fed. Disaster area, so funds should help. But I think he should help raise awareness to the situation with a visit.

[AmyTeets]

I agree. He should make a visit.

[handerful]

I must admit I wasn't aware of how bad it was until I heard it on the local news!


Terrible.

[Scrappy69]

Have been following in the what news there has been about it. So sad for everyone who is affected by this. My prayers are going out to them.

[killarney_rose]

The real aftermath in any flooding situation is dealing with FEMA. Flood Insurance or no flood insurance. They move at an unbelievably slow pace. It took my Mom eight months before her house was done. I've heard they have made their way to Nashville. I helped my Mom go through it after Hurricane Ike. Her house was first found to have 55% damaged which meant she would have to raise or raze it. For whatever reason three FEMA representatives came through her neighborhood. She demanded they come in her house when they showed her their credentials. She said does this look like 55% damage? The obvious supervisor said, "No." Mom said, "Then fix it on my file." It took her four months just to get her money to start work and another four months to finish because contractors were so swamped.

The storm affected my flood insurance in Angleton. Wells Fargo who carries our note made us raise our flood insurance value $140,000 dollars. I could replace my whole home for that amount if we did the contracting and have some left over. I couldn't sell my house for $250,000 which is what I have to carry. I do not have to carry that amount on my wind storm or fire.

I really feel for what these individuals have to go through!

[scrapadikt1]

FEMA has been here since Sunday I do believe. I know that it takes alot of time and that is part of the reason I am so behind all the other organizations that are doing donations. The community support has been unbelivable. Soldiers from Ft. Campbell came down today to help people.
Here is a link to a local radio station, the company that owns them, Clear Channel, has all their stations accepting donations. You can see pics here and also donate if you wish.



http://www.1075theriver.com/pages/2010flood.html



I do think the president should come and visit... not that it makes anyone really feel any better. There have been 6 counties declared disaster areas. The estimated damage is now at $1.5 billion. This number will climb as all areas have not yet been checked.



Newsweek has an excellent story on the reason that national coverage was not done sooner. It can be found here, http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggl ... flood.aspx



Also I want to see that I feel part of the reason that coverage took so long is due to there not being anything negative to report. There has not been massive amounts of looting as there was in New Orleans. Yesterday there were fewer than 20 confirmed cases of looting. Rather than turn on each other Nashvillians and Tennesseans have leaned on each other and given a helping hand when ever possible. Southern Hospitality at its best.



Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

[grifscap]

I have noticed there has not been much on the news about the flood.
My prayers are with you all.

[RitaS]

Praying for everyone who lives in /near Nashville and has family and friends there. It has made local news coverage here. Surely the President will go there and visit...he better...it's a presedential obligation IMO.

[JeanG]

I'm in shock about it, too. I haven't heard them declare it a disaster area or send in help. I had called my sis Monday to ask about her soon-to-be-DIL, who is moving there for a job and she had NO idea what I was talking about. I explained it all to her - the future Mrs. is about 30 minutes out from downtown and called after my sis told her; the place she will be working is far enough away to not be involved. Can't figure put why this hasn't been on the news a whole lot more!!

[MargieM]

I'm not sure about in other areas but I've seen coverage about what is going on in TN. I was also thinking that maybe one of the reasons it feels like national news outlets aren't covering it so much is because there have been so many disasters like this in recent weeks. I know in our area we are still seeing coverage about the flooding here in Massachusetts and Rhode Island b/c it was so devastating for so many. And then this past week there was a lot of coverage about the bombing attempt in Times Square that is/might be terrorist related...sometimes it's just what other news is out there.

It shouldn't minimize what is going on in TN but unfortunately the media is out to sell paper and commercial air time.

Also, I do believe that the President did declare parts of TN a disaster area early in the week (the 3rd or 4th)...at least I thought I heard or read that somewhere.

My thoughts and prayers to folks in TN as well as other parts of the country and world who's lives have been drastically effected by natural disasters.

[scrapsakes]

will be thinking of you guys... stay safe!