Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire People helping Joplin

All major streets thru the destroyed areas are opened up and flowing traffic. Huge piles of rubble line most of them. Hand made signs mark some street corners because all ,, all land marks are gone. Thru out the area are crews of chain saw volunteers whittling their way thru the mess. Other crews man food tents and provide water. Still others have collected clothing and supplies and offer it from church parking lots and street corners. Free tetanus shots, free chain saw sharpening, free counselling, free baby sitting, just about anything imaginable is offered to all, no questions asked. Far as I know there aren't many problems with free loaders. National Guard troops are sprinkled thru out town at many intersections. The sight of a fit, stout young man with a smile on his face and a pistol on his thigh fills me with a sense of well being. LEO's from many jurisdictions remain in town directing traffic, patrolling the damaged area roughly 6 miles long and 1/2 to 3/4 mile wide. Joplin is struggling to her feet, but only by the grace of fellow Americans of every decription pitching in to help without being asked, but because they want to. Good for America! Good for you!

My niece who is a Director for Chic-fil-a new store openings is down that way with her husband's Young Life team handing out food and supplies. If I did not have a full time job I'd be right there with her. She got trapped in OKC during a new store opening. She then called on her company to assist and they did.

God Bless all to include those volunteering help and assistance.

Just wondering where the outrage in the press is now,like there was for New Orleans during Katrina?????Some one care to splain the different attitude being shown here to people who are in dire need?????

My daughter works at the Ford Dealership in Pittsburg, KS. I just caught an ad on TV saying that if you dropped any relief items off at their showroom, they will see that it gets to Joplin.

Mrs Cheesy was handing out bottled water on the second day.

Those folks seem to be getting most of the help from other people. Not from FEMA and the Loser in Chief!

For those who have not seen Joplin....our own Air Force could not have destroyed a town worse than the giant tornado did.

Remember not only did people loose everything they owned they lost loved ones and also the means to make a living.

we help our own in this part of the country.

These folks in dire need don't expect someone else to take care of them. They've grit their collective teeth, mourned their dead and got to work helping themselves and anyone in sight they thought they coould help. Like minded Americans flocked to help any way they could. No body waited on a Federal or State official.

Yup I know that.I live in a Rural area.What I was trying to point out was the difference between people who help their neighbors instead of waiting with their hand out.No free housing,vouchers for hotels and food ,relocating to other States or Fema trailers sitting rotting in a field.But now Bush is not in office to point a finger at,but I am sure Obama will anyway!!!!

Send Them Stuff! Our church was sending a trailor. Small but something. I asked what was needed most and ended up sending bottled water, a good sized plastic tub with a lid so folks can carry things, razors, shaving cream, deodrants for man and woman, diapers, toothbrushes, tooth paste and underwear. Stuff to make someone feel human again was how I think it was put to me.

FEMA had a row of hospital tents set up in the St John's Hospital parking lot by the second day. Complete service minus surgery.

Huntz,
Much as I'm inclined to draw cultural conclusions here I don't think I can. My people in the area have been covered up with help and offers of help from every sort of person and from all across this nation. Massive and complete destruction here but surrounded on all sides by untouched resources which started to help minutes after the dust settled.
What I see different from Katrina is that City and County people were on the job before during and after the tornado and haven't let up since. They didn't wait for the Fed, or point fingers.
I don't know. Maybe it is cultural. But Nobody I've heard yet thinks there is any political issue with the response so far. nobody has had time to think of that except the politicians. Everyone else is working.

Am I disremembering that leadership announced that NO was okay soon after Katrina? Joplin and future disasters covered by FEMA have improved due to those mistakes.

This I know. The US Gov spends millions of dollars each year for rent on miles of limestone caves in the KC, MO area. The center of the nation. The conditions are about perfect for long term storage. We should fill those caves with semi trailers loaded with supplies for disasters. One phone call should have tractors coming from all directions to hook up and haul all kinds of support in any direction. Tents, complete with generators, small fridges, and micros. Boats and motors, 4-wheelers, chainsaws, lights, food, ect.