Hurricane Ike: Day 7 on Bayou Dularge, LA

Today was the day the working people were able to come down the bayou and take care of business and help others take care of their business, too.

There were 10 of us taking care of my business today.  To Dan, Iad, Mark, Mike, Rach, HH, Ash, Marilyn, Warren, and Termite, I say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

And what was our business?

Well, saving what could be saved,

like the solid wood furniture,

and hauling the rest to the trash pile.

Those piles were growing by the minute today.

Have you seen enough?

And do you think these people have flood insurance?

Most of them do not, and the reason is the premium is too high for the average person’s income, PLUS the homeowner’s premium.

I’ll just use myself as an example but spare you the details.  For the paltry sum of $2000, the National Flood Insurance covered my home for $15,000 on the building and $5000 on the contents.

And homeowner’s on a $100,000 home is now about $6500 a year–IF you can find a company to write the policy for you.

Now do the math.  That’s $8,500 a year for insurance, which breaks down to about $700/month in premiums.  How does that grab you?  That’s a house note to some folks, is it not?  Knowing this might keep people like the one in Choup’s office from being so quick to criticize us for not having all the needed insurance.  And if our disasters in turn make YOUR premiums go up, then all the more reason for YOU to advocate for barrier island and marsh restoration for US.

EDUCATION:  Southeast Louisiana has not always been a flood zone.  As the barrier islands have eroded, and the saltwater has encroached further and further into our estuary system, killing the brackish and freshwater marshes, we are left DEFENSELESS against storm surge.

In spite of all this, we don’t sit around and wait for FEMA or anyone else, including the insurance companies to come in and bail us out.  We put on our rubber boots, roll up our sleeves, and get down to work.

That is the way of the bayou people.  Next time you go to a seafood restaurant, please do us a favor.  Ask the manager if the shrimp came from South Louisiana or China.  Chinese imports are just one more reason the bayou people are having a difficult time financially.

Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news. But while I have the privilege of showing you how beautiful, bountiful and unique the Louisiana wetlands are, I also have an obligation to make you aware of our plight.

Sure hope I don’t run any of you off.  Sometimes, things are just bummers.  We seem to have had more than our share lately.

Until next time, I am still your displaced

Bayou Woman