My post has little to do with firearms, but I just thought that I would communicate a few words about how my family and I were affected by hurricane Katrina. Although I logged-in on 11-11-05 using my brother's computer in Jackson, MS, this is the first opportunity that I have had to use my computer since the big blow. After 3 months, fast access cable and DSL internet connections are still not available so I am using a dial-up connection (snore). I would have done this sooner, but my phone service was not restored until last week. Cable TV service was restored three weeks ago but not the internet service.

The eye of the storm passed directly over my town, Slidell, LA in St. Tammany parish (county), which is next to Orleans parish. The parish line is directly in the middle of Lake Pontchartrain. By now, most people have a good idea of the destruction caused by Katrina, but until you put your boots on the ground, it is almost impossible to grasp the magnatude of the destruction. New Orleans gets all of the media attention, but the Mississippi Gulf Coast is no more. It is sad to witness.

I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. I only got about 2 feet of salt water in the garage and one foot in my home. Since it is 18 feet above sea level, it is zoned level "C" and flood insurance is not required. In view of this, I did not feel that flood insurance was necessary and did not have any. After all, who am I to dispute the the Corps of Engineers. However, in their defense, the flood zone system is directed at flooding as a result of fresh water rising from the spring thaw up north and the spring rains. For that purpose, 18 feet above sea level is sufficient elevation.

The 20 foot storm surge preceded the sustained winds of 145 mph and 175 mph gusts. After the surge, the eye passed over, the winds reversed direction then dumped the brackish salt waters of Lake Ponchartrain onto Slidell.

We lost a lot of "stuff", but not a single firearm. When we evacuated to Jackson, MS two days before landfall, I loaded all 34 rifles, shotguns and handguns into the SUV.

Ammunition was another story. In the garage I had 2 cases of 12 gage (600 rounds), 1 case of 16 gage (300 rounds), 1 1/2 cases of 20 gage, (450 rounds), 1000 rounds of 7.62 X 39, 900 rounds of 55grain 5.56x45/.223, 500 rounds of SS109, plus hundreds and hundreds of rounds of .357, 38, 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, 44 Mag, 45-70, 38-55, .375 Win, 30-06, .270, .243, etc, etc, etc. Everything happened so fast. I should have done a better job of protecting the ammo.

What didn't happen very fast was the trip to Jackson. It is usually a 3 hour drive, but on 27 AUG 05, it took 13 very frustrating hours.

Things are improving. The house was gutted, cleaned, mildew proofed, sanitized (it really smelled badly) and dried. Then replaced with all new insulation, sheet rock, carpet, flooring and moldings. Got a new roof, new fence, new furniture, and new appliances. Insurance only paid for the roof and the fence (ouch).

FEMA has been getting slammed by everyone, but a lot of it is unjustified. Contributions from FEMA have been a tremendous aid in getting our lives back together again.

We are moving to higher ground. My wife and I are natives of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and are moving back to our home state, but about 20 miles north of the coast.

The road to recovery is going to be very difficult for hundreds of thousand Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama residents. My wife and I have been blessed. We had a livable home to return to.

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE RED CROSS, THE KATRINA RELIEF FUND, THE KIND WISHES AND MOST OF ALL, YOUR PRAYERS.

Nitro:

Good to see you're alive and kicking. People here have been great...have collected a few extra reloading items with thoughts of having to get you started off again. They basically contributed enough gear to get me started again.

Wife and i beat-feet just a day before the storm hit. Lived in the neighborhood (lakeview) about 1/2 block from where the levy let go. House and everything in it was more than totaled. Once the fast moving flood stoped moving, started with 15feet of standing water that slowly receeded as it was pumped out over the next 30-35 days. Water was moving mighty fast, it actually ae under the slab foundation...can crawl from one end of the foundation to the other if you'd the mind to; hit by an oak and one corner crumpled, the off side from teh flood is blown out and bowed out from teh speeding water.. More than an insurace totaled...I've never put the doors back up or closed the blown out windows (the National guard kicked the doors in looking for trapped people) and it's been open to the world, but no one has bothred to loot/take a single thing....'casue there ain't nothing worth picking up.

Doubt i'll reloacte too far..wife has a job and only a few years to make her 30 and retire, so will stay within striking distance.

Have some friends in Slidel who are rebuilding...water to the doorknobs (neighborhood is French Branch) but all his trees missed the house.

Keep in touch...let us know how you are doing.

Glad to see you back online and healthy, Nitro - we've been worried about you ever since the big blow.

Keep your spirits up and face to the sun. Things have a way of working out. Sorry to hear of all the property loss and the ammo. These can be replaced with time - lives can't. If you have needs, be sure to let us know. Sent Ribbonstone a small starter package for reloading, but imagine a 2nd gleaning of the gunroom will surface more artifacts if you can use them.

Glad to hear all the guns and people made it out in good shape. It always amazes me of the relatively good stories that come out of these things that the media hardly ever reports (i.e., your FEMA experience). Easier to report the bad stuff I guess.

Thanks for the report Nitro. It is good to hear how well you and ribbonstone have handled this trying experience. I am particularly pleased to hear that not everyone is so quick to jump on the bandwagon of blaming FEMA for all their misery and misfortune.

All the best.

Thanks for checking in. We've been taking donations for people who lost all of their reloading gear, so if you are aware of any other shooters who could use a hand, pipe up.

Glad to hear you made it!

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR CONCERN. I didn't loose any reloading equipment, and the only components that got wet were about 10 boxes of Beartooth cast bullets and few hundred brass cases. I gave them all a bath in fresh water and they are ready to be loaded. Dies, powder and primers were in containers on shelves and were not affected by the flood waters. I can't think of anything that I need right now, but thanks for the offers.


Ribbonstone,
Sorry to hear of your loss in Lakeview. I hope you didn't loose very many firearms. If you did, I can loan you anything you need. I don't live very far from you. The rifle & pistol range in the Honey Island Swamp has reopened. Lets go burn some powder. The range is open at noon on Friday and from 0800 to 1600 hours on Saturday & Sunday.

Iowaloha Nitro,
I am a pretty new. Glad to hear that most of your stuff is in order and that you are ready to shoot. I worked with a 30-06 yesturday and lost "feel" in my trigger finger after a half hour at 9 degrees. Was -17 this morning. Near 5 above this afternoon.
I wish you and Ribbonstone much fun in your shoot.
Cheezywan

One of life's Mulligans...it's a great big do-over...this time won't make the nearly as many mistakes as the last time.

Besides the ones in our bug-out-kit, salvaged very few handguns and only two rifles. None of them very pretty. I will not catalogue the stuff that was ruined beyound any hope..all the rest are "disposed" of. Some bits are in a parts box, some are deep in the blue water in the Gulf, and some are 6 feet deep in the ground.

Would like to get together and shoot a bit...are some guns still here and a rifle itching to be shot for serious load development. Let me know when you could stand the company.

Glad to hear you are ok and weatherd that terrible ordeal relatively unharmed. It is easy for me to sit up here in NJ, unscathed, and say this, but posessions can be replaced. I am so glad that no one in your family was injured.
I have a friend who is high on the UPS administrative chain who has been sent to Gulfport, Miss. several times to get them up and a runnin. He describes the damage as undescribable.

My community has "adopted" the town of Covington,LA; and the entire community has been sending truck loads of things to the town. We just sent some complete sets of firefighter's gear that we were not using to them, and our PD organized a toy drive for Covington's children, so they would not "miss" the X-mas spirit.
I wish you a speedy "recovery", and pray for your well-being. That goes for you too Ribbon!


God bless,
Chris~

Living in Colorado I will probably never realize the devastation and suffering you went through in Louisiana, before, during and after Katrina. We all saw the pictures and heard the stories of the people that had to put up with no law enforcement assistance in their times of desparate need. It would appear that more than a few took the law into their own hands indefence of their families and property. It is a terrible thing when a tragedy like this shows the rest of the world just what some Americans are like. It's one thing to see fathers taking food, drinking water and diapers from a flooded WalMart then to see someone with a raft full of electonics.

nirto, ribbonstone, I'm glad you made it through in one piece and that you can get back on your feet quickly.

NITRO,
good to hear from you and that you and your wife are safe. Hopefully things will get back to reasonably normal for you soon. Let us know if you need anything that we might be able to help with.

If either if you or Ribbonstone know of anyone who needs those .357 dies to replace ones they lost, shoot me an email?