Joplin Missouri Hammered Hard by tornadoes!

reply to post by Xcathdra


watch it if you don't agree with Clouds he'll accuse you of either not living in Joplin Or he'll accuse you of working with the feds or some other BS...

Oh wait I see he already did that to you as well.

Clouds did you ever stop and think that just maybe we are going into different areas of town than you are and seeing completely different things than you are.

And NO DMORT DID NOT TAKE OVER THE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS. They are in a support role bringing in more personal and equipment to handle the flood of bodies after the tornado.


And yes Clouds I know a family that had to deal with the Identification process of a loved one. Michael Tyndall was a friend of mine that died in the tornado and his body was just identified a couple days ago.

I'm not saying your making stuff up but may i suggest that you take a few breathes and really think about what other people tell you and consider that they are just upset at the process because they aren't understanding it. Because I do admit that I think a lot of the stuff going on should be explained clearer to the public, and to the grieving loved ones a hell of a lot better.

reply to post by Mercenary2012


Mercenary, didn't take you long to get" pithy" now did it? What's with all the nasty comments? So your word is credible but Clouds
isn't? Not calling you a liar but I happen to know Clouds and I have for some time now. He isn't lying.

Do you think the situation Clouds described was handled well? Surely, even you can see the complete Cluster F**K this has been. The time
for making excuses is over. How long do the feds. get a free pass. There needs to be some serious accountability with this.

Please do not tell me I don't live there so "butt out". This is something that should concern the entire country, if not the world.

reply to post by paxnatus


Guess you didn't see where i said the process should have been made clearer to the public and to the grieving familes as well.

I don't agree with a lot of whats happening and when Clouds reads his U2U from me he'll see that. But alot of the information people have given me i choose not to post it out of respect for the families because it is just to gruesome and no one needs to hear those details. its bad enough that family members had to see it, experience it.

And as for making rude comments about Clouds he's made his fair share of assumptions about me that frankly aren't true.

So instead of rushing to his defense why don't you actually read what i posted because its his defense that if we don't agree with what he says we are either working for the feds, have multiple accounts, or we are just flat out liars. which isn't the case. it is very possible that we are going into different areas than he is and at different times and seeing a lot of different things than he is.

And As i told Clouds in the U2U i sent him I've been trying to confirm the information i get with atleast 2 independent sources before posting it. Right now I'm working on confirming information i got monday from a family member that works at Freeman hospital. and if i can confirm it then the City and State have a lot of questions to answer concerning the Official number confirmed dead in the tornado.

So i will suggest to you as i did clouds that maybe you should take a couple of breathes and Consider that those of us that have different information than Clouds might be seeing things he is not, and we are not posting alot of what we see either out of respect for the families or until we have processed what we have seen first hand or heard from different people.

And Clouds shouldn't be making assumptions about people and then talking about them behind their backs. If he has questions about people he should be man enough to ask those questions man to man. Sorry but that speaks volumes about his character right now. I know he is going through a lot but so is everyone else that lives in Joplin

reply to post by Mercenary2012


Mercenary, while I do not agree with your post, I do respect it. Perhaps you are both going to different locations,
Clouds has posted information that he is receiving first hand not hearsay

Anyone with half a brain knows that an F-5 tornado with winds in excess of 200mph is going to kill more than approx. 142 people. I am sure the official body count is closer to 500! Why not come clean to the public at least in your own damn State.

I am not a fool, of course I understand that they are not recovering intact bodies. But at least let people know that they are not sure what the body count will be, but expect it to be higher. Why the secrecy?

Sorry, for what you are going through and your loss. Try and take care of yourself, it is important.

Clouds, is a man of great character and integrity. I know him well and have tested that character a time or two.
He has surpassed the test. Please be mindful that both of you are angry at the situation and comments can be displaced.

Thank you,
Pax

reply to post by Mercenary2012




The information I have provided here on ATS has been first hand………and there is no misunderstanding of the information being provided.

As I have stated before I don’t hide behind my avatar……….

I have extended another opportunity to meet to resolve opinions to rebuild Joplin in a U2U……..Let me know……

I have a few questions about the warehouses of supplies being sent and on standby for the survivors of Joplin:

Are there several clear cut locations where individuals can go to get access to those items? From what I understand, the recipients only have to answer a few questions to receive aid.

Is it possible that people who were not directly in the storms path thus not having lost their homes also able to apply for help?

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of how these supplies are being distributed?

Also with all of the cash flow being sent into help people, is there any funding available to survivors? If so what is the amount they are able to receive?

Have the people who lost jobs able to get immediate funding to support themselves and or families?

What about housing, has there been a significant rise in real estate sales in areas that were saved from the tornado?

Are there homes, apartments, motels or condos available?

Have you seen price gouging of rentals?

What about the orphans? How is the State handling this?

Any updates on lost and found displaced abandoned pets? Stories of horses and livestock?

Where have the elderly been sent that lost their convalescence homes?

What is the "real" general mood of the locals now 10 days later?

Are peoples needs being met? Is there rampant survivor guilt?

So many questions, but this is a good start if anyone can help me catch up to date on the real story behind Joplin and not the hyperbole and rhetoric the now deflating media frenzy has to tell. Not that they have not done a great job bringing awareness and funding into the area which may not have happened had they not chosen to go viral.

Thanks

Originally posted by antar
I have a few questions about the warehouses of supplies being sent and on standby for the survivors of Joplin:

Are there several clear cut locations where individuals can go to get access to those items? From what I understand, the recipients only have to answer a few questions to receive aid.

A lot of the basic supplies (food, water, medical) can be found in some of the destroyed areas, and in many areas ringing the affected areas Just about every other corner you can find free water / supplies. So much supplies have made it into the area that they have started asking people to stop sending donations for right now.

Is it possible that people who were not directly in the storms path thus not having lost their homes also able to apply for help?

Depending on what aid they are requesting but yes, they can.

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of how these supplies are being distributed?

Yes - they are being distributed.

Also with all of the cash flow being sent into help people, is there any funding available to survivors? If so what is the amount they are able to receive?

Yes - SEMA / FEMA are on the ground, and FEMA just got their ops center opened up to assist people affected (even those who did not have their items destroyed. The MO department of labor has opened up unemployment benefiets to people who have had their jobs affected (destroyed or not opened).

In addition to Government services, non governments services are present and available to those affected as well. Churches, businesses, good samaritans etc are all present as well.

Anyone whose job has been affected need to apply to the MO Department of Labor by June 16th.
MO Department of Labor
Disaster Unemployment Assistance - MO Department of Labor
Gov. Nixon allocates $25 million for immediate Joplin needs

Have the people who lost jobs able to get immediate funding to support themselves and or families?

See above answer. In addition a lot of other agencies are assisting (churches, Habitat for Humanity, etc) both groups, affected and impacted but not destroyed.

What about housing, has there been a significant rise in real estate sales in areas that were saved from the tornado?

No real rise in anything except the Hotels are seeing an increase in stays for obvious reasons. Prices have been closely monitored and as of yet, no known issues of price gouging. If anything, we have seen an overall stablization or reductrion in prices compared to before the disaster in an effort to assist people.

A lot of people have been using the local radio stations (who have devoted their programming 24/7 to the people of joplin to use to find people, get messages to people, call in requests for needed items and to let people know they have them and how to get in contact with them). This includes people calling in with their family size and other people calling in to let those people know they have available room, almost all of the offers are free rent etc. People who have rental houses have also assisted by offering those locations to people at no charge / extremely reduced rent and in some cases just utilities or free all together.

Businesses have been brining in needed supplies to assist people in temporarily patching holes etc in their homes (ones that survived) so they can stay in there places. As of a few days ago, all remaining areas that are still able to support houses and are fre of fire / gas hazards have had their power restored.

Businesses have brought in increased supplies of Generators and tarps, and in many cases these are going to affected areas free use / free of charge.

Are there homes, apartments, motels or condos available?

Yes - see above

Have you seen price gouging of rentals?

Nope, and government agencies as well as the citizens of Joplinhave been monitoring this very closely. As I stated above, in a lot of cases prices are actually cheaper now, than before the tornado in an effort to assist people. Businesses still need to make money in order to expand in order to hire people who just lost their jobs. Not everything is free.

What about the orphans? How is the State handling this?

As with anything child related, the Division of Family Services have been assisting in this area. Per State law and their policy, children will go to family members first and foremost. In addition to placement, food / medical needs are also being addressed -

MO Divion of Family Services

Any updates on lost and found displaced abandoned pets? Stories of horses and livestock?

Many of the local animal businesses (food / supply / shelters) as well as non animal businesses have stepped up to assist with displaced animals. Human medical services (as seen in one of my posted pictures) have been assisting with injured animals as well (humans come first obviously, and medical treatement extended to basic wound treatment).

Where have the elderly been sent that lost their convalescence homes?

To stay with family members, to other homes, or to other facilities (homes / hospitals / etc) in the surrounding 4 state region.

What is the "real" general mood of the locals now 10 days later?

Determination - while the mood is subdued, the community has pulled together and has vowed to recover bigger and better than before. A lot of damaged businesses have gotten assistance from other businesses to repair damage and to open / re-hire / recall / new hire as quickly as possible.

The response to the government actions (all levels have been overall positive. The one issue making news is body identification, and the news is only running the pissed off people and leaving out key information the government is required to abide by (HIPPA for starters). The MO Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol) has taken lead now by order of the Govenor for body identification as well as notification of family members. The Feds have also sent in forensic assistance teams to assist in identifying people.

What people, and the news, does not reealize is not all remains are intact (IE dental or DNA testing is the ONLY way to identify remains). Outside of this area, the overall mood towards the recovery / assistance process is positive (and with any issue of this type, it wont all run perfectly).

Are peoples needs being met? Is there rampant survivor guilt?

The peoples needs are being met. A lot of the larger employers have already taken steps to reassure the people they will rebuild (Walmart and Homedepot). The Hospital (St. Johns Regional) is not only rebuilding, but will be relocating to a newer, larger site (still within the City of Joplin, just a different area) and the amount of investment will be significant (think triple digit millions)- I wont repeat the exact amount because its not public information yet). They are looking at building a state of the art facility among other additions for the Joplin area / region.

So many questions, but this is a good start if anyone can help me catch up to date on the real story behind Joplin and not the hyperbole and rhetoric the now deflating media frenzy has to tell. Not that they have not done a great job bringing awareness and funding into the area which may not have happened had they not chosen to go viral.

Thanks

The news media cannot adequately relay the level of destruction, regardless of how many pictures / videos they show. This is one of those have to see it first hand to fully grasp the level of destruction. Aside from that, the media was cherrypicking stories for ratings (luke the morgue issues). Personally speaking, I beleive one of the reasons for this was because of the city of Joplin.

Instead of allowing media free reign to roam around the city, the city opted instead to protect the people they serve. They had tight reigns on media in terms of where media was allowed to go, at what time etc. They were free to talk to whomever they wished, but emergency assistance / recovery efforts took priority.

To that end they were pretty much funneled into the area by the Hospital (which is why it was in a lot of their backdrops). This was near where the massive damage started, but in an area that was able to hold them all without interfering with services, while allowing them access to the damaged areas as well as people.

It was not a news blackout / government supression of damage / body count / etc. It was done because the people in the area were put first, and the news story put last.

** Additional Information**

Basspro has teamed with a lot of businesses in Springfield as well as some famous people who were from the region and are having a huge "partry" and all proceeds will be going to Joplin. OCC (Ozark Christian College) is allowing the Redcross to use their multi purpose center as their command center (NOT A DROP OFF POINT FOR DONATIONS / ETC). OCC is also opening up their dorms for displaced / people who need temporary housing.

OCC is also providing office space for a group that deals specifically with hearing impared.

Home Depot is opening up temporary lumber yard (in the prking lot of the destroyed location) and will be opening up a temporary store nearby to assist with rebuilding efforts.


Springfield NewsLeader
MO Highway patrol has also announced that ALL peoples reported missing have been located.

Death toll stands at 134.

Hope this info helps. Mind you, this is from my experience and sources. I am sure some of the others who are in Joplin might hvae a differing view or additional information.

reply to post by Xcathdra


I can add one or two things.

**I have heard from several people that FEMA is writing checks up to $30,000 on the spot with little to know paperwork required. It is just an initial payment to get the rebuilding process started, and the folks receiving money will have to later justify it and adjust the amount up or down, but so far FEMA has made it very simple to get some initial relief.

**From what I hear from my brother, and an aunt of mine, and a cousin of mine, the survivor guilt is rampant. Once people start going into that affected area, it becomes almost an obsession. After seeing all of that damage, when they go back home they can't help but feel like they should be doing more. My brother has been calling me daily, and he has been dealing with it from the start, but I was surprised to find out my aunt and a couple of others are also feeling the same way.

On that note, my ATS time was extremely helpful in counseling my brother. I shared what I have learned from the survival forum here, and he was happy to learn that everything he was feeling was normal after a disaster, and he didn't need to worry about himself.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Your post has made my nose sting and my heart wrench. So much power in those few words, the sense 'between' the lines if you follow what I am saying.

There is no way for me or the thousands of other readers to thank you for your diligence, dedication and time you have spent since the moments after the great storm. Your brother has become part of our lives, he has been in more prayers and positive thoughts since the very beginning and will continue to be.

Sometimes a simple thank you is just not expressive enough.

reply to post by Xcathdra


Thankyou so much for that forensic report, lol. It is understood more so than you think about the why's on the numbers and some of the more personal statistics. Yes the media has one way of trying to invade people privacy, but trust me the ordinary people worldwide who have been following this story understood and were more concerned with the search and rescue in the beginning and then discovering ways that they could help after that.

I personally and emotionally thought that the actual numbers would have been in the thousands, so to find out that it was hundreds was like a miracle.

As far as the remains of the victims, even the news has stated "Sets" of remains, so that in and of itself says it all, no more info needed.

One more question for you if you can answer:

In the aftermath of these terrible storms, many of the smaller surrounding areas were greatly damaged but fell outside the limits of the declared disaster zones. What steps are being taken now to send the overflow of goods and supplies to those communities to the west of Joplin?

Some of my postings here on ATS reveal some concerns with D’MORT and the volunteer deployment during the first week after the devastation that “I witnessed” here in Joplin.

Although I have some serious concerns that I will continue to investigate and discuss at a later time………..I do want to share the greatest humanity support I have ever seen.

The outreach of support from communities and organizations across the US is indescribable. A semi pulled into town on Monday morning and all of the warehouses accepting donations were full. It took the better part of the day before finally finding a church that had a little space left.

As a company we have decided to help provide aide to a couple families who have lost everything that were not insured. My wife took one of them “shopping” at a couple of the donations sites last Saturday.

Our daughter’s school, College Heights Christian School/Church, had the most organized donation site I have ever seen.

Two volunteers were assigned to the victim and walked her through the warehouse loading her up with everything imaginable. Everything was brand new………I hear of other sites being similar……..

I see and hear stories after stories of communities reaching out to help Joplin.

It brings great hope as the rebuilding process begins.

I was part of a meeting on Tuesday concerning a group of displaced seniors as we explored their future living arrangements.

The ugly word of “FEMA Trailers” was floating around the room.

I am from Louisiana and was living there during Katrina. So I witnessed the trailer issue firsthand.

I know Tuscaloosa is banning these trailers thus far. The reports I have read claim that these are the same trailers from the Katrina fiasco.

I have a 10:00am phone conference today concerning senior housing……….Joplin does not want the Katrina trailers!! I am not sure what the truth is behind the Tuscaloosa ban………but Joplin residents deserve better………..

reply to post by Cloudsinthesky

I am from Louisiana and was living there during Katrina. So I witnessed the trailer issue firsthand.

I know Tuscaloosa is banning these trailers thus far. The reports I have read these are the same trailers from the Katrina fiasco.

I have a 10:00am phone conference today concerning senior housing……….Joplin does not want the Katrina trailers!! I am not sure what the truth is behind the Tuscaloosa ban………but Joplin residents deserve better………..

My main complaint with the trailers is a psychological one. Those people already have some degree of PTSD. Tornado season is not yet over. Everyone knows tornadoes love to gobble up trailers. It just seems cruel and unusual to put those suffering people into trailers and then bombard them with more thunderstorms. That would surely cause more psychological damage.

On the other hand, I would love to see them stay in the community. One of my fears for Joplin is that so many people will move away and not come back. The town has never really shown much growth. It was built on mining, but the mining is gone. It is a decent little stop along I-44. There is some farming, and some manufacturing, but I can see something like this storm being the beginning of the end for that town. So, thinking along those lines, it worries me that people might have to be housed over in Springfield or Tulsa or Kansas City. I would much rather see them stay in Joplin somehow!

reply to post by getreadyalready

**I have heard from several people that FEMA is writing checks up to $30,000 on the spot

I have heard the same as well..............But I just learned about a denial. The young lady I have posted about here on ATS who's home (rental) was completely leveled as her car was........DENIED!!.........

This is the same young lady my wife took "shopping" last Saturday........

Now she has to apply through another agency and be turned down before she can re-apply with FEMA..........

Keep in mind she has two small children......and she lost everything including her shoes on her feet that day............

I just learned of this.........As soon as I talk directly to her I will provide the reasons by FEMA for the denial.......

Someone who desperately needs help is now caught in the federal bureaucracy of paper work........

From what I have witnessed in the past, the priorities who get rebuilt first and the main flux of the funding will be Pharmacies, schools, churches, medical facilities and stores who provide community services.

The monies when getting filtered down can and do seem unjust, but we all know that continuity of community and State are priority one after disasters.

Best to take a deep breath and exhale slowly as there will be so many stories of people who have been forced to leave the area due to lack of residential housing and job markets. In our very small community we have registered over 3,000 walking indigent so far.

They of course give up any claims they could have had by staying in Joplin but for one reason or other have simply chose to move on. If you are a home owner who rented out, you will be compensated but if you are a renter there is no time frame for when your home would be rebuilt if ever.

Also from our county we have begun to 'adopt' families from the Joplin areas and will see them through from their immediate needs to getting their feet firmly back on the ground.

The businesses can see the light of day but for the ordinary man it is going to be an uphill period of time. Dont let anyone tell them to "move on" or to "begin the healing process" until 'they' are ready.

Yes if you were already living in a 1/4 million dollar home, had insurance and were able to get any additional funding, then great, they are the ones who insurance began paying for wherever they landed until such time as they can get back in to rebuild.

For the working poor it is not so easy, they have lost everything and are not being bailed out by any of the comforts afforded the more privileged.

reply to post by Cloudsinthesky


UPDATE:

I for one did not know how the FEMA relief program worked as well as I am sure the thousands of people affected in Joplin as well as those in Tuscaloosa.

I talked to the young lady who was denied this afternoon. She contacted FEMA the day after that fatefully evening and registered in the data base. She was then contacted by a FEMA representative to meet at her property.

The gentleman inspected her property and vehicle with-in 24 hours. During his inspection he did not provide any information of what to expect, nor how long the process would take. He filled out paper work on her claim a basically told her that they would be in touch.

After receiving her denial letter today she rushed over to the FEMA location to get an understanding of the denial.

The first issue on the claim is that “she is claiming a date that is not approved for disaster relief”. The gentleman filling out her paper work in front of her rental home filled in the disaster claim date of April 19th, 2011.

The FEMA office asked why she gave that date. Her reply was “I didn’t, I was never asked that question”.

The second and most important issue to her claim is that she did not follow the proper course in filing a claim.

I would like to remind you that this is a young woman who did not have computer access, a car and was wearing the only set of clothes which were on her back the day she met with the FEMA Rep.

In order to apply for a FEMA disaster relief grant, an individual must apply for a loan with the SBA (Small Business Association) and have been turned down prior to filing for a FEMA grant.

To qualify for a SBA loan you must make $3000.00 per month and the loan will be at 4%.

This young lady spent the better part of the day resolving these issues so she could file a claim. She was immediately turned down by the SBA and was headed back to the FEMA office at 5:00pm to re-file her claim.

I am not going to speculate of “why” the FEMA representative filed in an incorrect date………

But I do ask why the communication process of what to do is not better communicated with those affected by the storm.
I am sure this is not the case all over town………But if it happened once it happened several times. ………

They are requesting more information on her vehicle which seems to be the norm………

I will follow up on her story once her claim is reviewed………

reply to post by Cloudsinthesky

But I do ask why the communication process of what to do is not better communicated with those affected by the storm.
I am sure this is not the case all over town………But if it happened once it happened several times. ………

The same reason they could only coordinate 800 rescuers at one time, and the same reason control was taken over by the Gov., and the same reason they were losing bodies, and losing identifying information, and not coordinating between entities.

Management of any large operation is difficult, but strong leaders, and sufficient training overcome those obstacles. FEMA and the other emergency responders train year around, and in essence they rarely have a real disaster to respond to. If any organization in the country should be amply prepared, it should be them!

Huge budget, all the time in the world to train, and almost zero oversight. This agency should be top notch, and instead it is bottom rung.

On the bright side, at least it was clerical issues, and hopefully she will be able to get it corrected and get the money she needs!

reply to post by Cloudsinthesky


She was denied... maybe we should seek out why she was denied before we make a headline story out of it.

reply to post by antar


Last time I checked, the County has been declared a disaster, which would include all the cities within that county, provided those cities alos requested it.

To my knowledge the only community that was affected in a major way was dusquene, which is east of Joplin and directly in the path of the tornado. The Galena MO (Stone County) area had a tornado touch down also and damage was done.

To my knowledge all of the supplies that are directed to Joplin, are available to people affected outside the area. The city itself is being used because of infrastructure and security ability (for those who still think "FEMA camps" are sinister, this is the reason). Newton county (just south of 32nd street) took some heavy damage in unincorperated areas as well, and as far as I know and have seen / heard those affected are not being treated any differently than those inside the city.

This is a community effort, and I have not seen anything in the realm of "these supplies / assistance are only for Joplin and no one else".

Here is an idea of the Joplin Metro statistical reporting area -
Joplin Metro Statistical reporting area

To those talking about FEMA trailers. They would NOT be using the actual trailers that were purchased for Katrina. The standards for making those trailers has been changed so they wont be toxic to those people who might be using them.

If I am not mistaken I think FEMA has also changed the manner in which shelter is allowed, IE getting assistance for temporarily living in local apartment / rental houses etc first.

reply to post by Cloudsinthesky


So typical! Always looking to deny first based on an error made by one of their employees! I know I will get flamed by many for this, but
I cannot help but say, how conveient!! No worries Clouds, I have great confidence her needs will be met.

I will be in touch tomorrow per our conversation.

Pax