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quote:
Originally posted by Obie
This was a disaster of our own making. Hopefully we can learn that having huge weak trees growing next to fragile infrastructure is a bad idea.
Down in Kapoho the storm surge destroyed homes that don't meet the current code and spared those that do.
I am going to buy flood insurance myself. 17 feet above sea level and 1000 feet from the ocean !!
Obie, since your house and our house is in Fema flood zone X - the flood insurance cost isnt too bad. We had it but we didnt have hurricane insurance - we have putting the premium for hurricane insurance in the savings acct instead. I figure if we go another 2 years with no roof damage from a hurricane, we have paid for it ourselves.
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quote:
Originally posted by KathyH
Still a shame. I wonder if FEMA looks mainly at infrastructure damage stats like bridges destroyed, highways, and structures with damage, loss of life (for severity, even though it can't be fixed), rating of storm.
They probably can't comprehend what it's like to have endless numbers of huge fallen trees in the way of everything. The trees are not a value loss, or a structure loss, but yet they must be dealt with.
I don't know what FEMA's criteria are, but I feel there must be a culture gap in play somewhere in the denial.
Kathy
Bobbie Jean told me that FEMA wanted the GPS location of each tree that fell. She was pretty disgusted with the bureaucracy. I jokingly said to her to give them the GPS at top and GPS at bottom and say approx 8 miles of trees.
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quote:
Originally posted by Kapohocat
quote:
Originally posted by Obie
This was a disaster of our own making. Hopefully we can learn that having huge weak trees growing next to fragile infrastructure is a bad idea.
Down in Kapoho the storm surge destroyed homes that don't meet the current code and spared those that do.
I am going to buy flood insurance myself. 17 feet above sea level and 1000 feet from the ocean !!
Obie, since your house and our house is in Fema flood zone X - the flood insurance cost isnt too bad. We had it but we didnt have hurricane insurance - we have putting the premium for hurricane insurance in the savings acct instead. I figure if we go another 2 years with no roof damage from a hurricane, we have paid for it ourselves.
Do you think we can trade in our flood insurance for Lava ???
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The Mayor speaks: (Link is not working. Apologies, Thus, JMO, and he said it.)
Hawai’i County Mayor Billy Kenoi issued the following statement in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of the state’s request for individual assistance:
“We are very disappointed in FEMA’s decision to deny the state’s request for individual assistance for the victims of Tropical Storm Iselle. Our residents and families suffered destroyed homes, property losses and many other impacts from this historic storm. For many people, their lives have still not returned to normal, and the federal government must help our communities. We strongly urge Governor Abercrombie to appeal the FEMA decision directly to President Obama. We hope the president will recognize that the residents of Puna need his help, and deserve all the support and assistance that we can give them.”
Well, now we go into "appeal" mode. (SMH).
Again, we take care of our own.
Every day of the week, twice on Sunday (as it goes).
When the going gets tough, well, you know the rest...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIxUKbV0UEM
JMO.
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what it's like to have endless numbers of huge fallen trees in the way of everything
Huge fallen trees blocking the only road has the same effect as a collapsed bridge.
We strongly urge Governor Abercrombie to appeal the FEMA decision
I would settle for "figure out how to not pay that part of my Federal taxes".
Well I must be confused about what FEMA is for and how it works, can anyone explain?. We did not apply even though we had some pretty good fence damage from fallen trees. I thought that FEMA gave out loans and well we don't want to get ourselves in anymore debt. Been helping lots of folks with green waste removal and a few tarps in place of what use to be their tin roof. These folks were hoping for some help from FEMA, does this denial mean they won't get that help?.
Maybe a place like Puna is to poor to loan out money(bad investment)?. If this kind of damage happened in Maui maybe FEMA would help more, or do I see it wrong?.
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Not sure if would have made a difference if the system was a hurricane instead of a tropical storm for FEMA. I notice some folks mistakenly say it made landfall as a hurricane. I talked to one homeowner who said they're glad it was a Tropical Storm and not a Hurricane as the deductible for insurance would have been higher had it been a hurricane.
From the Robert Ballard, NWS/CPHC, upon me asking: 'As of now, we are calling Iselle a tropical storm at landfall. Over the next few months we will be doing a post-analysis of the storm based on any new data that we have. Once that analysis is complete and the report is finalized, we may (or may not) change the designation of Iselle at landfall.'
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Certainly seems like a bad decision.
However, my dear wife is a Katrina survivor -- in NOLA before, during, and after that storm. From the experience, her opinion of FEMA's "help" is about as negative as an opinion can get.
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After going through Sandy I feel the same way.
