Minnesota to take in 5,000 Katrina refugees

[Joe]

Sometime in the coming week, planes will begin bringing victims of Hurricane Katrina to Minnesota, which is preparing to host as many as 5,000 evacuees for a year or longer.

The Camp Ripley military compound will serve as the primary receiving point because of its existing housing quarters and medical facilities. But Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who announced the relocation Saturday, hopes to move people into longer-term housing within 45 days of their arrival.

"We're scrambling here hard to get these plans in place,'' Pawlenty said.

Pawlenty's Department of Education is helping gather school supplies, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency is taking an inventory of available housing and the Department of Health is developing plans to screen and offer medical assistance to the victims.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency asked state officials to accept up to 5,000, although Pawlenty administration leaders say they are anticipating a smaller contingent, perhaps 3,000.

"They are us,'' Pawlenty said. "This is not just a natural disaster. This is a national tragedy and it deserves a national response and all of us should do our share.''

State leaders are reaching out to nonprofit groups and churches to round up winter boots and coats, toiletries, money for rent and other staples.
National Guard arrives

The governor also said he would sign an executive order waiving state residency requirements for welfare and medical programs.

Pawlenty offered no cost estimate for handling the evacuees, but said the state is "taking a leap of faith'' that the federal government will reimburse state and local governments.

Pawlenty asked three mayors — Roseau's Jeff Pelowski, Bloomington's Gene Winsted and St. Paul's Randy Kelly — to head up a task force that will identify communities able to host and assist the people displaced by the Gulf Coast storm.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said leaders need to be ready to offer sustained help.

"It is clear that everyone in Minneapolis and Minnesota today wants to do something, and that's a wonderful thing in a time of tragedy,'' he said. "But the real test of whether we're successful or not won't come tomorrow, it will be next week, next month, next year.''

Dan Lyon, his wife and two children have offered to open their four-bedroom Woodbury home to a family of four and their pet. So far, they've gotten no takers to the invitation posted on the Internet.

"This happened on our own soil. The people are so close. there's something you feel you can do. When it's halfway around the world, it's a little harder,'' Lyon said, adding, "We can't save the world but we can be the world to three or four people.''

The Lyons are coordinating their efforts with other Minnesota families offering space. A Web site — www.minnesotahelpers.com — is in the works.

Meanwhile, a State Emergency Operations Center hot line was activated Saturday to give Minnesotans a place to call for answers about Katrina and the disaster response.

The hot line will operate from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

People can call for advice about how to help hurricane victims, locate family and friends, and register for assistance if they're a hurricane victim.

The hot line numbers are (651) 297-1304 in the Twin Cities area and 1-800-657-3504 in the non-metro area. For the hearing impaired, the TTY number is 1-800-657-3822

Is anyone else's state doing similar things?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by George W Bush

Is anyone else's state doing similar things?

DC sent a fleet of buses in a convoy that included a number of DC police (for protection) and their own fuel tanker. They are heading down to New Orleans and will pick up a number of people (no idea how many) and put them up in the old Armory, which is right across the street for RFK.

[Schmidty]

MI is taking 10,000 (no kidding), so nah, nah, nah, nah.

This is good to see though. I think every state should be REQUIRED to house people.

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Looks like Arizona is taking some evacuees AND their pets. I'm sure these folks will welcome the dry heat.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...ahelps-ON.html

Arizona to house hurricane victims

Pat Kossan
The Arizona Republic

Sept. 3, 2005 03:45 PM Many Arizonans set aside their Labor Day weekend plans to help prepare for up to 2,500 men, women, children, some carrying dogs and cats, expected to begin arriving in Phoenix early Sunday by bus and by plane from the destroyed and desolate coasts of Mississippi and Louisiana.

Most will be coming from New Orleans and federal officials estimate the number of evacuees from 500 to 2,500, who would arrive over the next few weeks, said Jeanine L'Ecuyer, spokeswoman for Gov. Janet Napolitano. The governor cut short her vacation in New York and was flying back to the state today.

Arizona's government, school and aid agencies worked today to chart out a secure and organized arrival for the stricken families. Their goal is to provide the respect, privacy and comfort missing in their lives since Hurricane Katrina slammed into their homes and cities Monday, said Cam Hunter, state Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman.

"We have agreed our mission is sensitivity because these are individuals who have already been through a tremendous disaster and have faced so much lose already," Hunter said. "We know they are tired and hungry and many have medical needs. We cannot imagine what these people have been through."

The Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1826 W. McDowell Road, was being swept out and set up this afternoon to be the point of entry for the arriving families, with help from female inmates from Department of Corrections, Perryville State Prison. Many details were still being hammered out, from the number of extra showers needed and play spaces for children. Phoenix city officials were in neighborhoods surrounding the Coliseum today talking to residents and businesses about the new arrivals. The Grand Canyon Chapter of the Red Cross with help from the Salvation Army will be providing basic shelter and care.

Here is what is planned:


• The city will bus those arriving from the airport and each person will be issued identification cards, receive food, clothing, showers, a cot and medical attention, including psychological help and daily medications they may need.


• Families are expected to remain at the Coliseum until state agencies can find more permanent shelter and, even, homes for those who decided to stay and start over in Arizona. Arizona State University and Tucson offered to help take in families. Arizona's Department of Economic Security will also be on hand signing up people for food stamps and other needs. The estimated length of stay at the Coliseum ranges from weeks to months. The Grand Canyon Chapter of Red Cross is planning for the long haul, expecting some families to remain "for months," spokeswoman Jennifer Liewer said.

"In our disaster responsibilities efforts the Red Cross is always there until the last person in taken care off," Liewer said.


• Phoenix Elementary and Phoenix Union High School districts are preparing to open their doors to the arriving students on Tuesday. The schools will send buses to transport the children if needed and provide clothing, free breakfasts and lunches. Nurses and psychologists are available on every Phoenix Union campus, although the Central High campus would serve the Coliseum neighborhood, district spokesman Craig Pletenik said.

"We're not really worried about records," Pletenik said. "We know if they're needed, those will follow, but they are probably not accessible now."

Phoenix Elementary principals at all 16 schools are on call should they be needed over the weekend, and they have been directed to arrive early Tuesday to get instructions from district psychologists, Phoenix Elementary spokeswoman Sara Bresnahan.

"They will be ready with open arms to embrace these children," Bresnahan said.


• While it is Arizona's opportunity to shine, all agencies involved asked residents not to come to the Coliseum to volunteer or to drop off water, food or clothing. When a more organized distribution center is established, state officials may be calling for help with school supplies and for Arizona residents willing to shelter a family. There are plenty of ways to help, mostly by sending cash to Katrina relief efforts. Find the latest needs and opportunities to volunteer at www.az211.com.

In the meanwhile, 84 Phoenix firefighters rescued 100 New Orleans residents off rooftops Friday and another 300 today with the help of boats from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the U.S. Coast Guard, Chief Bob Khan said. The Phoenix firefighters are tired and camped out of the ground north of New Orleans.

"My chief there said, 'If I could just have a mattress and an air conditioning unit with some electricity to run it, it would go a long way,' " Kahn said. The firefighters are due home late next week. "But they're making a difference, and that's the juice for those firefighters. The will keep them going for a few more days."

[sachmo71]

way to go, Wig!

[Galaxy]

What happens to these refugees once time passes? Will they settle into the areas they are sent to? If so, how will they support themselves if they lost everything, and will they be able to get jobs?

[Cringer]

Well, I live in Texas so yeah. But I do hope to here about the home state of Washington and some of the northwest states helping out in some way. I know I heard at one point Utah was taking people.

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

What happens to these refugees once time passes? Will they settle into the areas they are sent to? If so, how will they support themselves if they lost everything, and will they be able to get jobs?

My wife and I were discussing this as well. I assume these relief funds that are being collected will be used to help these people get back on their feet.

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

What happens to these refugees once time passes? Will they settle into the areas they are sent to? If so, how will they support themselves if they lost everything, and will they be able to get jobs?

Well, reading the story about what Michigan's doing, I'd say the goal is the exact opposite. These camps are not that close to well populated cities. They must expect that at some point, the people are headed back to Louisiana.

I love how Jennifer Granholm (Michigan's governor) talks about federal reimbursement. Her message is "yeah, we've got some old army camps no one's using right now. If you pay to improve them, we'll let you store 10,000 people for a few months as long as we're not out any money." Real sacrifice there.

This is a complex and unpleasant problem. It's hard to inject a lot of people into an area without adding jobs. Yet, our country is built on that principle. We've taken in the tired, the poor and the huddled masses and somehow put together a pretty decent country.