Whenever a major storm or hurricane hits Louisiana, many people are devastated and crippled for years. Some never recover. However, many have learned how to profit from disasters.
Whenever hurricanes or major flooding impacts South Louisiana, many businesses and governments in North Louisiana, especially when the President declares the storm event a national disaster, a long list of federal assistance begins for individuals and local governments who are overwhelmed by the impact of floods, forest fires, major storms.
When the President visits, the state and others involved are not interested in a photo event, but they want him to see the need. Once he signs off on the disaster, money, manpower, equipment, and many other resources are made available to help local communities get back on their feet.
Monroe often benefits from storms in South Louisiana, especially when a national disaster is declared and the city itself does not experience major damage.
No one in government will say it aloud, but the city and its local business community profit from South Louisiana storms.
Evacuees who come to Monroe pack the hotels, spend money in restaurants, grocery stores, and other retail outlets. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, every hotel in the parish was sold out.
The City of Monroe opened the Civic Center to evacuees, but only to those from Terrebonne Parish; others were sent to recreation centers. Terrebonne Parish has a deal with the city to house its residents and foots the bill.
Each city recreation center housed evacuees as well. There were firefighters, police officers, and others assigned to those sites.
It looks like a charitable operation where the love flows from heart to heart and breast to breast. No doubt there is love and compassion, but after the evacuees return home, the city gets paid; big time.
In 2018-19, according to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, the city collected $425,897 from FEMA alone. Of that amount $30, 730 was supposed to be for firefighters, an amount many of them were unaware of.
In 2017-18 the city received $59,159 for storm relief and $809,728 for help related to Hurricane Gustav.
The bigger the storm in South Louisiana, the more North Louisiana profits from the aftermath of a Presidential disaster declaration.
The Red Cross gets public donations and huge reimbursements from FEMA once a declaration is declared. With millions of loose FEMA dollars available, the Red Cross often asks for money that Congress denies. For example, in 2008, the Government Accounting Office asked for $78.8 million from FEMA, but $17.2 million of the request was rejected because FEMA considered the requests inappropriate and invalid.
It happens every year. The Red Cross runs ads highlighting the current diaster and gets donations that the public thinks is targeted to a specific event without noticing the small print “and other disasters.” Which means most money given might get to a specific trouble spot, but a large chunk of donations will go into the Red Cross’ general fund.
The director of the Red Cross earned $694,000 in 2018, according to USA Today.
A few years ago, several Black ministers met with the local Red Cross and asked for ways for their churches to be used as shelters for evacuees. They wanted to help when storms came. They were told to donate to the Red Cross, but the offer of their family life centers and facilities was politely rejected.
The ministers didn’t know that housing evacuees and providing meals is big money, too. Humanitarian concerns are also a part of the deal, but the financial concerns were an overriding factor.
While governments and organizations get reimbursed, there are thousands of people who open their homes to evacuees, bring food, offer assistance, and volunteer with a spirit of love and compassion.
They help without the thought of being paid or reimbursed. They often lose time and money helping out.
Their humane response without any other motive will reap the great rewards from a heavenly source.
