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Sept. 26, 2005 According to the Dallas Morning News, Port Arthur, Texas has blocked the entire town to keep residents from returning to their homes, as much of the city is unsafe as of this date. Beaumont is urging residents to also stay away as their sewer system is a danger and until they have it fixed, they do not want to risk the lives of their residents. Port Arthur Deputy Police Chief John Owens has said that it will be weeks before power and other utilities are back up and running. But some residents were crafty enough to find a way to get around the barricades and to return to their homes despite the shut down of the city by the officials. Beaumont/Port Arthur area was the worst hit by Hurricane Rita and it was hit so hard that the 9-1-1 emergency system was shut down to using two cell phones, as it’s 9-1-1 system. Authorities estimate that up to 90% heeded the evacuation warning and right now they are pleading with those residents to not try to return yet, as the damage assessments are not done yet. The authorities of Beaumont and Port Arthur would like for their public systems to be back up and running before the residents return home to assess what personal items they have left. The worst thing that happened during the evacuation, was a busload of retirement home residents evacuating from Houston to Dallas. The bus exploded on I-35 and the fire was so great because each of the residents on the bus was on oxygen tanks. When I witnessed this on the television, I couldn’t help but cry. No, I didn’t know anyone on the bus personally, but I felt sorry for the victims and their family members. For not only on the bus were the residents of the home, but nurses and the driver that perished in the fire as well. I guess that the best news that came out of Hurricane Rita is that the storm itself only claimed two lives. It could have claimed more. But as I always have said, property can be replaced, people can’t. In Beaumont, their sewer system has totally shut down and that is why they are urging their residents to not return. Along with no power and no running water. Carman Apple, public information officer for the Beaumont Police Department has said that Beaumont is working around the clock concentrating to restore power to critical systems – fire, police and medical workers – in the next few days. "The entire county will not have power for a month," Ms. Apple said. She is also quoted as saying, "We understand they want to come home," she added. "But it puts a much bigger burden on response teams. We need to get the city back up and running." Texas Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, cautioned residents against returning because no businesses will be open to provide food, water and other necessities. The area's gas stations remain closed, he added. Mr. Williams said water was being dropped off at evacuation centers in Anahuac, Winnie and at Ford Park in Beaumont. Some evacuees were being bused Sunday to Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, including Pam Simon and her three children, who waited out Rita in New Iberia, Louisiana before realizing Sunday that they would not be able to stay in their home in Orange. In Port Arthur, Clay Campbell, a body repairman at Sandifer's Collision Center on 25th Street, was back at work Sunday afternoon, removing large sheets of metal awning that had been blown into the street. His boss had gone to Beaumont for fuel and other supplies. In the meantime, Mr. Campbell was doing a little cleanup and standing guard over the shop and his home, an RV parked nearby. "This heater here," he said pointing to one underneath some rubble, "it's worth $2,000, and it's what keeps me warm in the winter." Mr. Campbell returned to Port Arthur on Saturday after having evacuated to the Jasper and Lufkin areas "at the last minute with the hurricane behind me," he said. But once he saw the devastation in those East Texas communities, he decided to return home. Most oil refineries in the area have not been destroyed, but some need repairs from the storm. But the worst news is that the levees that were rebuilt from Hurricane Katrina have failed due to the flooding in Lake Poncentrian. Now the region that was drying out from Katrina is now being hit again but this time as run-off from Rita. I urge all Americans to donate water, non-perishable foods, blood, plasma, or money to the American Red Cross for the victims of both Hurricanes. Many people in the near future are going to need it. Even those that we don’t know about that are victims of Hurricane Rita. ------------ About the author: Kaycee Nilson has completed her first novel, "Night Falls on Chicago." The first two chapters can be viewed at http://www.KayceeNilson.com. Besides writing columns for Useless-Knowledge, Kaycee is currently working on two more novels, "From the Mind of a Vampire", and "I'll Love You Til You Die." If you have enjoyed what you read, or would like to leave Kaycee a message, please visit her message board at http://www.KayceeNilson.com/Board Email: Kaycee@kayceenilson.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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