Many Louisiana state agencies as well as federal agencies are running well behind in their desires to serve the needs of our citizens that were affected by the recent flooding. It's not because the agencies and their employees aren't doing their very best. It's simply the volume of requests that are coming in everyday that have these agencies performing below their anticipated standards.

There have been instances reported of flood victims having to go to multiple places to apply for different assistance. One Louisiana Legislator doesn't think that burden of having to spend extra time on the road simply for the ease of those charged with assisting the victims of the flood is fair at all.

You have individuals that are so devastated in some of these areas, and they have to go to one place, and it could take them five, six, seven hours to be seen, and then they have to go to another place.

That observation published bythe Louisiana Radio Network was made by State Senator Regina Barrow. Senator Barrow, who represents the Baton Rouge area, suggested in her comments that officials need to find a better way.

Meanwhile Deputy Director for Disaster Recovery with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Mark Riley spoke to the Louisiana Radio Network about how despite the inconvenience many agencies are moving forward as quickly as possible. He cited the current progress being made in securing manufactured housing units for victims of the flooding.

I would say it’s going to take us a couple of weeks to build some momentum and capacity to get large numbers of households eased into these, if that’s what these survivors want to do.

The other major concern on the minds of many flood victims are the DSNAP benefits. People in several parishes across the state haven't been able to acquire these benefits to feed their families.  Senator Barrow expressed her disappointment in the deployment of DSNAP benefits this way.

DSNAP program, to me, has taken too long to come into place. Many people are having to take their limited resources to try to eat.

Persons in Lafayette,Acadia, Ascension, and East Baton Rouge Parish will finally be able to obtain DSNAP benefits next week. In order to ease congestion and crowding those needing assistance are asked to follow a specific schedule that is based on the first letter of their last name. 

 

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