House to house with flashlight, ax
Posted: Thursday, September 15 at 03:11 am CT by Kari Huus
Experience the sights and sounds of the house-to-house searches, as firefighters Jeff Dees and Marty Kreil describe their job.
MERAUX, La. -- It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Someone needs to check every one of the 20,000 or so evacuated homes in St. Bernard parish to see if there are survivors or bodies inside before residents are allowed back into the area.
That’s what six firefighters from Illinois signed up for. As we follow them today, there are more than 100 firefighters from around the country taking on this exercise: Slogging through the muck left behind by the storm surge, sweltering in the Louisiana sun, climbing over heaps of rotting furniture in rooms where mold coats the walls -- checking room by room, house by house, street by street.
Firefighters from the Chicago area who are helping with search and recovery in hurricane-stricken St. Bernard Parish, from left: Marty Kreil, Jeff Dees, John Swanson, Tom Seay, Mark Kuzmicki and Don Jernberg. (Jim Seida / MSNBC.com)
“It’s incomprehensible,” says Lieutenant Don Jernberg of North Palos, Ill. Fire Department, who has worked through a lot of disasters. When I ask if this compares to anything in his experience, he shakes his head wearily. “This takes the cake.”
Most of the homes in the Meraux neighborhood they’re searching are still standing. The trappings of middle- and upper middle-class comfort are piled up, and reeking of rot. After breaking down the front door, the firefighters still struggle to push the doors open against the heaps of debris and mud.
Despite the total disarray of the houses, the firefighters step carefully over the personal items in the houses.
“Please tell people we are treating their homes with utmost respect,” says firefighter Tom Seay. “We aren’t breaking anything we don’t need to.”
There was an earlier sweep through these neighborhoods, but we’re told that early military recovery personnel were not allowed to break into homes that were not open, so many are now being looked at for the first time.
Over the last week, recovery teams like this one have discovered 24 bodies. Since finding a man in his truck in the carport, they are always careful to check in cars. They look in attics where people may have crawled as the flood waters rose. Looking at the rooftops, we can see homes with holes in the roof, where people crawled out on the roof hoping to be rescued. Many were, but some were not. After checking a house, they spray-paint a code on it, to indicate the date checked, the number of bodies inside, and any hazards, like a leaking gas line or an angry dog.
The local incident commander at the fire station, Leon Lea, says he hopes teams will complete checking most houses within a week. Separately, he’s looking to contract outside for hazmat people to go through homes in the part of St. Bernard affected by a 22,000-barrel oil spill from Murphy refinery.
For these firefighters, there are bizarre and macabre discoveries along the way, like fish in the attics of houses. Sometimes they come across snakes and eels. There are cars standing on end. Inexplicably, a bowling ball balances on the eave of one house.
“That’s what you call a gutter ball,” says one of the Illinois firefighters in a moment of dark humor. It’s understandable. In this wasteland, if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
Firefighters move on to the next home to be searched. (Jim Seida / MSNBC.com)
'Tired, aggravated and disgusted'
TRACKBACKS
Thanks to all the firefighters and volunteers who have put aside their lives to help others. The outpouring of help is restoring my faith in humanity.
Donovan Hansen, San Francisco, CA (Sent Sep 15, 2005 12:50:34 PM)
After 9/11 we saw the wonderful, heroic way that our brave men worked so tirelessly to care for the victims. The men in this article who traveled to the stricken areas so far from their own homes deserve all of the prayers and help we can give them as well as the recognition that the heros of 9/11 received.
Thanks to every last one of them!!
Carol Egan (Sent Sep 15, 2005 12:52:25 PM)
This article reaffirms my belief in the human spirit.
kathy chicago, il (Sent Sep 15, 2005 1:13:05 PM)
There are Americans around the world who watched the horror of the hurricane in the N.O. region. Although we live in Izmir, Turkey, we have a home and sons in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. We are grateful that the hurricane did so little damage to us, but at the same time, so sorry for the terrible devistation on the Gulf Region. All of us expatriots are so very proud of the great work being witnessed as we observe America pulling together to get life back to normal in such a dynamic and admirable way. God Bless America and our fellow Americans from your brothers and sisters around the world.
Tom ,Izmir, Turkey (Sent Sep 15, 2005 1:29:59 PM)
May god be with all these men for they are truly our heroes.
Kathy Reeve, Deer Park, Texas (Sent Sep 15, 2005 1:38:42 PM)
God bless the firefighters. They have helped so many times. Being from the Oklahoma City area, I remember the wonderful assistance from around the states that we received during our trying times with the bombing of the Murrah building.
Lucinda James (Sent Sep 15, 2005 1:52:23 PM)
It is the good character of Americans that has seen us through so many disasters and upheavals in our past, it is happening in our present, and I only hope it will see us through the future. Americans have that quality of pulling together to make life better even if it means putting someone else "first" for a little while. The police, firemens, volunteers, etc. are so much appreciated for what they are doing with the citizens of the Gulf Coast as well as the animals affected by Katrina.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Take care of yourselves.
And help the pets/animals when you can!
Carol (Sent Sep 15, 2005 1:56:56 PM)
May God continue to bless those who risk their lives for thier fellow Americans. I applaud thier heroic efforts and I am inspired by thier unselfishness.
My prayers are with them and also with thier families. They exemplify the Spirit of Community and represent what this country was founded on.
Maureen C. Tapp (Sent Sep 15, 2005 2:14:54 PM)
Thank God for those who go the extra mile for people they do not know, and will probably never know. These volunteers DO make a difference. We all have been deluged with scenes from Katrina and the aftermath, but one picture that will stay with me is the "Happy Birthday" banner that was up in one of the homes. My prayers are for all the victims and volunteers.
Doug (Sent Sep 15, 2005 2:39:09 PM)
My prayers go out to all the rescue workers and the families of this aftermath. Things can go on and the strong survive. God heal our land.
Della Middendorf, Covington, Kentucky (Sent Sep 15, 2005 2:40:27 PM)
Everybody please also remember the police officers that are also down there helping and giving there time and effort and being away from there families. My brother is a Police officer and is also down there, so please keep them in your prayers also along with the firefighters
Monique Touchstone, Las Vegas NV (Sent Sep 15, 2005 2:46:10 PM)
In the scheme of things, replacing a door is minor. To know, every time you enter a house, that there may be a person, either living or deceased that needs attention, how stressful. Please, do not worry about the replacement of a door, as a life can never be replaced, nor the memory of a life lost, forgotten. May god bless those who mission it is to search for those souls with continued strength and courage.
Jan Perry (Sent Sep 15, 2005 2:50:21 PM)
In the scheme of things, replacing a door is minor. To know, every time you enter a house, that there may be a person, either living or deceased that needs attention, how stressful. Please, do not worry about the replacement of a door, as a life can never be replaced, nor the memory of a life lost, forgotten. May god bless those who mission it is to search for those souls with continued strength and courage.
Jan Perry (Sent Sep 15, 2005 2:52:33 PM)
thanks to all the men and woman who are helping , it is good to know that when something very bad happens , that someone will be there to help you get through
rhonda pleasant , shelbyville, tn (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:18:41 PM)
Thank You for leaving your homes and families and helping other communities in need. It's of comfort to know your humanity and compassion is shared. May God continue to guide your hearts and keep you all in his care.
Linda Kruse/Wisconsin (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:31:53 PM)
GOD BLESS EVERY WOMAN AND MAN WHO HAS GIVEN IN THIS TIME OF NEED FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS. KEEPING YOU ALL IN MY PRAYERS AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR FAMILIES ALSO.
VIRGINIA RODRIGUEZ (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:32:06 PM)
To the Firefighters, Policemen and EMT. Thanks for all of your hard work and may God bless you and keep you safe.
Your strength will come from God.
B. Lafayette,IN (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:32:59 PM)
To all the great people all over this United States who contributed great or small to strangers. May you be blessed for helping and some even risking their lives to save others. That really says alot about being your brothers keeper.
Theresa Williams, Delray Beach, Florida (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:38:01 PM)
PLease, please leave some food and water for the pets while you are there. And paint a distinctive mark on the house to indicate living animal inside. I know it takes more effort to have the food with you, but will make all the difference in the world. The dead are already dead and can't be saved, but a living pet can be kept alive and ultimately rescued with just a little extra effort. Thank you for all your hard work!
Liz Papenbrock, Jacksonville, FL 32223 (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:43:40 PM)
My grandfather and my uncle were first responders (police and fire). Your efforts do their memory, and that of so many other first responders now gone, proud. You display the true spirit of America, "neighbors" helping neighbors.
Roger Aiello (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:45:03 PM)
Wow, day after day, everywhere I go, I see donation jars, benefit garage sales, donation collection sites, advertisments on TV, on the internet and signs posted everywhere, as organizations ask for donations, or my children bringing home notes from their school asking for supplies to be donated...all for the Victims of Katrina. Then I read articles like this one, of men and women who make such a difference through their bravery and total selflessness for others, as these firefighters are doing. And, through all of this, I can't help but feel my heart filled with love and pride, as I think, "Thank God I was born an American"!!! Even through the most trying times, Americans continue to pull together, help one another, and demonstrate what it truly means to belong to the best country in the world. I thank all of our men and women who sacrifice so much for all of us; our firefighters, police officers, military personnel, social service volunteers, and all of those who are "true angels to others". May God Bless America!
Heidi, WaKeeney, KS (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:48:36 PM)
My prayers go out to the people of the Gulf Coast region. Being a victim of Hurricane Andrew in 19992, I understand the devastation and the loss of property and life everyone is facing. However, please continue to move forward in your private and community lives to bring peace and harmony to your fellow citizens. God bless the many people from around the world who have given their time and money in the recovery of this great peace of land in our country the United States of America.
Jeffrey Smith Miami, Fl. (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:53:08 PM)
Thank you for reporting on all the efforts being made outside of the big cities - we have not all forgotten these folks! Hopefully it will result in bringing some more help. God be with rescuers and the rescued alike.
Jeanne (Sent Sep 15, 2005 3:55:51 PM)
MY HEART AND SOUL ARE SO WEARY FOR ALL THAT HAS LOST THEIR PAST LIVES FROM KATRINA, WE MUST HELP TO TOWARDS THE FUTURE AND LET THEM SEE THE SUNRISE ON THE HORIZON. THE LOSES ARE MANY AND THE REWARDS WILL BE ALSO. GOD BLESS ALL WHO HAVE HELPED IN ANY WAY AND SPECIAL BLESSING TO THOSE WHO ARE THERE IN PERSON DOING THE REALLY HEAVY WORK..
C ELLIS MISSOURI (Sent Sep 15, 2005 4:10:41 PM)
What a tragedy that our pets that are friends and family members in good times are no longer considered important when times are bad. I don't think GOD would approve.
May GOD bless all the people (no matter what their normal profession) that are trying to rescue ALL or any of the victims they can.
Peggy Hill Madisonville, Ky. (Sent Sep 15, 2005 4:17:02 PM)
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