Mac, I could not have said it any better. It has been a long 3 years for me and my family. While my company and a group of volunteers worked hard to get the Misissippi gulf coast Internet and VoIP phones, a lot of people never knew that I too lost everything in Katrina except what we could carry in our vehicles. I do not think that I can rebuild my home again.
I cannot say enough about the volunteers that were here to help after Katrina. Some people of whom their names I may have forgot, but I will never forget their faces. They worked damn near around the clock for weeks on end, without any complaints. I've spent the last week trying to harden my system here. It will be made available to any group that may need it. I owe a lot to WISPA and to Part-15. I'm pretty sure that Joe Laura in New Orleans feels the same way. We have to work together to get things back up as soon as possible. Although it is tracking to south west Lousiana, it is still too far out the detimine where the eye will hit land. We just have to be prepared no matter where it hits. This storm is getting large enough to do a lot of damage to a lot of areas. As I sit here in south Mississippi, I will be praying that people make the right decision and get out of harms way. There is no reason why we should have any loss of life. They know a storm is approaching. I will keep this list updated on how things are progressing on the MS gulf coast. Best Regards and God Speed, DSLbyAir --- On Sat, 8/30/08, Mac Dearman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Mac Dearman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Good Golly Gustav > To: "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> > Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008, 3:35 PM > Well - - - here we (Louisiana) are again in the eye of a > hurricane with the > difference being that this is already a category 5 and > Katrina came ashore > as a category 3. > > My first thoughts are of those who have already suffered > devastating > losses from Katrina, Rita and Wilma. To understand what > these people have > lost - - you would have to have been there behind enemy > lines, seeing and > experiencing the pain and suffering, the painful heart > breaking squeals of > the survivors cries and the desperate looks on the faces of > those who were > desperately - frantically searching for their fathers, > mothers, children, > brothers and sisters or anyone who they knew. My thought > this evening as I > write this is to please remember to say a prayer for those > who may be on the > front line in the days to come. If you serve a God who > answers prayer - - - > please take a few extra prayer minutes to remember those > relief workers who > give so unselfishly (and so unaware of what lies ahead of > them) to assist > those who live in the affected areas - - the strength to > bear what they are > going to be faced with when they arrive on scene. It is a > heart wrenching, > very emotional and life changing event when you stop and > think about the way > it has changed so many people's lives. I am talking > about the workers - - > not just those who lived in the area. > > I can honestly say that I don't know if I am mentally > strong enough to > bear the pain again - - going back into a disaster zone > such as what Katrina > left in her wake. Katrina, Rita and Wilma have left a scar > on my soul that > still weeps for the old folks that had no flood insurance, > lived on $700.00 > a month, (retirement & SS together) homes paid for, > 1976 Monte Carlo with > 37,000 miles on it and two dogs one day and the next have a > lone slick slab > where their home stood proudly yesterday and the landscape > washed clear and > clean - - not a brick on the property, but 16 blocks inland > they take bull > dozers (Army Corp of Engineers) and shove the carnage, > bricks, boards, cars, > trees - - just massive heaps of junk (peoples whole lives > & livelihoods) > piled twenty feet high (strung out for miles and miles > where the storm surge > shoved it) and shove it off the roads and into huge piles > of what is now > called "Garbage." This folks - - being part of > this has humbled me deeply > and forever. > > I have had several calls today from individuals, The > Washington Post and > John Tully of MikroTik asking about my plan for disaster > aid after Gustav. > Well, I guess my plan is to wait and see what is going to > happen and see if > the great State of Louisiana is any better prepared this > time than last > time. The traffic headed out of South Louisiana is > incredible, the busses > are loading up down town New Orleans and the Amtrak has a 6 > block line > waiting to board it. There are already some satellite links > in strategic > places and it appears that our new (and much improved) > Governor (Bobby > Jindal) is already on top of things. It appears he has his > priorities right > since he made the call to move LSU's opening football > game from a 4:00pm > kick off today to a 10:30 am kick off so folks could get > out of town early. > > Truth of the matter is - - if you are willing to assist in > hurricane Gustav > wireless relief - - send me an email off list and I will > contact you ASAP as > things start to mature and we see what the needs may be. > Let's do not take > any action until we see what the needs may be - - but > let's be prepared to > formalize a group of WISPA Wireless Warriors who can handle > some heat! > Please be sure to add all your personal info - cell number, > address, home > number...Etc > > I am also proud to announce that WISPA has an air force of > one! I will > donate the use of my personal plane to this effort. > > Hunkered down praying, > Mac Dearman CEO > Maximum Access, LLC. > www.inetsouth.com > Rayville, La. > 318.728.8600 > 318.728.9600 > 318.728.8642 > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! 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