2021 Gumbo final - Book - Page 108
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hurricane laura
W
hen Hurricane Laura made landfall in southwest
Louisiana on Aug. 27, many Louisiana residents
and LSU students were left without power and
clean drinking water for days following the storm.
Mass communication junior and Student Government
attorney general Ricky Bryant said the University should
bring more attention to the devastation in Louisiana.
“In the crazy world of 2020, it seems people are treating
Hurricane Laura like southwest Louisiana wasn’t hit as hard
as expected,” Bryant said. “In reality, entire communities
are devastated and the utilization of a nationwide platform
like LSU’s could bring awareness to the needs of southwest
Louisiana.”
Paul Coreil, LSUA chancellor, said Hurricane Laura left
Alexandria’s campus without electricity and water, putting
on-campus students in a bind.
“Students could not remain here; they had to evacuate,”
Coreil said. “We called LSU and they immediately opened
their arms and said ‘We have student housing available.
We can help y’all and put students up there.’ So, we loaded
the students onto our athletic buses, and they went to LSU
in Baton Rouge and had a great experience. They were fed,
taken care of.”
LSUA students spent two nights on LSU’s campus before
returning to Alexandria, where Coreil said the damage was
extensive.
“To me, the tremendous story that needs to be told is that
LSU system’s campuses take care of each other when there’s
a need. We didn’t hesitate to ask them, and they didn’t
hesitate to say yes,” Coreil said.
Interim President Thomas Galligan sent out an email
detailing the University’s Hurricane Laura assistance efforts
on Aug. 27. Some of the resources available for students
include academic advisers, mental health counselors,
financial aid and the LSU Food Pantry. Galligan also
reminded students of the Student Emergency Support
Fund, which provides financial support to students who are
unable to meet immediate needs because of an emergency
situation.
“Please allow me to extend my condolences to all of you
who are suffering loss during these already trying times,”
Galligan wrote. “We are here for you and will help to get you
through it.”
However, not all students felt supported by the University.
As they watched their homes become damaged and feared
for their families’ lives, students from the University’s
flagship campus were still expected to attend virtual classes
the next day. Here are four student testimonies of their
unique experiences with the Category 4 storm:
Austin Wade
For public relations junior Austin Wade, Hurricane Laura
left his family in a situation many Louisianans are familiar
with.
“My dad was planning on staying through the storm, but
we were able to convince him to leave the day before the
storm,” Wade said. “It was very nerve-racking in the hours
leading up to the storm. We were all watching The Weather
Channel all day.”
Hurricane Laura made landfall at peak intensity south of
Wade’s hometown of Lake Charles as a Category 4 hurricane,
with up to 102 mph sustained winds and 137 mph wind
gusts recorded.
“My dad went back the day after, and his house was hit
the worst. His house gets worse day by day due to the water
damage,” Wade said. “He’s had a pretty rough year, so I
could tell this really took a toll on him being that he hasn’t
lived in that house for very long and worked hard to earn it.
“I want to do everything I can to help him, but I have
school and work to keep up with. There is no way I could
help him and keep up with school. The city is totally
devastated, and the pictures do it no justice,” Wade said.
Wade spent five hours in traffic one day when traveling
home from campus.
“My muscles are tense, and I’m just stressed from the
driving alone. In addition to that stress, I have been hauling
flooring, repairing roofs and doing yard work, and that has
put a strain on my body,” Wade said. “My mind and body
don’t want to focus on school right now when there is so
much left to do over there.”
Jeramie Britt
Over 200,000 people were ordered to evacuate
southwestern Louisiana, causing long lines at gas stations
and booked-up hotels in surrounding areas. Public relations
junior Jeramie Britt’s hometown of Sulphur was ordered to
evacuate ahead of the storm, making life for Britt’s family
difficult.