"How can you regulate people helping people?"

[41chevy]

Lawmaker: Licensing for Cajun Navy not meant to limit, but Empower

 

NEW ORLEANS – The Good Samaritan who rescued hundreds, maybe thousands, of people during the 'Great Flood of 2016' said he was not happy after a state lawmaker announced he wants to introduce legislation around future actions by citizen heroes.

Some of these citizen heroes, a loosely-organized group called the 'Cajun Navy,' gained national attention for their rescue efforts last week, but that attention is nowhere near the pushback lawmakers are discussing when it comes to a lawmakers proposal to require permits for citizen rescue groups.

For the Cajun Navy, it didn't matter if it was during day or night. People with boats took it upon themselves to save strangers, even when their own property was flooding.

Cajun Navy member Dustin Clouatre of St. Amant said he hopped into his pleasure skiff and with others, cleared out entire neighborhoods under water.

"For the most part, these people are not going to wait for assistance," Clouatre said. "They're doers."

Republican State Senator Jonathan "J.P." Perry of the Vermilion-Lafayette area said he is working on legislation that could require training, certificates and a permit fee to allow these Good Samaritans to get past law enforcement into devastated areas. 

In a radio interview on News Talk 96.5 KPEL in Lafayette, Sen. Perry said it comes down to two main points for law enforcement officials.

“At the end of the day, there are going to be two things that are going to be the hurdle when you approach it from the state’s standpoint,” Sen. Perry said. “Liability is going to be number one for them. They don’t want the liability of someone going out to rescue someone and then not being able to find them, and secondly, there’s a cost.”

Perry continues by saying the liability issue could be solved by something like a waiver that boaters sign prior to a natural disaster.

Clouatre and members of the 'Cajun Navy' said they do not understand the regulations.

"How can you regulate people helping people? That doesn't make sense to me," Clouatre said.

Senator Perry did not return phone calls for a comment at the time this story aired on WWL-TV, but the senator took to Facebook Tuesday night to explain the logistics and reasoning behind his proposal.

"The intent of what I want to do is to completely unregulate it, to where our volunteers are not stopped from going out," he said in the Facebook video.

"It is basically to remove any restrictions and allow people to get to our citizens quicker."

Perry said in the video his goal was to clear up "misinformation" after an initial Lafayette radio interview where he discussed the subject.

“At the end of the day, there are going to be two things that are going to be the hurdle when you approach it from the state’s standpoint,” said Perry in the interview, per WWL-TV. “Liability is going to be number one for them. They don’t want the liability of someone going out to rescue someone and then not being able to find them (the rescuers) and, secondly, there’s a cost.”

Some who took part in the rescue parties have spoken out against the proposal, including Dustin Clouatre of St. Amant.  "How can you regulate people helping people? That doesn't make sense to me," said Clouatre to WWL-TV. In Livingston Parish, officials initially prevented private citizens from heading into the waters to render aid, but as calls from stranded residents mounted, they relented. 

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[mowerman]

What crock a sh*t this place and their political bullsh*t never ceases to amaze me ....Bob

 

[1958 F.W.D.]

As an emergency responder, I say this........

I have 25+ years of experience both as a Career and Volunteer Firefighter/EMT. I have seen all kinds of crazy shit in that time. I also have all kinds of training- hundreds, possibly even thousands of hours of training, in everything from basic first aid to operating a three million dollar airport crash rescue firefighting rig and everything in between including swift water rescue and small and medium marine vessel operation.

That being said, with all of my training and experience, I still see shit doing this job where I say "yeah didn't see that coming" or "nope never saw that happen before." But my training, experience and instinct prepares me to improvise, adapt and overcome. What I hate to see as an emergency responder is a group of individuals with no training or experience in emergency rescue procedures come in and start to go to work in an unorganized and chaotic method. Its counter productive for everyone- us, them and especially the victims.

THAT having been said.....The floods in La were/are of huge proportion, and there were people waiting for days on the roofs of their homes without food, fresh water or shelter. The emergency responders were overwhelmed and help was desperately needed. The Cajun boys did what needed to be done. The Senator's intentions may be good but he really should have waited a while to announce his intentions and then maybe check with us professionals for some guidance before he shot his mouth off.

[HeavyGunner]

How's it counter productive for one neighbor ushering people off of a flooded house to safety. Sorry fwd but in this specific case that's a crock of shit. I'd fire up my boat and help rather then leave people stranded for hours maybe days while officials draw up a plan for what should be done. 

Edited August 24, 2016 by HeavyGunner
Damn auto correct

[Freightrain]

I see both sides of this.  Yes, help when you can SAFELY do it.  Then there is the other group that just dives in head first and creates more disasters.  You see it all the time where the rescuer is needing rescued because "they" took it upon themselves to do more then they could handle.

Yes, driving around in a boat is not a huge deal.  But there are always circumstances that can arise.  You have to be smart about it.  With the "sue happy" world we live in you have to think before you jump.

[Mack458]

I don't believe there should be any "cost" to the volunteer rescuers to register and follow some simple guidelines.

I think that being registered would allow these folks to be admitted to areas where law enforcement would restrict other non-registered parties. In addition having officials understand what type of boat you have, the capacity, and if you have lighting, number of vests, and so on may be helpful. Understanding what resources you have may also allow the state to fund additional vests or other needed equipment to the volunteers, along with compensation for fuel.

The most important thing for officials to know is who has been rescued, their names, and where they have been relocated to. Accountability could save other responders from searching a property that has already been evacuated, thus directing resources to where they can do the most good.

I think the intention is good, just not presented clearly.

[kscarbel2]

I see it as a way to ward off lawsuits. If you save them, you're their hero until you drop them off on dry land. But if they slip and hit their head on the railing of your boat, you, the city and state are potentially facing a lawsuit.

My friends, as someone who travels extensively all over the world, I can tell you that the United States has more lawsuits taking place than any other country in the world.......by FAR.

It's sad really. If you look at a thin-skinned person the wrong way, or if you call a spade a spade in the workplace, you're facing a lawsuit that can potentially destroy your life.

My observation is this took firm root in the late 1990s.

Frankly, this should be a presidential election issue. America's now normal culture of suing each other is one element that is killing the country.

[41chevy]

Thank god we now live in a country where a citizen doing something with out government support and showing human compassion is going to be illegal. . . about damn time there will be laws and hopefully severe punishment to prevent that sinful Christian thing........................................NOT

[Loadstar]

I personally wouldn't worry about being "licensed" or if someone else thought I was qualified..... If I saw someone in need.... And I thought I could help, you can be damn sure I'd be lending a hand. All the other B.S. Can be straightened out after everyone is safe. I could  live with a lawsuit but I couldn't live with myself if I stood idlely by...... And I'm sure I'm not alone. 

[mowerman]

Ya and don't forget...if you get a sex change now.....your considered brave and a real good mentor for our youth. Ahahahahahahaha...bob

[HeavyGunner]

3 hours ago, mowerman said:

Ya and don't forget...if you get a sex change now.....your considered brave and a real good mentor for our youth. Ahahahahahahaha...bob

LMAO!!! Good one bob. 

[grayhair]

A note to residents of N. America:  National Flood Insurance is available to EVERY home owner regardless of flood risk from high to low to moderate.  This fact is pretty well known by the public at large.  I heard on TV that approximately 90% of the flood victims in Louisiana did not have this flood insurance and are looking at very heavy damage and repair costs.  And some pretty high-end houses were damaged in this recent event - big houses owned by well-to-do homeowners who could no doubt afford flood insurance.  

I certainly have great empathy for those that lost so much and don't have the insurance, but the fact remains, they gambled and lost.  Typical cost for flood insurance (even in a designated flood plain) is about $440. per year for coverage of $250K structure and $100K contents.  If your house is high on a hill is one thing, but if not...

I hate writing the check every March but i sleep well no matter how much it rains.     

  

Edited August 25, 2016 by grayhair

[m16ty]

We had a big flood here in 2010. It's was nowhere on the scale of what we saw in LA but a good portion of Nashville and surrounding counties were underwater. It the small community I'm a part of, we rescued a bunch of people and as far as I know no "organized" help was even involved. It was neighbor helping neighbor. We will dial 911 when it's truly needed but otherwise go somewhere else and help the people that can't help themselves.

It never actually even dawned on any of us to call for help.   

[grayhair]

4 hours ago, kscarbel2 said:

I see it as a way to ward off lawsuits. If you save them, you're their hero until you drop them off on dry land. But if they slip and hit their head on the railing of your boat, you, the city and state are potentially facing a lawsuit.

My friends, as someone who travels extensively all over the world, I can tell you that the United States has more lawsuits taking place than any other country in the world.......by FAR.

It's sad really. If you look at a thin-skinned person the wrong way, or if you call a spade a spade in the workplace, you're facing a lawsuit that can potentially destroy your life.

My observation is this took firm root in the late 1990s.

Frankly, this should be a presidential election issue. America's now normal culture of suing each other is one element that is killing the country.

And that is because we are knee--deep in lawyers.  Congress is loaded with them.  Local governments are loaded with them.  And they aren't big on tort reform either.  If you want to protect yourself, one can always get an umbrella insurance policy to protect yourself against big $ lawsuits.  I have such a policy because it protects my family and, interestingly, the text of the policy also says "including the actions of your pet(s.")  Can you say "dog bites UPS man?"  Typical premium, say, $400. per year for a $1 Mil.  Or $750. for $2 Mil., etc.  With that kind of money at stake the insurance company lawyers go to work for you.  And if they lose, they pay rather than you get wiped out.  Just sayin'...    

Edited August 25, 2016 by grayhair

[r686st]

Grayhair... The $440.00 your referencing is a monthly premium and not yearly from what I have been told in my area which has been affected by this flood. There is structural flood insurance and then you have to pay additionally for contents is also what I have been told. I can promise this flood affected rich, poor and all types of persons in between. 

My 4th generation family land backs up to the Amite River which is one that caused a lot of this flooding in the Greater Baton Rouge area. We had property damage, loss of two donkeys and some of our mining operation was affected but we were very luck. Yes, a lot of the areas affected are low but we do live in South Louisiana so that is no surprise. However, many areas that did take on water have never been seen in atleast 3 generations. I would also like to remind everyone that atleast a 100 mile radius was affected, which includes: Baton Rouge, La area, Lafayette, LA area, Hammond, LA area(aka The Northshore), and even the little talked about South Mississippi area(Amite, Pike and Wilkinson Counties). I have an aunt, cousins, school friends, customers, business associates and etc. all lost homes, cars, clothes, animals and/or many other items. I am going to guess that atleast 200k homes have been destroyed in all of this flooding. The sides of the roads in many areas are lined with debris from all the homes on those streets. I want to point out that I've been quite upset with the national news and it's lack of coverage of the flooding until Trump came down. At first it was mentioned then nothing but California wildfires for a week and only after he came down and donated cash and supplies was it "really" an issue. I have pictures of some of the flooding to share that I will post.

[Mcrafty1]

It's always about the revenue first....and control of the masses second....wait, maybe it's the other way around? 

[HeavyGunner]

8 hours ago, grayhair said:

A note to residents of N. America:  National Flood Insurance is available to EVERY home owner regardless of flood risk from high to low to moderate.  This fact is pretty well known by the public at large.  I heard on TV that approximately 90% of the flood victims in Louisiana did not have this flood insurance and are looking at very heavy damage and repair costs.  And some pretty high-end houses were damaged in this recent event - big houses owned by well-to-do homeowners who could no doubt afford flood insurance.  

I certainly have great empathy for those that lost so much and don't have the insurance, but the fact remains, they gambled and lost.  Typical cost for flood insurance (even in a designated flood plain) is about $440. per year for coverage of $250K structure and $100K contents.  If your house is high on a hill is one thing, but if not...

I hate writing the check every March but i sleep well no matter how much it rains.     

  

That sounds really cheap for flood insurance. After Katrina fema went ahead with out surveying and put the entire town I live in in a zone A flood plane instead of the zone c I was in. More than tripled my flood insurance. There's no shopping around for the fema flood insurance according to my agent and I pay around $200/month. 

[TeamsterGrrrl]

Guys, I hafta somewhat agree with you on this one, from my experience with two tornadoes five years ago-

The first tornado hit my old 'hood in north Minneapolis, so weak a tornado that it didn't even make one on the Fujima scale. But going through a heavily wooded city with mostly two story houses on 40 foot lots, it blocked most of the streets and took out the above ground utilities and some of the gas too. This is a poor neighborhood, so a lot of volunteers came in to help out. About all the city did was prevent mass looting, and the city was clueless about how extensive the damage was. The city even went so far as to arrest a couple foresters who were volunteering their services for not having Minneapolis contractors licenses, even though they had state licenses. I loaded up my pickup the next morning with saws and other tools to help out, and on arrival found I was being profiled by the police who must have though I was another unlicensed contractor. I parked the pickup and dug out my late mom's minivan and put it into service. Meanwhile, a council member who barely know which end of a chainsaw to hold it by was doing media opportunities of him cutting up large twigs.

Fortunately some of the local charities and churches were on the ball, knowing that a lot of children and elders couldn't get out to get food and medications and were in danger. They divided up the tornado's path, each church or charity taking responsibility for several blocks around them. The one I worked with, a small branch campus of the university of Minnesota, extended their hours, fed folks, and let them use their phones and computers. I volunteered out of that office, we'd get 4 or so of us in the minivan with food and supplies in the back and a wagon to haul that in and go door to door covering a block or two at a time. We'd do that a couple times until we had covered the whole area to be sure we had caught everyone. While the city was harassing folks who were trying to help, our churches and charities found several vulnerable folks who couldn't get out to get medications and food and would have probably died without our volunteer efforts. 

A month later we got an F1 tornado out in rural Minnesota where I live. Our town's only major damage was a garage and a lot of trees down, everybody got our their saws and pickups and trailers and we had the streets open in a couple hours so the power company was able to get in and restore power quickly. We then went over to the next town that had got hit worse and helped them out. But their wasn't much to do, because everybody there had worked just as we had to clear the debris and get the town reopened. The tornado brought down the roofs of the city garage and the electric co-op, but they dug out the trucks and got right to work... In Minneapolis they would have waited a week for the insurance claims adjuster and probably FEMA too!

We were able to use a lot of volunteers out here successfully because we have a lot of people here with experience in construction, farming, etc. who knew how to work with tools and equipment safely. Give a big city council member a chain saw, and you may as well call the ambulance before he figures out how to start it! I suspect the best strategy would be for the local government to organize the "cajun navy" sort of like a Sheriff's Posse, in other words an organized group of volunteers ready to help out if called.

[grayhair]

1 hour ago, HeavyGunner said:

That sounds really cheap for flood insurance. After Katrina fema went ahead with out surveying and put the entire town I live in in a zone A flood plane instead of the zone c I was in. More than tripled my flood insurance. There's no shopping around for the fema flood insurance according to my agent and I pay around $200/month. 

Alrighty then, I stand corrected.  My flood insurance policy premium is $430. per year.  And I live in a 100 year flood zone.  Maybe I am grandfathered-in from having the insurance for some 30 years now?  Or?  Obviously my info is dated.  I didn't know there is now an A, or B, or C categories.  

[HeavyGunner]

Yeah fema changing it was bs. My house has been where it sits now since the '40's and suddenly it's high risk? It's a crock, I should just cough up the $4k and get the survey done and see if I can get put back in the zone c (500 year I think) flood plain like I was before. 

[TeamsterGrrrl]

Good luck fighting FEMA on that... They've got a lot of science and data behind them, unless you've been put in flood plain by a matter of inches, no point in fighting them.

[Freightrain]

I know a young family that bought a house in town, then some how some "lost" paperwork came to be that it was "in a flood plain" and their insurance was STUPID.  So much they couldn't even afford to live there.  Seems someone, somewhere lost the paper and they bought the house unknowing.  After a long fight they were bought out and they moved to another location.

That area hadn't seen any kind of water in more then the 50 yrs I've been around.  Didn't matter, there was a natural waterway under that area and that is what they use to determine the flood plain.  It was beyond crazy, like $1000/month for insurance.

Have a friend that bought a nice house, went to put up a large garage in the back yard.   While the holes were being dug a gas company truck just happen to pass.  He quickly stopped and pulled in and told them they better not build that garage.  Seems again, somebody, somewhere along the line lost the gas easement paperwork.  Seems they had a 24" high pressure line running directly under their backyard.  Oops.  As they say..."that's when the fight started".  He is quite upset to not be able to do anything in his backyard.  

[HeavyGunner]

3 hours ago, TeamsterGrrrl said:

Good luck fighting FEMA on that... They've got a lot of science and data behind them, unless you've been put in flood plain by a matter of inches, no point in fighting them.

Like I said fema changed the zones without any surveying to help cover their butts. I know of one local guy who took the gamble and paid the $$$$ to get his place surveyed and it was out of the flood plain completely. 

[m16ty]

I live within a mile of the highest point in my county and probably just a few feet less in elevation. If I flood, you better have a ark ready.  

[HeavyGunner]

8 hours ago, m16ty said:

I live within a mile of the highest point in my county and probably just a few feet less in elevation. If I flood, you better have a ark ready.  

Same situation here. The natural dry creek bed is well below my house. It flows from the north and crosses my proper that the western edge and goes through town. It would take a gigantic plugging of the water way that would completely flood the whole town before it backed up and got any where near me north of town. I should take the gamble and get it surveyed.