When Leaving isn’t an Option

The South is no stranger to the great storms and destruction that comes way of the Atlantic Ocean during hurricane season, and yet when the rain starts, there’s little that we can do besides that which our instincts tell us to do: fight or flight. As Ida neared the Gulf and the projections began accumulating on the days leading up to the storm, it’s that very instinct that caused so much controversy within the community.
For some people, there may have been the option to gather their valuables and retreat to calmer areas with loved ones until the storm’s clouds had passed and the rain had ceased. As the exodus of many Louisianans towards the bordering state of Texas began days prior to the storm, it was only normal for those capable of taking asylum away from the dangers posed by the storm to take it.
The controversy arose however when social media talking heads began the rhetoric of blaming victims of the hurricane who stayed in their homes for forcing rescuers to expend resources on their rescue when they could have been used elsewhere. While this premise is flawed on a variety of different fronts, the biggest would have to be the lack of empathy that’s being displayed on the part of those responsible for said rhetoric.
For starters, the act of evacuating is one that costs money and resources, including food and gas on the part of those taking the trek to other states. With Texas being the main example of a destination for most evacuees, hotel costs must also be taken into account for yourself and your family. The worst aspect of all this however is that most people still had to pay rent on September 1 in the midst of the storm’s aftermath.
Taking this perspective into account, it’s more than understandable why many would rather choose to stay home at no additional cost to themselves, even at the risk of losing lights or the potential of being caught in a storm. It’s also important to note that most people who have been born in Louisiana have been through more tropical storms and hurricanes than they have fingers to count, and as such, understands the dangers and precautions associated with sitting a hurricane out.
If there’s one thing to take away from this discourse though, it’s to never assume the situations of others are equivalent to your own. Despite the shared culture and fears that Louisiana natives may have, our means and individual situations can vary greatly.
So while we hope that Ida will be the worst of the storms that we get during hurricane season, the reality is that there’s still some months to go before we are out of harm’s way as it relates to storms forming in the Atlantic. So when the next big one inevitably comes, whether it be this year or in the future, have empathy towards your neighbors and their situations, because you never know the circumstances that they must deal with alongside the shared threats that we all face in the form of the storms on the horizon.