MISSISSIPPI MISSIONS
Team 3 12/4-10/05
The AIA Seattle Disaster Preparedness + Response Committee (DP+R) mounted Team 3 (see "Mission Journal" below, including reports of all three deployments) to the Mississippi coast, and continues to provide training to design professionals to assist in disaster preparedness and response.

The Gulfport Casino

Resources:
* AIA B191-Emergency Services Contract
* re MS Board of Architects:
**Service Agreement

MISSISSIPPI MISSION JOURNAL/Team 3
12/8, TR: Thanks for the report of the hand for the Mississippi Mission at the Holiday Party. It truly has been satisfying to be here, and people are grateful for the help. A lot still needs to be done. Most people have been waiting weeks or months for someone to show up to give an independent appraisal because the local experts are so swamped.

Owen Richards AIA visits a homeowner in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Today we visited Ocean Springs, an old and graceful community east of Biloxi. It was the first capital of the Louisiana colony in the late 17th century. Although the damage was not as widespread as some areas, the neighborhoods near the beach were pretty torn up. We assessed one house that had had such wind damage that only the garage was left standing. It had been built to withstand hurricane forces. Another had half of the pier foundation destroyed while the other part of the structure (they were connected by a walkway) was intact. The owner was trying to figure out whether it was worth jacking up the first half to put a new pier foundation underneath it. A third house, built in the 1850's, had had the foundation piers float away under the porch due to water inundation.

In all these cases, we try to bring perspective to the situation, sometimes putting people's minds at rest that parts of their damage is not structural, giving them suggestions for repair and advice on what to do first, or giving our opinions about the feasibility of certain solutions they have been considering. We've learned a lot about the consequences of a 500+ year catastrophe in all its aspects. The Mississippi Governor's Commission on Rebuilding, Recovery and Renewal funded a series of charettes a few weeks ago for all these coastal communities. Andres Duany and John Norquist participated as well as a number of other planners and architects. The draft reports as well as a fantastic Pattern Book are out and can be downloaded at www.cnu.org, mississippirenewal.com, or tndtownpaper.com. This effort is very exciting.

Tomorrow we are planning on a short day and then will take off for a brief visit to New Orleans, which is about an hour and a half away. It seemed a shame not to see it while we are here. Then we are off to the airport early Saturday morning. The week has been an incredible experience.

I probably won't get another chance to write -- see you soon!

12/7, TR: Today we assessed some houses in Waveland, a community to the west of Biloxi, and closer to the eye of the storm. In fact, a couple of residents reported that the eye had passed over their houses and had lasted about 1/2 hour. They were probably 1/2 mile from te beach and had taken on 2 - 6 feet of water. Waveland is on a sandy peninsula near Bay St. Louis, is low lying, and most of it has been destroyed. The storm surge came about 1/2 to 3/4 mile inland, leaving virtually nothing in its wake. The beautiful two-story historic masonry Waveland Cultural museum lost its south wing and about half it's roof to the storm. Closer to the beach, we saw downed 16" pillars splayed out like fingers on a hand on their concrete slabs, showing the force and direction of the waves. I nearly cried when I saw the little piles of people's belongings stacked up in corners of these slabs. There is a raised railway about 1/2 mile inland, and someone later reported that there had been houses lodged on it for about a month that the storm had deposited there.

Waveland was so demolished that Walmart was the only enterprise around for miles that was open and selling goods. I couldn't believe that I was so glad to see it!

On the plus side is that people are picking up and moving on. There really is nothing else to do. If people are able, they are doing the work themselves because the FEMA and insurance money is so little. We saw a sign on the front lawn of one house that read: "Katrina got my house; State Farm got the rest." This man's roof had been demolished by a tree (ridge beam broken in half) and he was still fighting with his insurance company over the amount of reimbursement.

People have a real conundrum because FEMA probably will rewrite the flood zone map and establish new datum for the flood plain. If your house is below the new datum, will you be able to get a loan for reparation? No one knows.

Tomorrow we go out again, and Friday we are going to knock off early to make a quick trip to New Orleans before our flights out on Saturday.

12/6, TR: I found the internet via a computer at the Coast Episcopal School where Team 3 is staying - yea! These people rock - the volunteers here are completely organized, run a relief operation for food, clothing and medicine, as well as work teams, with between 50 and 150 volunteers and few paid staff.

So far Owen Richards and I have seen about 12 houses and will see seven more tomorrow. The other team, Kay Van Dyke and Nicole Taylor have seen a similar number. We've seen the gamut between trees falling through roofs and crushing roof structures, to a 50 year old but solidly built house still standing with very little structural damage in a neighborhood where nothing else survived. It has been an amazing experience so far. Portions of the coast highway are open now although there is virtually nothing still standing there. We're going to Waveland tomorrow which was one of the hardest hit communities. I have been taking lots of pictures.

Largely, this area is still in the demoltion phase. There are huge piles of trash everywhere, downed trees everywhere, and heavy equipment on the roads with loads of debris.

Mostly what we've been doing is giving our opinion about questions people had. They've seen the insurance guy, the FEMA guy, and a few contractors already and some have had conflicting opinions about whether the house was recoverable or not, or what they should do first. Some people are relieved to find there is no structural damage, and some people wish the house had been totaled because there is no feasible way to fix the house without spending the life savings. Insurance reimursements have been very little, and non-existent if you did not have flood insurance. Most people who experienced storm surge flooding (2' - 5') didn't have flood insurance because they were not in a food zone. One woman said she got more for her husband's motorcycle than for the house. I think there are some class action lawsuits going.

On the plus side, there is a lot of volunteerism going on, and people are being incredibly generous. Brenda Crain, the woman who is organizing the AIA effort in the Biloxi area, has three children, a graphic design business, and a family of five staying with her.

need to run...lights are out and we have seven houses to see tomorrow.

MISSISSIPPI MISSION JOURNAL/Team 2
11/22, CW: We left Mississippi mentally and physically spent, not so much from the work we did as from the state of the gulf communities we visited.

"Hoping we have made a difference, we are at least confident that we have done our best. We brought peace of mind to some folks worried about the stability of their structures, and closure to others resigned to the possibility that they have lost their home. The combination of contractor (Rick d'Ours) and architect (Craig Webster) proved a strong team make-up because we were able to take both an over-view and a detailed point of reference with each structure, providing a clear understanding for the owners about the current state of their property. It was a small effort for sure, but a good base of assistance from which to grow a volunteer service for future events. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the AIA Mississippi folks for their spirit, energy and commitment."

11/18 Pass Christian, CW: Our last day and we have been assigned seven families to visit in the community of Pass Christian. It is located on the coast along on the eastern boundary of St. Louis Bay and is surrounded by the bay on three sides while the back-bay bayou completes an almost circular enclosure.

"The waves and storm surge swept over, around and through the peninsula-like town. Once again we were witness to the awesome power of an angry sea, pushing ashore with waves reaching 15 feet and wind driven water adding up to eight additional feet, creating it seems, a cauldron of confused destructive energy. As the water came inland, it took advantage of every weakness a structure might exhibit. Concrete apartments were swept clean of their first two stories and now look like newly framed, unfinished construction sites, except for the mountains of debris surrounding them. Wood framed building along the shoreline suffered almost total destruction but once again there were strange survivors in the most unlikely settings.

"It was in the back-bay where we found grotesquely fascinating examples of the storm's impact. Every home we saw had been immersed in the storm surge to as much as 15 feet (please note that I do not and will not use the term FLOODED out of protest to the insurance industry and respect for the bewildered home owners). What is bizarre were the different kinds of damage we came upon. Partly because of location, partly as a result of construction types, houses sustained unique wind and water related destruction. One house was lifted completely off its CMU column supports by the water's power, coming to rest intact (ie. Wizard Of OZ) along side, while another we assessed which was firmly bolted to wood 10 X 10 timbers, remained in place with a water mark on the walls at 18 feet above grade. We have concluded that Sonotube and CMU structural supports are woefully under-engineered for shear and uplift.

A really tragic sight was a home torn in half by the rising water. The second floor was lifted off the first floor framing, twisted and dropped back on to the exterior walls, a complete loss for a woman who doesn't have, by definition, the necessary insurance. The neighborhood is now in shambles, overwhelmed with debris, sunken pleasure boats, lumber, vehicles and very personal possessions strewn about in an exhausting vision of decimated lives."

11/18, RM: "We learned today from our AIA Mississippi colleagues that the Governor of Mississippi has signed a Good Samaritan Act, which clears a major obstacle for architects doing relief work."

11/15, Mississippi Coast: Craig Webster and Rick are doing fine and providing solid assistance to homeowners and small business owners on the coast of Mississippi. AIA Mississippi has been doing a great job coordinating their efforts.

"The extent of damage that Craig has seen is widely varied. In most cases, home- and business-owners have already cleared their properties of debris and removed moldy drywall down to exposed studs. In Biloxi, much damage was incurred from the wind as well as the storm surge. It seems that insurance adjusters have been out to nearly all properties and are deeming the cause of damage as "flood damage." Because storm surge is essentially caused by wind forces of a hurricane, we know that "flood damage" is a misnomer.

"There is a great opportunity for our volunteer architects to be advocates for these people in helping to determine the cause of damage. And relevant to our own area, would you say water damage from a tsunami is "flooding?" Much discussion here."

Mission Report/Team 1
Thanks to members of the first deployment, and to those who joined the "Mississippi Missionaries" for a brown-bag lunch 10/5 and a first-hand illustrated account of their damage assessment work in Mississippi, and thoughts on the value design professionals bring to communities in need of disaster response – and what next?

Mississippi Mission Journal
9/21 Seattle, RM. "The initial deployment team of five have returned home, with some pictures in our minds we'll never forget. During our days on the Mississippi coast and in Jackson, we were able to work with local architects and building officials and to help them understand and apply the ATC red-, yellow-, and green-tagging system to advise the public about the safety of buildings.
"When we can, we'll share our stories and also help prepare others for further work in various disaster-affected areas. We have willing and able volunteers standing by ready to assist, and that is so wonderful!
"Again, our thanks to everyone for the help and support."
9/16/en route Gulfport-Jackson, RM: "The first deployment heads homeward over the next few days. Megan and I plan to stay until Wednesday, to help plan activities for the next group, in consultation with our colleagues at AIA Mississippi. Stand by for stories and pictures of our time here."

9/14/05/Gulfport, RM: "On Monday, we talked with David Downey and others of the AIA Disaster team in Jackson, before traveling to the coast. We have been sleeping on cots in a classroom at one of the state-owned group homes where Todd and I have been working. Several of these have been completed razed, in others we see complete washouts of the first floor. These and other buildings have widespread black mold, which could require a 100% rebuilding effort.

"I am calling from a community college, where classes started today -- they began doing repairs two weeks ago. So many people from all over have come here to help! We're staying near a fairground filled with tree-trimming trucks from all over the country come to clean up storm debris.

"The team plans to return to Jackson tomorrow, through possibly Megan Nezhinski and I may stay until Wednesday. The returning team members will have stories to tell, and some pictures as well.

"We've learned that quality of construction is everything: recently constructed buildings have withstood well, perhaps losing their windows, while adjacent older wood-frame structures are completely destroyed. Building codes make all the difference. The State of Mississippi has a big battle ahead on this one."

"Notes for future delegations:
"There is a possibility that we can reroute our volunteers through another assessment effort organized by the AIA. If another team is sent, people with damage assessment experience are most needed – and the more experienced, the better, and not restricted to licensed architects.

"Due to the nature of provisions, there isn't a way to accommodate anyone with dietary restrictions, i.e.: no vegetarian options and definitely nothing organic.

"As far as supplies and materials, having a couple laptops has been helpful for downloading pictures. Not everyone on the team will need one. Pictures have been helpful, so bring/take lots of memory cards as well as rechargeable batteries.

"Please bring throat lozenges! They're advised as something to take, and now that my throat hurts I know why.

"Thanks for all the supportive messages and help. We'll look forward to sharing stories with all of you when we get back."

9/12/05/Jackson, RM: "The team will soon head down to the coast for damage assessment work until Friday, hoping to meet with David Downey and [AIA CFO] Jim Dinegar before we leave. Probably most of the team will fly back to Seattle on Saturday. From what we can see, the ideal team size is 6 people. The next deployment should probably plan to depart on Sunday [9/18] and return on Saturday [9/24]. We'll want to avoid overlap, to lessen the burden on the home stay families. Again, no way of knowing when we can access communication.

9/11/05/Jackson, RM: "We've landed safely, thank you. I am writing from the 5th-year architecture studio at Mississippi State here in Jackson. Megan Nedzinski and I are staying with Paul Barlow, Assistant to the Director of Facilities for the State. Paul Wu is staying with the local AIA VP, Rob Farr. Nhan Nguyen and Todd Charlton are here too. I believe David Downey [Director of the AIA Center for Communities by Design, AIA Disaster Assistance, and coordinator of the AIA Katrina response] will meet with Rob tomorrow.

"It looks as if by Tuesday we will be going to the coast and staying overnight, as it is too far to travel back and forth. Lots of details to work out tomorrow morning. We will know more about the second deployment tomorrow. Cell phone coverage is intermittent."

9/9/05/Seattle, RM: On Saturday (tomorrow!), the state of Mississippi will greet 5 of us from Seattle: Paul Wu, Megan Nedzinski, Nhan Nguyen, Todd Charlton, and Rachel Minnery.

"We will be assisting the State in doing initial damage assessments which means, we are acting as part of their team, to lend extra eyes and hands to understanding the extent of their damage. The information we all gather on our visit will be presented to the Mississippi State Legislature as a 'state of conditions' type of analysis. Essentially, as I understand it, we are mainly assisting in their 'windshield' assessment - and, let's hope, providing some safety evaluations and placards [e.g. safety assessment signage used to advise the public of building safety, see ATC references below] along the way ('rapid assessment').

"Monday morning we will kickstart the official working session with a meeting with the Attorney General's office to define our coverage and liability as volunteers from out of state. Before we provide any volunteer services, we need to know what our exposure is in terms of professional and personal liability. Mississippi, unlike most states, does not have a Good Samaritan Law in effect, which protects volunteers acting in good faith from liability. My understanding from this past week is that the state attorney has authorized our work under the State Tort Claims Act which does something similar to the Good Samaritan Act. So once we establish that we are responsibly volunteering, and what our duties entail, we will update everyone on future deployments: when, appropriate team size and skill set, etc..

"I want to thank all who have contributed time and efforts to make just this first deployment of the mission happen. We hope it's just the start of a continuing relationship to assist in the recovery of the Gulf Coast."

Mississippi Mission team gathering 9/6/05, clockwise from left: Barbara Campagna, Megan Nedzinksi, Rachel Minnery, Tom Small, Todd Charlton, Jeremy Southerland, Nhan Nguyen, Paul Wu. In the background: Roger Stocker