Sen. Cassidy tours hurricane damage in Terrebonne, speaks with residents: ‘There’s a real sense of resiliency’

Terrebonne Parish curfew altered; now begins at 10 p.m.
September 11, 2021
Active tropics over the next five days; system to bring rain to Louisiana next week
September 11, 2021
Terrebonne Parish curfew altered; now begins at 10 p.m.
September 11, 2021
Active tropics over the next five days; system to bring rain to Louisiana next week
September 11, 2021

On Friday, U.S. Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) toured hurricane damage in Terrebonne Parish following his stop in St. Charles Parish. He met with residents affected by Hurricane Ida, which dealt extensive damage in the Bayou Region after making landfall near Port Fourchon as a Category 4 on August 29. 


 

“There’s just a lot of housing which is destroyed. But when you speak to folks — it’s cool. They give you a thumbs up…They’re trying to kind of like get their possessions together because everything has been destroyed, and they’re giving a thumbs up. So, there’s a real sense of resiliency,”  Cassidy said. 

 

“You see people back here laughing, not because they’re not surrounded by tragedy but because they’re so resilient,” he continued. “So there is a sense of hope, even in the midst of this, and we just need to help people rebuild.” 

 

The senator said he’s been in constant contact with the federal government, aiming to get long-term and short-needs needs for southeast Louisiana residents addressed. “My concern is those folks whose homes are not liveable, who currently are living elsewhere — but who would like to come back to their parish. That’s what we’re trying to find a solution for now,” he said. “FEMA will stand up some temporary stuff, but you don’t want to spend so much on temporary that can also go to permanent housing. So, we’re speaking to folks who can put together, for lack of a better term, prefab [prefabricated]. They drop, drop, drop, but then you have a home which actually meets code. It actually begins to develop, not just short-term but long-term housing as well. We’re hoping that’s positive.” 


For the long term, Cassidy also noted the infrastructure bill that passed the Senate and awaits approval from the House. “There are billions [in the bill] to harden the [electric] grid to have more resiliency, both by giving diversity to the grid and other things that make this sort of event less likely,” he said. 

 

Cassidy’s visit comes after the White House Budget Office formally requested supplemental disaster relief in response to Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta and other natural disasters in 2020 from Congress on Tuesday. Last week, the Louisiana Congressional Delegation added Hurricane Ida to the list of hurricanes from which Louisiana needs assistance.

 

When speaking with local officials, Cassidy said, one of the issues discussed was the reopening of parish schools.


 

“We’re getting the experience from southwest Louisiana. We’ve been on calls this past week, helping Calcasieu get the funding they need to continue rebuilding so that their schools can open. Well, there’s a lesson there for Terrebonne,” he said. “We want to make sure that we don’t run out of our funding before FEMA comes in. We need FEMA to come in earlier: what can we do, what strategy do we have to make sure that funding comes earlier. So, we’re going to take those lessons from other parts of Louisiana, apply them to Terrebonne, to make sure that Terrebonne has the resources needed to open up schools ASAP.” 

One of the stops for the senator on Friday was Bayou Terrebonne Distillers in downtown Houma, which, through a partnership with the nonprofit Hache Grant Association, opened its doors as a free grocery store to help residents in Ida’s wake and is making deliveries to folks down the bayou who can’t reach the distillery. 

 

Noah Lirette, owner of Bayou Terrebonne Distillers and President of The Hache Grant Association, said seeing elected officials on the ground following such disasters gives residents hope. “It’s going to probably lift their spirits a lot,” he said after giving Cassidy a tour of the facility and even a taste of their popular whiskey. “It gives me a lot of hope that the recovery process is going to be efficient and hopefully, not too long.” 


 

Find related articles below:

A Taste of Authenticity

The Hache Grant Association Provides “The Bayou Terrebonne Grocery” Free for Residents

Gallery: Senator Cassidy Tours Hurricane Ida Damage in Lafourche

 

See photos of the tour submitted by Cassidy’s office: