Krasnodar region flooding

[newjason]

mendeleyev thank you for the clarification. No apologies are necessary I understand their willingness and desire to help, and that I do admire.

BC, I understand and appreciate the gesture that these celebs are making.

IMO  and this is purely my opinion, 
These individuals could be of more help by using their influence to generate Rubles instead of erecting tents and handing out bottles and food.
Famous personalities can organize masses of people, but only so many people can be effective as a labor force before there are too many . at that point, too many people are just in the way and confusion and frustration sets in.
What I am trying to say is I think the celebs could work smarter and do what they do, to help in a financial manner rather than unloading supplies.

Something along the lines of what Jerry Lewis will be doing in a few weeks in America.  Fund raising.

I Used the information given by  Mendeleyev to donate a few hundred dollars to help in the recovery efforts. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and I hope they are able to find something close to a normal life again very soon.

I have been out of the country since this happened, and haven't kept up with the latest news. Is there any new revelations or developments worth mentioning, other than the fact that Doll is and Angel?

[BC]

Jason,

I think I understand your viewpont..

In the west, there are well organized organizations that step in to help with disasters.  Like the Red Cross and a number of others.  They are prepared for this kind of event, have supplies on hand ready to truck or fly in.  We have a rather large UN depot near us located at our airport.  It's quite huge.

So of course with that kind of setup the best way for the stars to react is to siphon funds into these organizations.

Mendy would probably know best but I think that aid organizations in RU and the rest of FSU may not yet have the capacity or organization to react as would be normal and expected in the west.

Therefore even normal folk loading up their cars with essential goods and just 'doing it' may be a quite normal reaction. 

[Doll]

I did see it with my own eyes but a week after the flood.
We helped some people - worked on their properties, delievered some goods and the money that was sent to me by the Russian women forum members.
Here are some pics I took myself.

 

[Doll]

[Doll]

[Doll]

[Doll]

[mendeleyev]

I Used the information given by  Mendeleyev to donate a few hundred dollars to help in the recovery efforts. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and I hope they are able to find something close to a normal life again very soon.

Jason, God bless you and on behalf of the Russian people, thank you.

[mendeleyev]

Doll, thanks for going to help. Also thanks for your photos and continued reporting on the area.

[Doll]

[Doll]

Doll, thanks for going to help. Also thanks for your photos and continued reporting on the area.

I just happened to be there- that's all.
Thanks to Russian girls in the US who sent money to help these people.
We were able to buy instruments for 25 young volunteeres from Krasnodar ( I went with them)))

This is my older son working

[Doll]

[Doll]

 

[mendeleyev]

More scenes from the relief work:





One of the key things needed right now is organization.





Orthodox relief volunteers give up vacation time and work time to come and help.





The children watch and wait.





Coming mainly from Moscow and St Peterburg, clothing is hard to organize when small staffs are overrun by those who truly need the clothing.





Supplies are distributed as quickly as possible to prevent spoilage.





Bottled water is still needed in many areas.





Orthodox relief volunteers include a surprising number of older teens and young adults.





Cereals and baby foods.

[mendeleyev]

The Ministry of Emergency Situations (Министерство по чрезвычайным ситуациям - МЧС России) is the primary relief arm of the Russian government. Centralized with operations based in Moscow, they do everything from search and rescue, to putting out forest fires.

In over their heads with this one? Yes

The light at the end of the tunnel is that really for the first time ordinary Russians are realizing that a centralized government can't do it all from Moscow and unlike at any other time in history, we're seeing volunteerism at incredibly high levels. Just a few decades ago this sort of thing would have been swept under the rug by an uncaring Soviet government and denied, ignored and forgotten.

Not today, Russia is changing. Russians are taking control of their lives and caring for their neighbors like never before.

Awesome! Жива Россия!

[Ranetka]

Just a few decades ago this sort of thing would have been swept under the rug by an uncaring Soviet government and denied, ignored and forgotten.

Not today, Russia is changing. Russians are taking control of their lives and caring for their neighbors like never before.

Mendeleyev, you know I have a great respect for your knowledge of Russia and love to Russia. But really do you have to always insert some politically engaged comments everywhere? Do you have to be so biased about everything?


USSR used to have organised rescue services and also included Army and volonteers when required.
I for example remember a campaign with Armenian earthquake (late 80s), when they asked volunteers for blood and warm clothing. I personally gave blood then. 
All these organised services were effectively destroyed in the 90s (when democracy came to Russia lol) when government simply stopped paying to doctors, police, firemen etc.
All this corruption (paying to police etc) you like to present as Soviet heirloom in reality was unheard of in the USSR.   
 

[Ranetka]

What I mean is in the time of greatest need when as you yourself noticed Russians do not care about political opinions YOU AS A JOURNALIST just have to mention how horrid it was in USSR? Well it was not. Emergency services were in existence then and as far as I know Soviet rescue teams were even going to other countries for help believe or not. The reason is in such dare state now because in early 90s all this was destroyed, and as American journalist in support of democratic changes indirectly you were helping to destroy everything that worked well together with political system you dislike.

[Ranetka]

Doll, well done.

[mendeleyev]

Ranetka, my comments were meant to be very positive overall.

However I believe that we're talking about the same country that denied a problem at Chernobyl until it could no longer be swept under the rug while radiation spread further into the CCCP and then into other countries. The same one that denied that submarines were in trouble yet refused help from other countries while her sailors died.

I didn't write of the CCCP that cropped people out of photos when they were not longer party members nor the one that stripped military commanders of their ranks and denied pensions to the widows when something went wrong on a ship, a sub, or on the field of battle. I didn't bring up the hell that was Lubyanka--you remember that place of torture for citizens, right? I didn't even mention the Gulags.

Ranetka, I communicated with Alyona Popova yesterday and learned that earlier in the day there was a field seminar on evaluating emergency methods in Japan, the UK, Germany and USA in an effort to modernize the Russian Emergency Management system. I could easily paint that as Russia being behind, but somehow I believe that you and I agree that it is a good thing. Every country could learn to do more.

I am sorry that you feel my comments were offensive, however it would be a mistake to think that my experience is limited to the 90s. It is true that I detested the brutality of what was the Soviet Union. It is also true that I often applaud what Russia is becoming as much as I deplore what my own homeland is becoming as well. You won't find me on the "USA is the greatest country on the earth" bandwagon anytime soon either.

I'm betting on Russia--it is where we will retire and have business interests and property. If the truth hurts then we need to applaud when Russians work together so that the truth won't hurt. And that is hopefully what we can do together.

Жива Россия!

[Ranetka]

Ranetka, my comments were meant to be very positive overall.

However I believe that we're talking about the same country that denied a problem at Chernobyl until it could no longer be swept under the rug while radiation spread further into the CCCP and then into other countries. The same one that denied that submarines were in trouble yet refused help from other countries while her sailors died.

I didn't write of the CCCP that cropped people out of photos when they were not longer party members nor the one that stripped military commanders of their ranks and denied pensions to the widows when something went wrong on a ship, a sub, or on the field of battle. I didn't bring up the hell that was Lubyanka--you remember that place of torture for citizens, right? I didn't even mention the Gulags.

Thank you for your response. Firstly I have to agree with you regarding Chernobyl. It was a week delay in reaction which caused lots of future problems for people.


As for the rest of political/historical references I really can not be bothered to answer, sorry. I used to be like all young people who were in support of democratic changes during Perestroyka, however my living in the west and interest in history turned my opinion somewhat 180 degrees. I do not mind to have a debate sometime if you pleased.


I probably can not express my thoughts properly as my points are often misunderstood on the board.
 
Regardless of how USSR and Communist Party choose to react to Chernobyl catastrophe the USSR used to have a pretty good emergency systems in  place (pretty good for that times - lets not forget we're talking 20 years ago )which is not surprising considering the history and landscape (lots of remote places with harsh climate conditions). 


The point I find very annoying is you (as many western people) pick up issue which USSR did not have but modern-20 years-post-USSR Russia certainly has and blame it on Soviet/Communist traditions?

[Doll]

Doll, well done.

Thanks, but, like I said- I just happened to be there. Скромно)))))))

[Doll]

This washing machine was bought on Russian forum (in the USA) members' money and delievered to this family by my son (to Krymsk). This and some toys and candies for these two kids.

[newjason]

Jason, God bless you and on behalf of the Russian people, thank you.

Thank you as well.   I must admit I am speechless after viewing the photos you and  Angel  err I mean  Doll posted.   

The part that really burns my soul is that the loss of life could have been avoided so easily.  With all the modern technologies we have in 2012 there is no excuse why these people could not have been warned ahead of the release of water.  If that is indeed what happened. 

Does Russia have any sort of Emergency Alert System  or broadcast system in place at all?  I know in the west, we have been raised with am emergency broadcast system that interrupts all television and radio broadcasts and  delivers warnings and alerts and instructions on what to do and how to proceed in the event of an emergency.

I am glad to hear this about Alyona Popova taking this on, I think she is in a position to make it happen and It is great to have people helping people.

It Is encouraging news for sure to know that Russia is strong as her people are proud.

[newjason]

Thanks, but, like I said- I just happened to be there. Скромно)))))))

Doll, you and your family are Heros.    You are an example of what all people should strive to be.
I commend you and am proud that there are still good people in this world.

May I ask, how did you choose where to start helping? Is this place you are working on your relatives or did you just choose a family at random?

I can't believe the damage I see in the photos, they are simply shocking.

God Bless you and yours.

[newjason]

The high water mark  is 5+ feet up the walls!
I can't imagine so much water getting that high in the house.

..I am speechless