Saturday, September 17, 2005
The New Orleans man wants to return and repair his home.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Michael Saulino is grateful for the help he and his family have received since they've been in the Mahoning Valley, but he said he is angry the federal government is not meeting its obligation to help its own citizens.
Saulino, his wife, Marie, two grandchildren, and his sister and brother-in-law, Debbie and David Roberts, have been staying with his parents, Ray and Helen Saulino, on Glenwood Avenue.
They fled New Orleans ahead of Hurricane Katrina and arrived in Youngstown on Sept. 3.
There has been good news: The family learned that one daughter who was missing was at a Red Cross shelter. Saulino found employment in Youngstown and began working this week for a plumbing and heating contractor.
Contacting FEMA
Saulino said he wants to return to New Orleans to rebuild his home and continue running his contracting business. He said they received a letter from Federal Emergency Management Agency that they qualified for up to $29,000 because their home is uninhabitable. Now, however, he cannot reach FEMA officials to get the money.
"My parents are in their 70s and they took in six people, including two great-grandchildren," Saulino said. "They weren't prepared for that. Their bills will be higher and they won't get any help from the government for that."
Saulino, a Marine Corps veteran, said he has paid a lot in taxes on his home and business in New Orleans. In time of need, he expected a return on his investment.
"With FEMA, everything is on their terms," he said. "There's nobody here locally to talk to. They want us to do everything on the Internet or through the 800 number," he said. "I've called, and they aren't calling back. FEMA could care less. We don't count."
Saulino added he has not had any success dealing with insurance agents. Most of the help he has received has been through the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, he said.
Running his business
If his family had a place to stay, he could return home and could be running his business, he said.
Saulino said he has been using an Internet site that shows aerial photos of the New Orleans area to check the damage to his home and business. He believes his business, located in an industrial park about 10 minutes from his house, has a hole in the roof.
He wants to buy a mobile home or camper to place on one of two lots he owns in New Orleans. Then his family would have a place to stay while he makes home repairs. He said he will have to gut the home and replace everything -- all work he can do himself.
Saulino is a contractor and has 17 employees. He said he and other employees have been receiving requests for service calls on their cell phones.
Some employees have been able to respond because they left the area ahead of the hurricane and took company vehicles with them.
tullis@vindy.com