Climate disasters quickly leave the news cycles after the immediate threat is gone, but the story doesn’t stop there. While national attention might leave the affected areas, citizens must deal with ongoing emotional, physical, and financial issues—usually without government and corporate assistance. Amdynn Isbrid (he/she/they) from Portland, Oregon, lived through the West Coast fires in September 2020. Despite working outside with the Air Quality Index (AQI) measuring up to 477 micrograms per cubic millimeter, neither Isbrid nor their coworkers received any PPE. In the wake of the fires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied 70% of claims from Oregon residents and 86% of claims by Californians. The automated, complex FEMA application process, designed to protect against fraudulent claims, prevented people from accessing needed aid. Gina (she/her) from Chico, California, lost everything in the Camp Fire that tore through Northern California in November 2018. Eighty-six people in Paradise, California perished. While Gina was a homeowner and received an insurance settlement, renters or those without insurance coverage were not so lucky. Macy Callais (she/her) is from Lockport, Louisiana. Hurricane Ida destroyed her home. Initially, Callais thought she would be eligible for FEMA assistance, but FEMA denied her claim because she was a renter. Orville Black (any pronouns), from River Falls, Wisconsin, experienced intense rainstorms on their family farm. Water washed away car-sized hay bales and pigs, and waterlogged tractors and farm equipment. Because the farm is in a flood zone, Black and their family constantly worry about the possibility of another extreme weather event. Gabriela Ramos-Tavárez (she/her) is from Atlanta, GA. Ramos-Tavárez’s room flooded through her closed window because of Hurricane Maria’s intense winds. The heat and humidity in Ramos-Tavárez’s caused mold to grow over her entire bedroom. Despite Ramos-Tavárez’s father’s preparedness, they lack enough batteries, cash, food, and gasoline. The indifference from the national government cost Puerto Rico greatly. The local government mismanaged any funds it did receive.
