Thinking back to Hurricane Isaac, it was amazing to see everyone react so quickly and decisively to rescue residents and pets from their homes. Although unprecedented, the number of residents transported to safety with no loss of life was a testament to coordination of many entities.

— St. John Parish President Natalie Robottom

The thing I remember most? Fear, fear of the unknown. Fear of where we would be brought or who would come to get us. Fear of recovering from great loss. Fear that my kids would no longer trust me when I say “Everything will be OK.” Fear of what lie ahead. And now, fear of what lies behind us.

— Melanie R. Basile, Community Bank branch manager

Hurricane Isaac caused the officials of St. James Parish to view Category 1 storms differently forever. It took two days after the storm for the back waters to threaten our residents. Our residents displayed the largest and most magnificent volunteer response (on record) involving a major sandbagging event that probably saved 300 to 400 homes from flooding. St. James Parish is more vulnerable than ever before due to flood protection and risk reduction measures taken by neighboring parishes. Since then, the officials in St. James have been working with the Corps of Engineers and formulating a task force to address our needs for the future.

— St. James Parish President Timmy Roussel

The thing I remember most, while in the EOC, was the reports we were getting on the amount of flooding being reported in St. John. And as Parish President, I couldn’t do anything to help them, also how lucky we were to have the East Bank Protection levee.

— St. Charles Parish President V.J. St. Pierre Jr. 

What I remember most about the storm is more personal to me since my home was one of the many that flooded. I remember wondering how high the water would get and worrying when I knew the only way out for my family was to wait on a rescue boat. When the boat came, I remember we hurriedly grabbed just a few things and climbed through the dining room window and right into the boat. I remember returning the next day and seeing just how much was lost to the flood … my only baby portrait, our only copy of our wedding video, numerous photos and photo albums … those things that can’t be replaced, only remembered. I remember how people came together to help rebuild … not only homes and businesses, but lives too. And, I remember thinking then, as I do now, how blessed we were … blessed that the storm wasn’t stronger, blessed that the water wasn’t higher, blessed that no lives were lost, and blessed that we had such wonderful family and friends to help us get through it all.

— LaPlace attorney Jeff Perilloux

As Isaac first started tracking toward Louisiana, I decided to imbed myself with the Corps of Engineers in its New Orleans command center. I wanted to see — firsthand and in real time — exactly how our new $14.6 billion post-Katrina hurricane protection system performed, how areas outside this system fared and how the Corps executed in an emergency along with its state and local partners. What I took away from this experience was that our new post-Katrina protection system performed as designed, and that it was operated in a very professional way. But there was significant flooding outside the system, so we still have a lot more work to do. I also saw the Corps perform extremely well in this emergency — in what I would call its Army mode. The problem is the Corps reverts to its bureaucracy mode outside of emergencies. We need a no-nonsense, streamlined Corps all the time. We’re clearly better off in southeast Louisiana than we were the day before Katrina, but there is still more work to do to make sure we are prepared for any storm that comes our way.”

— U.S. Sen. David Vitter

What I remember most about Hurricane Isaac is how in the midst of so much loss and devastation, our community came together to help one another. Adversity and trials can either divide a community or bring them together. It was “team work that made the dream work.” As pastor of New Wine I am grateful that I was able to be a part of such an amazing recovery. To God alone be the glory!

— Pastor Neil Bernard, New Wine Christian Fellowship

I will never forget driving on Main St. to assess rising water by Interstate 10. I could go no further than Woodland so I turned around. When I returned to Main Street, where I had just driven moments ago, water had begun to cover the road like white water rapids. It did not take long to hear over the police radio citizens had started calling 911 from River Forest Subdivision advising of houses flooding and needing to be rescued. Seeing people young and old carrying what they could, walking through waist-deep water most looking dazed and confused. Then eventually making it to my own home already knowing that it was flooded. Losing valuable treasured collected items over time that could never be replaced. As Sheriff I remember thinking how am I going to balance protecting the parish and restoring my own home, but family and friends gutted my home and told me to go back to work. That memory was the best and will remain with me for the rest of my life! Hurricane Isaac could never take that away!

— St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre