Why People Ignore Evacuation Orders | FEMA and SBA Disaster Assistance | Book “Aloha Vietnam”

Why some Wilton residents chose to ignore evacuation orders. FEMA and SBA disaster assistance. A Davis psychiatrist’s novel “Aloha Vietnam” which explores mental health and cross-cultural identity.  

Evacuation Orders

Major winter storms saw flooding across Sacramento County along with downed powerlines and trees. If you head south on Highway 99 you’ll find the community of Wilton located just east of Elk Grove which has had its fair share of flooding throughout the decades, and this round of storms was no different.  The town of roughly 6,000 people received a rotation of evacuation warnings and orders, but many residents chose to stay. CapRadio Sacramento Government Reporter Kristin Lam spoke with those who call Wilton home to learn more about why many chose not to evacuate. You can sign up for Sacramento County emergency alerts at Sacramento-Alert.org.

FEMA and SBA disaster assistance

The price tag from a series of deadly and destructive winter storms across California is too soon to tally. Still, with a major disaster declaration declared by President Joe Biden federal resources are now available for those in Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and Merced counties. President Biden is expected to personally assess the damage Thursday in a visit that could lead to more counties being included. For those affected by the storms, there are resources to help, but historically navigating federal assistance after a disaster can be stressful and emotionally taxing in an already difficult time. Insight invited two experts to help listeners navigate how things work on the federal level. Renee Bafalis with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) explained how the declaration process works and how residents can apply for those lifeline emergency services. Burl Kelton is with the Small Business Administration and explained the resources available for businesses, including loan assistance. 

Aloha Vietnam

It’s a journey of self-identity spanning the world’s largest ocean.  A personal voyage to overcome mental illness, and the grief that comes with the loss of one’s culture. That is the basis of “Aloha Vietnam” a novel about a Vietnamese-American family’s Odessey through the world of mental health treatment, and navigating life in a new country as they cope with the cultural loss and grief of leaving their homeland.  The novel is the first written by Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen, a psychiatrist based in Davis. The book is a love letter of sorts to the land and people of her cross-cultural heritage: Vietnam and Hawaii. She hopes this novel can help heal the wounds of generational trauma and be a beacon of hope to those suffering from mental illness. Dr. Nguyen joined Insight to tell us more about her novel and the healing power of art and nature.