Peterson Family - Mission to Mississippi

Wayland to Waveland’s
‘Mission to Mississippi’
Letters from the Families

Eddie Peterson and (financee) Courtney

    We have been together for three (3) years and are getting married on March 07, 2009. I (Eddie) am a Narcotics Investigator with the Waveland Police Department, where I have been employed for the last six (6) years. Prior to my employment with Waveland Police Department, I was a fulltime fireman for the City of Waveland for four (4) years. Courtney is a Cosmetologist, whom recently received her state board certification in March of 2006.
    On the date of August 29, 2005, the date Hurricane Katrina made landfall, Courtney and her mother took shelter at my parents residence which is located in Kiln, MS. I along with every other policeman (28) was given orders to report to duty at midday of August 28. We patrolled the streets on the night of August 28th and early morning hours of August 29th until the high winds would no longer allow us to. At approximately 8:00 a.m. on the morning of August 29th, we began to receive 911 calls of residents whom were getting water in their homes. We weren’t able to help those people due to the wind being close to 100 M.P.H. at that time.
    At approximately 9:00a.m the winds were getting close to peak and we noticed that the roof of our metal police station was moving up and down rapidly. As we tried to gather a plan to evacuate to a nearby hotel, we noticed water seeping in from under the rear door. We couldn’t see outside due to the window and doors being boarded up. At first we assumed it was the ditch next to the station overflowing from the rain water, until we looked out back and noticed the water to be about a foot and a half deep. We ran through the station putting computers and personal belongings on top of desks. About fifteen (15) minutes after the water first started coming in the back door the water had risen to about three (3) feet. The water was coming in from all windows, doors and even wall sockets. It was at this time our chief made the decision for us to evacuate the building. We attempted to exit at the rear of the station, but a car had floated against the back door. We then proceeded to the front door, but were unable to open it due to the water pressure. We broke a large window next to the door and freed the plywood up that was bolted to the window casing. We exited the station as a group twenty-eight (28) people walking hand in hand toward a U.S. Highway that appeared to be higher ground. When we got to the highway, the water pressure of the rising water was too strong, so we grabbed onto what we could which happened to be a large red top for most and the front of the station for others. The water continued to rise to the point that we could no longer touch and climbed up on branches, where we remained for four (4) hours.
    It was approximately a week later that I learned of the desire to help from citizens in your area. I wasn’t able to meet anyone from Wayland personally, but know other officer’s who did. I along with every other employee with Waveland police received care packages from Wayland P.D. I did have the opportunity to meet and work with four officers from Mendon Police Department in Mendon, Massachusetts. These guys are Staff Sergeant Donald Blanchette, Sergeant Brian Massey, Officer Chris Bettencourt and Officer Matt Hoar. They drove 1500 miles to assist us in our daily duties that we could not have done without them and others alike. We received tremendous amounts of assistance from other mostly larger departments, but to send four (4) officer’s from a small department such as Mendon, shows a true will to help those in need. They represented the people of your state and did so in great fashion.
    At the time Hurricane Katrina struck our city we were living in an apartment in the City of Waveland. We had a two bedroom bottom floor apartment in which the water went two feet into the apartment above. Courtney lost her vehicle which was parked in front of the apartment, but mine was spared due to her using it to evacuate. I did not enter the apartment for two weeks, because of the reality that nothing could be salvaged. Once we did enter it was hard to located anything because either it was not in its original location or covered in mud and insulation. I was able to salvage my wallet which was in a kitchen drawer and my first patrolman badge which was located in my closet. I gave the badge to Staff Sergeant Don Blanchette of Mendon Police Department and heard it is currently hanging in their station.
    We heard of City of Wayland’s decision to adopt the City of Waveland as a sister city shortly after the storm. There was an indescribable amount of help after the storm, which slowly dissipated, but the residents of Wayland have always and continue to do what they pledged to do. The houses that you are building are proof of your generosity and dedication to help the residence of Waveland. I can not tell you how grateful and appreciative we are to have the opportunity to a part of your mission. This home will lift the burden of us trying to afford permanent housing which we would have struggled to do alone. We would like to say thank you and you are all a true gift from God!

Thank You All,
Eddie and Courtney