As I mentioned last week, a team of Vermonters from the Northern Vermont chapter of the Red Cross is now down South, helping with hurricane relief efforts. They've set up a blog, Notes from the Scene, to chronicle their experience. It's a different, primary source perspective on what's happening there. Here's a report from Dr. Mark Banks, who's in Biloxi, Miss.:

I have had a chance to spend time with survivors and their stories wereunimaginable....I met one man who bobbed in the water for over eighthours...I worked with another woman who spent hours trapped in herhouse with a 4 inch air pocket to support her, with a friend who didnot survive at her side. In the midst of all that a bright spot; awoman came into the shelter with an unusual last name and I recognizedit and remembered that a man had come in with that same name earlierworried that he could not find his wife....I ran to get the man and thereunion was made!