Evacuee likes jobs, safety of his new home

Phillip Clayton, 49, works temporary jobs until he can find something more permanent. But he doesn't complain because it is better than what he had in New Orleans.

"It was hard to find jobs in Louisiana," he said. "Here, the jobs are plentiful."

Clayton and his mom were airlifted by the Coast Guard as evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. They were scheduled to go to San Antonio, but instead were re-routed to Utah.

While his mother has since returned to Louisiana, Clayton won't go back to his house, which was submerged in water when the levees broke.

"That's always going to be my home, but there's nothing there for me," Clayton said.

Since being in Utah, Clayton has seen his first "real" mountains, and his first winter was also something new.

"It was cold (in Louisiana), but nothing like this," Clayton said. "I've never seen so much snow in my life."

When he went to Park City, he commented on how the altitude change affected his ears.

Clayton basically spent his whole life in New Orleans which has an altitude between 5 feet below sea level to 17 feet above. Park City has an elevation of more than 6,000 feet above sea level.

And Utah is not only high. Clayton once set out on foot for 3300 South from 600 South.

"These blocks is kind-of long," he said. "I thought it would be a ways, but I didn't know it was that long."

During his walk, Clayton noted how different Salt Lake City is, in comparison to New Orleans.

"The city is clean, not many abandoned houses, not too much crime and I feel a little safer," he said.

While a lot may not be certain in his life right now, the always optimistic man knows he wants to stay in Utah.

"Maybe Hurricane Katrina was the best," Clayton said. "A blessing to get a new start."