Nightly News   |  August 28, 2012

As Isaac looms, neighbors band together

As many residents prepared to leave New Orleans they offered to help one another by lugging supplies and keeping track of each other’s whereabouts. NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>> here's the location tonight of this big and slow moving storm. eight miles an hour. that means it's going to be a long night for all the folks along the gulf coast . they've learned a lot and seen a lot in recent years and could teach us all a lesson about getting along and "making a difference" for each other. that part of the story is underway with gabe gutierrez in new orleans.

>> you safe?

>> reporter: on tennessee street in the lower ninth ward, robert green is on patrol.

>> across the street, the garretts have left, the andrews have left. clayton and them are staying.

>> reporter: he walks this street because he learned a hard lesson seven years ago.

>> it's really important to know who's here, because one of the things during katrina is, you didn't know who and where people were.

>> reporter: when the levees failed, his home washed away. he lost his mother, his 3-year-old granddaughter and many of his neighbors. never again, he said.

>> it's about knowing who's here, so if something bad happens, you know what you have to stop.

>> reporter: across the street --

>> you all be safe.

>> reporter: she evacuated. nola checks in with her neighbor.

>> you never know who you're going to need in this world.

>> reporter: and in st. bernard's parish, a new shipment of generators wasn't the only thing that brought people together.

>> our customers become like family. your neighbors become like family.

>> that's the guy that built my house.

>> reporter: right next door, making sure this time no one is forgotten. gabe gutierrez, nbc news,