Analysis!
This blog so far represents just three to four weeks of my life, beginning when I decided to “do my bit” and volunteer with the Red Cross, do the training, get equipped for anything, go to the Katrina disaster area meet many wonderful, wonderful Red Cross Volunteers and actually get out there and meet with, interact with and help those victims (clients the Red Cross calls them) of the storms.
The pictures below are from my disposable camera and are but a few of the images that will forever be etched in my brain. The thoughts, the frustrations and the emotions written below are just mine and represent an infinitesimally small part of what is the story of Katrina and Rita. As I have written below the numbers of Volunteers stretches into the millions – can you imagine what pictures, what stories, what heartaches and yes what victories they have to tell.
Much has been already written, and will be, about how well the Red Cross and other Agencies, particularly FEMA have responded to this crisis. All I can say is that every one of the people, the workers and staffs that I have met have been dedicated, motivated, passionate and caring people who cared enough to do something about it. That there is trouble at the top, that response could have been faster, that resources were not used to their fullest extent, that many Volunteers had to “hurry up and wait” for deployment, these issues are arguable and probably true. But I maintain that the USA has never, never had to deal with the magnitude of these disasters before, especially in the time frame within which they happened. No one could comprehend the sheer enormity of the situation, and consequently not one then had a plan to react to it. I would like to think that lessons have been learned, and that the Government, FEMA and yes the Red Cross have all created new plans and strategies that will help deal with other such emergencies which will undoubtedly happen.
But in the end all I can say is that The Red Cross – funded by donations from the American People, American Corporations and FEMA, The Southern Baptist Convention, and largely run by Volunteers, during the last 5 weeks has done, or provided the following, and I salute them:
Financial Assistance to upwards of three quarters of a million Hurricane Katrina victims dispersed across the nation. As of Oct. 5, the Red Cross has distributed for financial assistance to more than 963,000 families (more than 3.0 million hurricane survivors).
Shelters/Temporary Housing - Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the Red Cross has provided hurricane survivors with more than 3.2 million overnight stays in 1,150 shelters across 27 states and the District of Columbia.
As of Oct. 4, the Red Cross the Hurricane Katrina and Rita special accommodations program, which will be funded by FEMA and is being administered by the Red Cross on behalf of the federal government, has provided nearly 49.6 million overnight hotel stays to more than 483,000 people in 8,600 hotels/motels in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Relief Workers - More than 178,000 Red Cross disaster relief workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to their neighbors in need.
Feeding Operations - The Red Cross, in coordination with the Southern Baptist Convention, has served more than 20.3 million hot meals and more than 13.5 million snacks to hurricane survivors to date.
Reuniting Families - More than 288,000 names have been registered online, which is helping reconnect loved ones separated by the hurricanes.
Disaster Mental Health - To date, nearly 531,500 people have received Red Cross Disaster Mental Health services.
Funds Received - The Red Cross has received nearly $1.1 billion in gifts and pledges for the hurricane relief effort. (As of Oct. 5, 2005)
The pictures below are from my disposable camera and are but a few of the images that will forever be etched in my brain. The thoughts, the frustrations and the emotions written below are just mine and represent an infinitesimally small part of what is the story of Katrina and Rita. As I have written below the numbers of Volunteers stretches into the millions – can you imagine what pictures, what stories, what heartaches and yes what victories they have to tell.
Much has been already written, and will be, about how well the Red Cross and other Agencies, particularly FEMA have responded to this crisis. All I can say is that every one of the people, the workers and staffs that I have met have been dedicated, motivated, passionate and caring people who cared enough to do something about it. That there is trouble at the top, that response could have been faster, that resources were not used to their fullest extent, that many Volunteers had to “hurry up and wait” for deployment, these issues are arguable and probably true. But I maintain that the USA has never, never had to deal with the magnitude of these disasters before, especially in the time frame within which they happened. No one could comprehend the sheer enormity of the situation, and consequently not one then had a plan to react to it. I would like to think that lessons have been learned, and that the Government, FEMA and yes the Red Cross have all created new plans and strategies that will help deal with other such emergencies which will undoubtedly happen.
But in the end all I can say is that The Red Cross – funded by donations from the American People, American Corporations and FEMA, The Southern Baptist Convention, and largely run by Volunteers, during the last 5 weeks has done, or provided the following, and I salute them:
Financial Assistance to upwards of three quarters of a million Hurricane Katrina victims dispersed across the nation. As of Oct. 5, the Red Cross has distributed for financial assistance to more than 963,000 families (more than 3.0 million hurricane survivors).
Shelters/Temporary Housing - Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the Red Cross has provided hurricane survivors with more than 3.2 million overnight stays in 1,150 shelters across 27 states and the District of Columbia.
As of Oct. 4, the Red Cross the Hurricane Katrina and Rita special accommodations program, which will be funded by FEMA and is being administered by the Red Cross on behalf of the federal government, has provided nearly 49.6 million overnight hotel stays to more than 483,000 people in 8,600 hotels/motels in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Relief Workers - More than 178,000 Red Cross disaster relief workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to their neighbors in need.
Feeding Operations - The Red Cross, in coordination with the Southern Baptist Convention, has served more than 20.3 million hot meals and more than 13.5 million snacks to hurricane survivors to date.
Reuniting Families - More than 288,000 names have been registered online, which is helping reconnect loved ones separated by the hurricanes.
Disaster Mental Health - To date, nearly 531,500 people have received Red Cross Disaster Mental Health services.
Funds Received - The Red Cross has received nearly $1.1 billion in gifts and pledges for the hurricane relief effort. (As of Oct. 5, 2005)
posted by Peter at 10:17 AM
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