The American Red Cross has launched an immense emergency relief effort to meet unprecedented humanitarian needs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
In times of disaster, the American Red Cross immediately mobilizes workers and supplies to address the urgent, critical needs of disaster victims, which include providing emergency shelter, food, water, counseling and other assistance. The Red Cross response to Hurricane Katrina is the largest response to a single, natural disaster in the 125-year history of the organization.
Fast Facts
(As of 5:00 p.m., Sept 4)
* Red Cross Mass Care:
* Evacuees -- More than 135,500 evacuees are being sheltered by
the American Red Cross.
* Shelters -- More than 470 Red Cross shelters are open in 12
states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee
and Utah, with many more on standby. The Red Cross also is
coordinating with other agencies, the mass sheltering operation
at the Houston Astrodome, and is working with local partners to
find additional facilities in which thousands of evacuees will
find a safe, clean and comfortable environment.
* Emergency Vehicles -- 249 Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles
(ERVs) are now in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, with
additional ERVs en route to the affected area. The Red Cross is
working to engage additional vehicles for food distribution to
survivors.
* Relief Workers -- Thousands of Red Cross staff and volunteers
across the country and from every part of the organization are
working around the clock to serve the public need. More than
5,000 Red Crossers have left their families to serve in
affected areas already, and the Red Cross is moving more than
600 additional workers into affected areas every day.
* Feeding -- The Red Cross is working closely with several
partners, including the Southern Baptist Convention, the
Adventists and Second Harvest to provide emergency food to
survivors and responders. In coordination with the Southern
Baptists, preparations are underway to serve nearly 500,000 hot
meals each day.
More than 2.6 million meals and more than 3.3 million snacks
have been served to survivors of Hurricane Katrina to-date.
* Health & Preventative Care -- The Red Cross is working with
government and health services partners to develop health
strategies and preventative measures to help the public and
relief workers cope with the serious public health emergency.
For additional information, visit www.redcross.org or
www.cdc.gov.
Note: Media is encouraged to contact their local Red Cross
chapter to learn how it is responding to the disaster.
* Reuniting Families:
The Red Cross, with support of the worldwide Red Cross Movement, has
launched a Web site and hotline to help reunite loved ones.
* Online -- Persons looking for loved ones can go to
www.redcross.org and click on "Family Links Registry" to
register yourself, a missing relative or view the existing list
of registrants.
* Registered -- To date, more than 44,000 people have registered
on the "Family Links" Web site.
* Hotline -- Those who do not have Internet access should call
toll-free 1-877-LOVED-1S (1-877-568-3317).
*How to Help:
Due to the generosity of the American people, the American Red Cross
stands ready to meet the monumental challenge of helping to rebuild
lives.
* Funds Received to Date -- The Red Cross estimates that, as of
Sept. 4, 2005, it has received $352 million in gifts and
pledges for the hurricane relief effort.
* To Donate -- Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish).
Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your
local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross,
P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make
a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org. The
Red Cross is unable to accept small, individual donations or
collections of items such as clothing, food or cleaning
supplies. The best way to help is by making a financial
contribution and collaboration is key to meeting the needs of
the survivors of this catastrophic disaster.
* To Volunteer -- Individuals interested in volunteering for the
American Red Cross should contact their local Red Cross
chapter. Well-meaning volunteers are being urged not to report
directly to the affected areas but should coordinate their
efforts with responding organizations.
* To Learn More -- The magnitude of this disaster is bringing
together the experience, expertise and resources of many
organizations and agencies to meet the unprecedented
humanitarian needs of the hurricane survivors. To learn more
about the coordination of efforts and additional resources,
visit www.usafreedomcorps.gov.
* Get Prepared: It is now more important than ever that the public
take steps to prepare themselves, their families, communities and
workplaces for emergencies and disasters. The Red Cross responds to
more than 70,000 disasters annually, including wildfires, tornadoes
and single family house fires, with some type of disaster striking
every 8 minutes in the United States. Make a plan, build a kit, and
get trained in first aid and CPR.
Important Notes
* Disaster Assistance: All American Red Cross disaster assistance is
free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from
the American people. You can help the victims of this disaster and
thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making
a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund,
which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and
other assistance to those in need.
* Situation Updates: This disaster relief operation is constantly
changing. The Red Cross will update this document as often as
feasible, but please note the date of last update when using facts
or numbers in news stories.
* Shelter Numbers: Shelter numbers fluctuate based on their location
and the time of day.
* Evacuees: The Red Cross views the individuals and families it is
helping as people who are evacuees from their homes. The term
"refugees" implies they have been forced to cross international
boundaries to avoid conflict.
* Red Cross Mission: The American Red Cross, a humanitarian
organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional
Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red
Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disaster and help
people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.
* About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross is where people
mobilize to help their neighbors -- across the street, across the
country, and across the world -- in emergencies. Each year, in
communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn
to neighbors familiar and new -- the nearly one million volunteers
and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through almost 900 locally
supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they
need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes,
communities and world. Some four million people give blood -- the
gift of life -- through the Red Cross, making it the largest
supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. And the
Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from
their families by military duty stay connected. As part of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network
of 181 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and
dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. An average of 91
cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in
humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a
government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood
to do its work. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the
American Red Cross.
----
biz.yahoo.com |
