Hurricane Katrina

Disaster response

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in particular, don't include criticisms of response here, that belongs in summary form

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to the Politics effects section, and in detail form in the Political effects article-->

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Some disaster recovery response to Katrina began before the storm, with Federal Emergency Management Agency preparations that ranged from logistical supply deployments to a mortuary team with refrigerated trucks. A network of volunteers have been rendering assistance to local residents and residents emerging from New Orleans and surrounding Parishes.

Related Topics:
Disaster recovery - Federal Emergency Management Agency - Mortuary

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In accordance with federal law, President George W. Bush directed Secretary Michael Chertoff of the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the Federal response. Chertoff designated Michael D. Brown, head of the FEMA as the Principal Federal Official to lead the deployment and coordination of all federal response resources and forces in the Gulf Coast region. However, the President and Secretary Chertoff have come under harsh criticism from many Americans, particularly in the media, for their lack of planning and coordination. Eight days later, Michael D. Brown was recalled to Washington and Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen replaced him as chief of hurricane relief operations. Three days after the recall, Michael D. Brown resigned as director of FEMA in spite of having received praise from President George W. Bush http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050902-2.html.

Related Topics:
Michael Chertoff - Department of Homeland Security - Michael D. Brown - FEMA

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USNORTHCOM established Joint Task Force (JTF) Katrina based out of Camp Shelby, Mississippi to act as the military's on-scene command on Sunday, August 28 http://www.dod.gov/transcripts/2005/tr20050901-3843.html. Lieutenant General Russel Honoré of the U.S. First Army in Fort Gillem, Georgia, is the commander.

Related Topics:
USNORTHCOM - Camp Shelby - Mississippi - August 28 - Russel Honoré - U.S. First Army - Fort Gillem - Georgia

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The U.S. Senate approved a bill authorizing $10.5 billion in aid for victims on September 1 2005. The U.S. House of Representatives voted and approved on the measure Friday, September 2 2005 without any debate; Bush signed it into law an hour later. On September 7, another $51.8 billion in addition to the original $10.5 billion was proposed by President Bush to fund disaster relief.

Related Topics:
September 1 - 2005 - September 2 - September 7

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In addition to asking for federal funds, President Bush has enlisted the help of former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush to raise additional voluntary contributions, much as they did after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Related Topics:
Bill Clinton - George H.W. Bush - 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake - Tsunami

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On September 3, Gov. Blanco hired James Lee Witt, the former FEMA director during the Clinton Administration, to oversee recovery efforts in Louisiana. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050903/APN/509030885&cachetime=3&template=dateline.

Related Topics:
September 3 - James Lee Witt - Clinton Administration

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Federal response

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Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, takes over the federal, state, and local operations officially on September 30, 2005 going forward by citing the National Response Plan. The National Response Plan states that, when responding to a catastrophic incident, the federal government should start emergency operations even in the absence of clear assessment of the situation. "A detailed and credible common operating picture may not be achievable for 24 to 48 hours (or longer) after the incident," the NRP's "Catastrophic Annex" states. "As a result, response activities must begin without the benefit of a detailed or complete situation and critical needs assessment."

Related Topics:
Michael Chertoff - Secretary - Department of Homeland Security - National Response Plan

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U.S. states response

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Many U.S. states have offered to shelter evacuees displaced by the storm, including places as far away as Oregon, whose offer to take one thousand refugees, according to Portland-area news organizations, was later declined, and California. The majority of the evacuees from this crisis were taken to Texas, with over 230,000 persons being sheltered in Texas by Labor Day, September 5 2005. As Texas became filled to capacity, it became a waypoint for the other evacuees still leaving the area of crisis. From Texas, thousands of evacuees are being dispersed to other states.

Related Topics:
Oregon - California - September 5 - 2005

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An estimate of over 100,000 New Orleans college and university students have been displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Higher institutions from across the U.S. have opened their doors to enroll students displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina. See list compiled by Wikinews.

Related Topics:
College - University

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Army and Air National Guard troops have been activated from nearly every state in the union.

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On 8 September, 2005, President George W. Bush issued a proclamation to suspend Subchapter IV of Chapter 31 of Title 40 in the stricken area, effectively suspending the Davis-Bacon Act there.

Related Topics:
8 September - 2005 - George W. Bush - Davis-Bacon Act

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International response

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Over seventy countries pledged money or other assistance, including Cuba and Venezuela, despite their differences with Washington; Sri Lanka, which is still recovering from the Indian Ocean Tsunami; Russia, whose initial offer to send at least two jets was declined by the U.S. State Department; France, whose initial offer of concrete help was also declined; Canada, which has contributed supplies as well as three Canadian Forces Maritime Command Warships (HMCS Athabaskan, HMCS Ville de Quebec, and HMCS Toronto) as well as a Canadian Coast Guard Tender. In addition, Canada has sent 1,000 relief personnel including as many as fifty Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers; Mexico, which has contributed two military ships, helicopters, military equipment, hundreds of tons of food, bottled water, medical personnel and hundreds of troops (it is the first time Mexican soldiers have operated on U.S. soil since the Mexican-American War); and Dominica, one of the smallest countries in the world by any measure. German Chancellor Schroeder offered any help required, among other items fifteen power pumps including their crews have been sent to New Orleans. Singapore responded by sending four CH-47 Chinook helicopters to participate in the evacuation and relief effort. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/166696/1/.html Among the world's poorest nations, Bangladesh has promised a million dollars. Other Asian countries to offer support include: India; which says it will provide $5 million and the People's Republic of China; which also pledged five million dollars in aid for victims. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4215820.stmhttp://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0472355.htm

Related Topics:
Cuba - Venezuela - Sri Lanka - Indian Ocean Tsunami - Russia - Whose initial offer - France - Whose initial offer - Canada - Which has contributed - HMCS Athabaskan - HMCS Ville de Quebec - HMCS Toronto - Royal Canadian Mounted Police - Mexico - Which has contributed - Mexican-American War - Dominica - German - Singapore - Responded - CH-47 - Bangladesh - India - People's Republic of China

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Non-governmental charitable response

The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and many other charitable organizations are trying to provide housing, food, and water to the victims of the storm. However, in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans the US military, FEMA, and the Red Cross are sending people needing help over to a tent set up by anarchists, dubbed the "Mayday Mutual Aid Medical Station," located in front of the Masjib Bilal Mosque. These organizations provided an infrastructure for shelters throughout Louisiana and other states that held thousands of evacuees. On September 8, 2005, FOX News reported that the Red Cross was prepositioned to provide water, food and essential supplies to the Superdome and convention center as soon as the storm finished, but was prohibited from entering the city prior to Hurricane Katrina making landfall by the Louisiana State Department of Homeland Security, under the direction of Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. The safety of Red Cross personnel was among the primary reasons given. Within days of the hurricane Community Wireless Network organizations from across North America self-mobilized to deploy telecommunications infrastructure in evacuee camps throughout the region.

Related Topics:
American Red Cross - Salvation Army - Anarchists - Mayday Mutual Aid Medical Station - September 8 - 2005 - Superdome - Kathleen Blanco

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Along the MS Gulf Coast, needed supplies including water, food, cleaning items, diapers, clothing, blankets, and even chain saws, generators, flashlights, and batteries were immediately brought in during the first days, by a nationwide spontaneous outpouring from private individuals and religious organizations, concerned at the lack of visibility of the MS coastal devastation by the media, and lack of immediate disaster response. Distribution points were set up at churches, well before the Red Cross had set up distribution centers, as reported by the Mississippi Press It Takes A Disaster, Help May Arrive in Gautier Today.

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