I understand that there is tremendous frustration and righteous anger
with the delays in getting aid on the ground. I can't speak for other
agencies, but I can share my impressions regarding the Red Cross. I just
returned from a nine-hour crash course offered by the regional Red Cross
chapter in Sacramento to prepare new volunteers to be deployed to the
Gulf region. There were over 100 folks from young adults to graying
maturity willing to lend a hand. The seasoned instructors repeatedly
stressed that the Red Cross does not ever deploy their staff or
volunteers to situations where their safety cannot be assured-with the
possible exception of a few highly-trained professionals on the front
lines--to do otherwise would be to invite more chaos and potentially
more casualties. Every agency has its own mission plan-what I learned
today is that the Red Cross sees its immediate task as to receive the
dislocated persons at one of the numerous shelters that are already set
up away from the area directly impacted-you don't erect a shelter in the
swamp--shelters need to have adequate supplies and staff (a few paid
staff and tons of volunteers) to make such a monumental task possible,
otherwise we will see smaller, numerous "superdomes" with all the
attendant chaos and dangerous conditions. Red Cross staff left
California before Katrina made landfall to begin staging equipment. In
the weeks and months to come, the Red Cross and others will move to the
cleaning and rebuilding stage of the recovery. Can the Red Cross improve
their systems of response? Sure, and they are certainly a large
organization with a bureaucracy and culture that may not be as quick to
change as one might desire. There can be better coordination with other
agencies and new communications tools can help. Still, they get the job
done. I am sure that every agency will need to do some post-response
analysis and indeed, soul-searching to measure their effectiveness. As
to the questions regarding non-financial donations--used clothing for
example-- the Red Cross told us that the agency does not have the
infrastructure to process such well-meaning donations--not to mention
the finances to cover the tremendous cost of packing and shipping such
items to a disaster scene. At the end of last year's devastating spate
of hurricanes in Florida, the Red Cross was stuck with a warehouse full
of donated but unusable (for their particular mission) items-used and
sometimes ragged clothes, used furniture, all of which had to be either
redirected to other agencies or hauled to the dump. By the way, at the
end of the day, the entire class was assured that if we are willing, we
will be deployed ASAP. I hope to be on the ground somewhere in the
region by Thursday. If I have any phone access (we were told not to
count on it) I'll try to post some audio on Andy Carvin's Katrina
Aftermath page <http://katrina05.blogspot.com/> .
Chris Warner-Carey
Grace Lutheran Church
Ukiah, CA
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 9:14 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [DDN] Hurricane Katrina mobcast launched
I think the general public does not realize how ineffective the Red
Cross has proved to be unfortunately during this disaster. The news
media indicated they saw the first Red Cross truck on Thur, yesterday in
Mississippi. If you have tried to call them you will find out that it
is very difficult to get through. It is so unfortunate. People should
send their funds to the most effective organizations such as the
Salvation Army, Operation Blessings, Feed the Children etc as well.
Molly
-----Original Message-----
From: Taran Rampersad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 23:57:26 -0500
Subject: Re: [DDN] Hurricane Katrina mobcast launched
I think that the Red Cross and other organizations have been unwilling
to accept anything but financial contributions - I went through this
with the ARC project - and I am somewhat disillusioned with this
disconnect which seems like hubris from the cheap seats. The Red Cross
does have a lot of experience, but... why can't people do things other
than what their archaic system allows? Why can't you, or me, or anyone
on this list simply say, "Wouldn't it be cool if..." to someone at the
Red Cross?
These disconnects - that you and Andy have shown - is somewhat
disturbing. At what point will these agencies ask for help? Which
disaster? We have people offering up housing, and as you point out - we
wonder if the right people can get that information. The database of
missing and so on is also gone.
Meanwhile, the reporter on CNN just handed some Senator Mary Landrieu an
angry statement talking about the dead bodies on the streets (a corpse
being eaten by rats) and questioning the values of politicians thanking
each other. I like this guy.
This is 3 days into it. 3 Days. The politicians dance with words. The
Red Cross asks me for donations, but they don't seem to know how much of
what they need. The living victims dance with the corpses.
How do people affect change if they cannot communicate with the people
who can institute the change? Who are the people who can institute the
change?
""It's amazing how difficult it is to find someone to pass it along to,
and say, look this is what we're trying to do and everything like that,"
says Mr Rampersad. "So the big problem right now is the same problem
we're trying to solve - human communication."" --
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4149977.stm
Lars Hasselblad Torres wrote:
>Hi Andy and everyone -- I am trusting out compatriots on this list who
are
>from Katrina affected areas are with friends and family, safe.
>
>Like others, i'm blown away by how many people across the US have
signed up
>on the MoveOn.org site to offer up housing.
>
>My question is, how can this databased information be connected to
>text-to-speech software and made available on an 800-number? I ask
because
>I am wondering who is going to see the website?
>
>Conversely, are there efforts to connect this information to Salvation
Army,
>Red Cross etc housing efforts for the displaced?
>
>Wishing all the best in these difficult times for many,
>
>lars
>
>
--
Taran Rampersad
Presently in: Georgetown, Guyana
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.knowprose.com
http://www.easylum.net
http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Taran
"Criticize by creating." ? Michelangelo
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