|
New
Orleans sank deeper into crisis Tuesday, a full day after Hurricane
Katrina hit.
``It's downtown Baghdad,'' said tourist Denise Bollinger, who snapped
pictures of looting in the French Quarter. ``It's insane.''
The mayor estimated that 80 percent of New Orleans was flooded, while
a countless number of residents were still stranded on rooftops.
Hospitals were running out of power and scrambling to find places to
take their patients. At one clinic, broken glass littered some areas
and patients and staff had fallen on floors slick with floodwaters.
``It's like being in a Third World country,'' said Mitch Handrich, a
registered nurse manager at Charity Hospital, where nurses were
ventilating patients by hand after the power and then the backup
generator failed. Some 300 patients had yet to be evacuated.
``We're just trying to stay alive,'' Handrich said.
With hundreds of thousands in the Gulf Coast states of the U.S. homeless
or without electricity from hurricane Katrina, Scientology Volunteer
Ministers are being dispatched to the area to help with the emergency
relief effort. If you are a trained Volunteer Minister, your help is
urgently needed to contribute to the cleanup. If you are not a trained
Volunteer Minister contact us and we will train you in hours and get you
involved with our relief efforts. Experienced Volunteer Ministers from
the Church of Scientology of New York, Tampa and other cities around the
United States are organizing teams of volunteers to assist in the relief
operation and they will train any persons willing to help. Contact The
Scientology Volunteer Minister Coordinator at 1-800 HELP 4-YU
(1-800-435-7498) or e-mail us at
vm@volunteerministers.org
Currently, The Salvation Army is providing relief to residents and first
responders in Hattiesburg, Miss., Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans, La.
Additional Salvation Army emergency disaster services vehicles
(canteens) are staged in surrounding areas and are prepared to be
deployed to other affected areas once emergency management officials
determine it safe. The Salvation Army is prepared to serve 500,000 meals
a day as well as provide emotional and spiritual support to those trying
to recover from Katrina’s wrath.
At this time The Salvation Army is only asking for monetary donations. A
$100 donation will feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases
of drinking water and one household clean-up kit.
The Red Cross is committed to saving lives and easing suffering. This
diverse organization serves humanity and helps you by providing relief
to victims of disaster, both locally and globally. The Red Cross is
responsible for half of the nation's blood supply and blood products.
Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation (OBI) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) humanitarian organization based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. Since 1978, Operation Blessing International has touched the lives of more than 179.7 million people in 96 countries and all 50 states, providing goods and services valued at more than $1.1 billion. Operation Blessing is governed by a national board of directors that includes founder M. G. "Pat" Robertson.
Catholic Charities agencies from across the country are already
working to meet the immediate needs of evacuees that have come
into their communities, as well as planning to provide assistance for
the long-term needs of the victims. Catholic Charities USA is
collecting financial donations to fund these local Catholic Charities
agencies’ emergency and long-term disaster recovery efforts.
Catholic Charities USA is consistently ranked among the highest
and most efficient organizations across the country. Approximately
96 percent of contributions made to the 2005 Hurricane Relief Fund
will be used for emergency response and recovery efforts.
As efforts along the U.S. Gulf coast shift from rescue to relief and
recovery, Mercy Corps is on the ground in affected areas helping
survivors rebuild and reclaim their lives.
Right now, Mercy Corps has teams of veteran aid workers in St.
Tammany Parish, Louisiana and in Mississippi's Hancock and
Harrison counties, passing out relief supplies in shelters, organizing
youth activities for displaced children and helping local residents gain
skills they'll need to reconstruct the battered region.
This website provides information for persons affected by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.
Current emergency phone numbers and websites are listed for those seeking information or relief
ALEXANDRIA, VA - September 4, 2005 - The U.S. Department of Justice
has asked the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
to set up a coordinated missing persons process to locate and reunite
Hurricane Katrina victims in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama.
NCMEC staff is working through the weekend and will have the Katrina
Missing Persons Hotline, 1-888-544-5475, operational at 12:00 Noon
Eastern time on Monday, September 5, 2005. Photographs, names, and
physical descriptions of missing adults, missing children, and found
children from hurricane-stricken areas will be posted to NCMEC's web
site at www.missingkids.com.
The aim of the ICRC's familylinks website is to help those separated by
conflict or disaster to find information about their loved ones in order to
restore contact. The information available on the website may be listed in public
places or broadcast on the radio to widen distribution to people without
Internet access. All information on this website is provided by relatives of
persons being sought or by those who register themselves.
Missing persons rescue database
A reader posts that there is a database being developed for people who
are missing and may need to be rescued from New Orleans. Call
225-925-6626 to give officials their names. They may also have
information about people already rescued. We attempted to check this
number and were unable to get through (busy signal).
FEMA : Frequently Asked Disaster Assistance Questions
(source: fema.gov)
www.fema.gov/rrr/qanda.shtm
How do I apply for disaster assistance?
There are a number of different services and special programs made
available when the President signs a major disaster declaration. The
process
to apply is as simple as a single telephone call to FEMA. Call to
Apply for Assistance 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The speech or hearing
impaired may call (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. You may also register
online.
How can I get in touch with my family?
The
American Red Cross maintains a database to help you find family.
Contact your local American Red Cross chapter for information. Do not
contact the chapter in the disaster area.
What if my home was destroyed?
FEMA can provide disaster housing assistance to those whose homes are
damaged or destroyed. To apply for assistance, all you have to do is
call the special toll free telephone number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) and
register. Specially trained operators at one of FEMA's
National
Processing Service Centers will process your application.
Where can I get food and water?
The
American Red Cross and other volunteer agencies will provide you
with food, water and clothing. Listen to your radio or watch local
media for the location of the nearest volunteer agency facility.
There are also
sources of
water in your home that you may have not thought of. For example,
your hot water heater is an excellent source of water. Turn off the
power that heats your tank and let it cool. When you want water, place
a container underneath and open the drain valve on the bottom of the
tank.
What if I lost my job or can't work because of the disaster?
People who lose their jobs due to the disaster may apply for Disaster
Unemployment Assistance (DUA) which provides weekly benefits to
individuals who are unemployed and not eligible for regular
Unemployment Insurance compensation. You can call 1-800-621-FEMA (TTY:
1-800-462-7585) or the local unemployment office for information.
I think I need legal help.
Local members of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
offer free legal counseling to low-income individuals. You can get
information at a
Disaster
Recovery Center (DRC) that 1-800-621-FEMA (TTY: 1-800-462-7585)
for more information.
Insurance Company Contact Info
AIG: (800) 242-2418
Allstate: (800) 547-8676
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies: (800) 252-4670
CAN: Personal Insurance Policyholders: (800) 588-7400; Commercial
Insurance Policyholders: (877) 262-2727
Fireman's Fund: (888) 347-3428
Hanover Insurance: (800) 628-0250
The Hartford: (800) 243-5860
Metlife Auto & Home: (800) 854-6011
SAFECO: (888) 723-3265
Selective Insurance: (800) 777-9656 ext. 2801; fax: (973) 948-1103
State Farm: (800) 732-5246
Travelers Property/Casualty: Personal Insurance Policyholders: (800)
252-4633; Commercial Insurance Policyholder: 800-238-6225
USAA: (800) 531-8222
For the latest updates on telephone numbers, and specific information on how to file claims please visit:
http://www.iii.org/
http://www.disasterinformation.org/
State Police Road Closure Hotline:
1-800-469-4828
Shelter Information:
Red Cross- 1(866)-GET-INFO (438-4636)
Special-Needs Shelter Information
Triage Phone Numbers:
Alexandria: 800-841-5778 Shreveport: 800-841-5776
Baton Rouge: 800-349-1372 Monroe: 866-280-7287
Houma/Thibodaux: 800-228-9409 Slidell/Hammond: 866-280-7724
Lafayette: 800-901-3210 Lake Charles: 866-280-2711
Equine Shelter/Evacuation Site Information
Locations for Animal Evacuation:
Alexandria - Large & Small 318-442-4222 (all vet clinics will accept)
Lamar Dixon - Gonzales - Large Animals
Shreveport - LSU-S (pets only, no livestock)
West Monroe - Ike Hamilton Coliseum
Emergency Shelter Information Points:
Tourist Welcome Center, US 65 & 84, 1401 Carter St. (US 84), Vidalia,
LA
Tourist Welcome Center, TA Truck Stop, Tallulah Exit (Hwy 65 & I 20)
Paragon Casino, 711 Paragon Place, Marksville LA
Sammy's Truck Stop, I-49, Exit 53, 3601 LA 115W, Bunkie, LA
Med Express Office, 7525 US 71, Alexandria, LA
P.E. Gym, LSU- Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA
Pickering High School, 180 Lebleu Rd., Leesville, LA
Mowad Civic Center, 5th & 10th St., 1 Block off US 165, Oakdale, LA
|
