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Dear Colleagues,
On the day marking the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf Coast is bracing for what could be another large scale hurricane.
Government officials across the Gulf Coast are closely monitoring the Hurricane Gustav, activating emergency plans, pre-positioning supplies, and preparing for evacuations. FEMA is coordinating the plans and preparatory activities of numerous federal agencies in close communication with state and local leaders.
The Corporation’s Office of Emergency Management has been in contact with FEMA and with state service commissions and state offices in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas to share information and assess resources. RSVP volunteers and AmeriCorps members in some Gulf communities are assisting in sheltering and evacuation efforts. We will continue to monitor the storm’s progress and assess how national service resources can best be deployed.
As Gustav moves closer to the Coast, our top priority is the health and safety of our members, volunteers, staff, and their families. All residents in the region are encouraged to make personal preparations, keep informed on the storm’s progress, and follow the instructions given by local emergency management officials. Information on how to best prepare for the storm is at http://www.ready.gov, and Gustav updates are at http://www.fema.gov.
In this pre-storm phase, it’s also important for potential volunteers to not self-deploy, but instead to wait until there is a clear understanding of what volunteer resources will be needed and where. The Corporation’s Office of Emergency Management is assessing potential resources and is interested in hearing from national service programs that may be able to deploy after the storm has hit and a needs assessment had been done. Please contact them at oem@cns.gov.
In the aftermath of Katrina, disaster response has become a defining issue for national service and our larger volunteer movement. Volunteers played a heroic and indispensable role, giving hope and help to millions affected by the storm. We learned many lessons along the way, and we stand ready to support citizens and communities of the Gulf Coast.
Sincerely,
David Eisner
CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service
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