Disaster Relief Goes Beyond Federal And State Assistance
Volunteer efforts and donations make the difference
Release Date: November 7, 2007
Release Number: 1731-022
» More Information on California Wildfires
PASADENA, Calif. -- The road to recovery can have its bumps and potholes-ask anyone trying to come back from the October firestorm. Because government assistance can only go so far, a network of nonprofit, voluntary and faith-based agencies steps in to help.
Working quietly in the background of the California wildfire disaster, these volunteers-coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Governor's Office of Emergency Services and CaliforniaVolunteers-take on and resolve some of the thorniest problems for people impacted by the disaster.
Disaster recovery for every family moves in stages from emergency relief, to short-term recovery (about the first six months), and eventually to long-term recovery, which may take years. The help that voluntary agencies and generous donors provide is essential for filling in the gaps between needs and government aid.
"Disaster relief is a neighbor-helping-neighbor effort," said Voluntary Agency Liaison Richard Bradley of FEMA, donations manager working on California wildfire recovery. "America is our neighborhood, and we have some really good folks dedicated to helping others during tough times."
FEMA funds may help with temporary housing, repair or replacement of damaged homes, and other lost property, but the rules of federal assistance sometimes cannot address a particular problem.
"If we find that we're heading out of the reach of federal assistance, we'll ask for help from a voluntary or faith-based organization," said Bradley.
In California, a web-based donations management system is being used to receive and categorize disaster relief contributions and serve as an informational resource for volunteer agencies. To provide either financial or in-kind donations to help the victims of the Southern California wildfires, call 1-800-750-2858 or visit the OES Web site at www.oes.ca.gov.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Thursday, 08-Nov-2007 09:00:53