JCAHO Letter Regarding Leadership Standards Field Review
Hurricane Katrina - Opportunity for Assistance
The latest from Earl Johnson -
An Updated Report from Earl Johnson:
There are continuing Disaster Mental Health needs and aside from those in the
Red Cross DSHR we sent out over 900 NEW Mental Health professionals through
our national mental health partners---just like the professional chaplaincy partners---
and this will continue not only through the Emergency and intermediate phase,
but also into Long Term Recovery. We've opened over 1 million emergency
assistance cases (we remember when 100,000 seemed huge)..and FEMA has
over 2.2 million cases...so, if we gave each case $1000. (that makes the
math=1 billion dollars right there)...we're still around 94 cents to the dollar
going directly to clients... Red Cross will work with FEMA and other partners
but the political piece is just starting and will probably deteriorate per unmet
needs... the scale of this was just so huge... and now Pakistan has knocked
Katrina off the front page....
From: Earl Johnson - American Redcross
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 6:15 PM
Subject: RE: Part Two: Hurricane Katrina Help for Earl at NHQ
Dear Chaplain Colleagues,
Last year, I emailed you seeking assistance for the victims of the four
catastrophic hurricanes that hit Florida. No one could imagine that things
could be worse than those back to back natural disasters.
Hurricane Katrina has changed those assumptions. Yes, we need you now. We
will need you in the months ahead. And, we know that there are still many
unknowns. We have 9 huge operations underway in the Southeast. Today,
Wednesday, August 31st, at noon we had three mobile kitchens up and running
and serving hot meals. By Friday, September 2nd, we will be serving 550,000
meals at lunch. However, we know that we do not live by bread alone.
Those evacuated from the Superdome in New Orleans to the Astrodome in
Houston will receive services provided by the American Red Cross and our
partners including counseling. Our plans, though changing hourly, are to
embed our chaplaincy partners into Disaster Mental Health, Mass Care, and
Family Service. We also know that we will need to support the people
supporting the people.
But, those in the "AstroDorm" join thousands already in shelters as far away
as El Paso, Corpus Christi, Atlanta, and Little Rock, which has fifty
shelters opened by various groups including Red Cross. We need to
characterize this as a flood of Domestic Refugees and tailor our thoughts
around providing services to those who have nothing to return to. Many have
pre-existing needs.
Once again, we're dealing with extreme hardship deployments. You will be
working without electricity, or air-conditioning, and, perhaps without hotel
rooms. Some of you may be sleeping in staff shelters. We're asking for you
to volunteer with us for a two week assignment.
A large modern American city has never been evacuated before and rendered
uninhabitable for months. Lives have literally been washed away. Those who
didn't have much to begin with have lost everything.
I need volunteers to work in shelters---and be flexible and patient and go
to where the need is greatest---and work as a team member and valued Red
Cross partner. I don't know where Red Cross will be sending you as I write
this, but, we value your safety above all, and will not knowingly send you
into harm's way.
After lives are saved, after the water goes down, we will be faced with
tremendous human needs. This will be larger than what government can do.
This will be larger than what the American Red Cross and our NVOAD partners
can do. There will not be instant resolution. But, we must act immediately
to serve those so profoundly in need. We are providing emergency needs, and
we will be part of long term recovery. There is a place in all phases of
this disaster for you to serve.
Attached please find multiple forms. Hopefully, many of your questions will
be answered and we will hear from you. There are specific job descriptions
and general descriptions. We're recruiting for all activities and you will
be challenged. Many of you may have no prior disaster experience and we
will train you and orient you to each disaster response and service delivery
plan. I'm also including forms beyond our chaplaincy partners, for our
mental health and nursing colleagues who may also wish to help. I urge you
to be patient and flexible with the enrollment and deployment process since
this is an immense undertaking in the movement of human and material
resources. These people are our neighbors. They need our help now. Thanks
for your willingness to serve.
If you're interested in volunteering now, please fax these forms back with
your signature with the enclosed fax cover sheet.
Earl Johnson
Volunteer Partner, Spiritual Care Response Team
American Red Cross NHQ
2025 E St., NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.303.8642
202.303.0241 fax
SAIR is now SRT. The Air Team is now the Critical Response Team.
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