The epic hurricane season of 2005 was a defining chapter in American Red Cross history. Five years ago, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma changed the lives of millions of people across the United States and prompted a response by the Red Cross that was unprecedented in size and scope.
Even before the media images of destruction and despair jolted the nation, trained Red Cross responders were already in action. Generous donors from across the country and around the world made it possible to mount one of the largest disaster responses in American history – a response that tested the very limits of the Red Cross.
The Red Cross provided more than 4.5 million people in the affected regions with emergency assistance. Nearly 2,000 families who came to Los Angeles desperately in need of assistance after the hurricanes were directly assisted by the Greater Los Angeles Chapter, with more than $1 million in direct financial assistance for emergency needs distributed. A third of those families were provided with local hotel rooms to meet their immediate housing needs and many were also given access to medical/mental health services.
Even with this demand, the Los Angeles Red Cross sent more than 100 disaster volunteers to help at some of more than 1,000 shelters that were established in 26 states.
“This is one of the events of my life that I will never forget,” said Mary Novell, Red Cross Los Angeles Region Human Resources Officer. “Red Cross volunteers worked around the clock for months to provide Red Cross services to all the families who came here from Louisiana and other states.”
Like any event, there are always lessons to be learned. This cataclysmic event led to the development of many key partnerships between national, state and local groups. Perhaps the biggest lesson learned from five years ago is that the government and the Red Cross will never be big enough to do it all in every disaster. Everyone must play a role.
The Red Cross urges area residents to prepare for disasters, and recommends that at least one family member be trained in CPR and First Aid. Homes, businesses, schools and organizations need to have adequate emergency supplies on hand for 3-5 days.
For a complete report of the Red Cross response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, please see http://www.redcross.org/Katrina5Year.
By Tim Altman, Communication & Marketing Volunteer
