[ZTABullwinkle]

My mom forwarded this to me. Just FYI for everyone. This is why you haven't seen any Red Cross volunteers in New Orleans...

The following message is from Joseph Becker, Senior Vice President, Preparedness and Response:



Continuous television coverage of the desperate situation inside the city of New Orleans is prompting the media and others to ask why the Red Cross is not present. Please use the following information to respond. Additional Q&A will be posted to CrossNet shortly.



Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?

· Access to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

· The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

· The Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans residents in some 90 shelters throughout the state of Louisiana and elsewhere since before landfall. All told, the Red Cross is today operating 149 shelters for almost 93,000 residents.

· The Red Cross shares the nation’s anguish over the worsening situation inside the city. We will continue to work under the direction of the military, state and local authorities and to focus all our efforts on our lifesaving mission of feeding and sheltering.

· The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.

· The original plan was to evacuate all the residents of New Orleans to safe places outside the city. With the hurricane bearing down, the city government decided to open a shelter of last resort in the Superdome downtown. We applaud this decision and believe it saved a significant number of lives.

· As the remaining people are evacuated from New Orleans, the most appropriate role for the Red Cross is to provide a safe place for people to stay and to see that their emergency needs are met. We are fully staffed and equipped to handle these individuals once they are evacuated.

This doesn't mean HOWEVER that the Red Cross is doing nothing....They are in other regions affected by the storm, and have helped with the victims in New Orleans with bags of necessary supplies....