Katrina Aid?

[cjennings]

Looking for updates on what resources are being called into help Katrina. Looking at the media footage, there would appear a complete failure of the EMS / Fire system unless most of the apparatus were previously moved out of harms way. Anybody have any updates?

I am sure there must be a shortage of initial urban / water rescue crews. Anybody hearing what the plan is?. I know FEMA request no one to go help without being dispatched by an official agency, I am just surprised we have not heard more about units getting called in as yet. If you are hearing any requests or ramping up for deployment please let us know.

In the long term, HazMat Tech, urban / con-space personnel would appear to be in high demand down there.

God Speed to all..

[MOTOWN88]

If you look around you will see that Cali, Va, Nebraska, Ohio (both) Tx, and Ariz Task Forces are either on the way or already there just to name a few. Most were called up prior to landfall and staged in the surrounding states. Now we are seeing some of the smaller non FEMA state USAR teams going as well such as here in Michigan I know both of our USAR teams are in the "Final Pack" standby.

However, remember that it takes a Task Force a little time to get where they are needed and with delays in travel and the road situations it takes a long time to get all of their toys on scene.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

The Massachusetts USAR taskforce and the Disiater Medical Assistance Teams (Dmat) have been activated.

[Dave1983]

The only thing I have heard of from area at this time is 50 Sheriffs deputies and about half a dozen ALS rescues. I would assume there will be more as in engines/trucks but nothing yet. We also have a DMAT team and I assume they are on the way as well. We have a big USCG air station here and I hear they have pretty much emptied that out.

[firepimp]

We have a team put togther to go , they called to check on a status if we would be able to send any help if necessary , were just waiting for the call to go all our bags are packed. We probably wont get called there untill waters recead more , in another week or 2 . But you never know.

[cjennings]

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (search) is seeking 2,000 Homeland Security Department workers to spend two weeks carrying out duties in the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina (search).

FEMA director Michael Brown told Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff (search) in a letter that he needs 1,000 people within 48 hours and 2,000 within a week.

Training will be provided in Emmitsburg, Md., Atlanta or Orlando and special skills, such as being bilingual or having a commercial driver's license are important.

The volunteers are being told they must be able to work long hours, outdoors, all day and to bring:

— Sunscreen, sun hat and sunglasses.

— Walking shoes.

— Mosquito repellant.

— Medication, both over the counter and prescription.

— Valid driver's license.

— Government ID.

— Cash (ATMs may not be working).

— Government cell phone, computer, blackberry.

— Appropriate clothing (walking shorts acceptable).

— Rain gear.

[MemphisE34a]

Every USAR team in the nation has been activated in some form or fashion.

[MEck51]

Memphis, I work for NJTF, not all teams are activated yet. All fema teams possibly. But not all teams.

[rangerfitz]

who do we call to volunteer, I have several, GA EMA Rescue Specialist on the Dept willing to go
Dennis Fitzgerald

[Diane E]

NVFC Establishes Emergency Relief Fund for Fire Departments

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has established an Emergency Relief Fund to aid fire departments who have been impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

Online donations via the NVFC website at www.nvfc.org will begin to be accepted later this week. However, checks can be mailed to:

NVFC Emergency Relief Fund
P.O. Box 223202
Chantilly, VA 20153

** All contributions are tax-deductible and your cancelled check will serve as your receipt.

Equipment Donations

If you have equipment and supplies that you would like to donate to fire and emergency services departments in the affected areas, the NVFC encourages you to work through your State Emergency Management offices and notify them that you have the equipment. All requests will be put on standby until such time that the items are requested from the impacted states.

To find contact information for your state Emergency Management office, visit: http://www.fema.gov/fema/statedr.shtm

[lvwrench]

I heard today that our Las Vegas Search & Rescue team is preping up by request. Best of luck and God speed to all who go to help and to those needing the help.

[cjennings]

Just got a fax from FEMA request 1000 2 person fire teams to go to the area from across the country. This is only for career right now. Volunteers are to be handled in the next phase.

[firepimp]

We are a combination department , and both paid on call and career guys have signed up how woudl that work out if career is now and volunteer is later ?? We are in north florida and ready to go , I do not know all the details on how who they contact , but they did contact our chief and ask if we'd be able to go if they needed us , so were just all packed and ready to go but I don't think they'd call us till another week or two.

[C2001UMedic]

Our Operations Officer at my part time job (Rural/Metro) contacted everyone at our base to see if they were interested and available to go to New Orleans. Corporate Headquarters is requesting 500 EMT's and Medics nationwide to respond for a 10 day relief tour, 12 on 12 off, unknown start date. We're just waiting for the call to go (as soon as I cover my primary job!).

[arhaney]

Perhaps this will help some of you wanting to help in Mississippi:

http://www.mema.ms.gov/media_advisor...ers8.31.05.pdf

[nnjfire]

Perhaps this will help some of you wanting to help in Mississippi:

http://www.mema.ms.gov/media_advisor...ers8.31.05.pdf

thank you so much, just spoke to them i am eagerly awaiting a phone call tomorrow.

[mcaldwell]

From the USFA and FEMA:

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/media/katrina.shtm

USFA Request to Mobilize Fire Service Members
Our Nation is faced with the most catastrophic natural disaster in modern times, and we are calling upon the Nation’s fire service to aid the affected citizens and communities. This is the United States Fire Administration’s initial request to mobilize members of the fire service within Federal guidelines.

The current need is for 1,000 two-person teams. A department may offer more than one two-person team. These people will be deployed as a team, and we prefer that they know one another prior to deployment.

This initial request is for full-time career firefighters that are employed by municipal government and sponsored by that municipality because of the way that salaries and expenses will be reimbursed. We will include the volunteer fire service in the next phase. They must be:

Physically capable of performing manual tasks under severe conditions;
Experienced in working with minimum supervision;
Capable of living in austere, severe living conditions with minimal or no creature comforts for a period of at least 30 days;
Free of medical condition(s) that would prevent them from working in these conditions for this period of time; and,
Able to work within the ICS, provide basic first aid, and follow orders.
The work is non-operational community relations focused activities that consist of direct outreach to persons in the affected areas. They will assist victims in understanding how they will go about the process of getting Federal assistance, distributing information, providing minimal first-aid, and taking reports. The work will be outside, exposed to the elements and will require significant walking.

FEMA will notify the Chief of Department, and selected applicants will be notified by their Chief of Department that they have been selected. NO ONE SHOULD DEPLOY WITHOUT NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE FROM FEMA. Selected applicants will report to a central location in the Atlanta, Georgia area for training and further deployment. Travel to the Atlanta, Georgia area will be per government authorization in a manner specified upon acceptance. Acceptance information will also cover lodging and other related expense reimbursement information.

[emtcsmith]

I wonder how many more calls they will make for people. Its hard even with the news recordings for us at home to really understand all thats going on down there and I hope we can as a country unite and come up with every resource needed to aid them.

[PeteThor813]

Ohio USAR 1 is going.

I hate sitting on the sidelines. I am going to find out what it takes to get into my local USAR team and make that commitment for future events.

[CaptBob]

This is from a friend who's team is involved in Katrina:

Our USAR team went out this afternoon At the last
minute the team was called from our folks that are already there and told to bring machetes. Seems there are so many gators and snakes around that they are working with a rescue tool in one hand and a machete in the other to kill things coming up on them. But our Chiefs being the proactive ones they are did just what they were told and made a run to pick up the fifty items.

Not good stuff.