For more information about ways you can help, or to get help if you or a loved one was a victim of Hurricane Katrina, contact one of these organizations:
- American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org or (800) 229-819, (866) GET-INFO, (800) HELP-NOW or (866) 438-4636
- National Next of Kin Registry http://www.nokr.org
- National Hurricane Center http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
- National Weather Service http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov
- Hydrologic Information Center (river flooding) http://www.nws.noaa.gov
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) http://www.fema.gov
- Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmyusa.org or (800) SAL-ARMY
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster http://www.nvoad.org
- Episcopal Relief & Development http://www.er-d.org or (800) 334-7626
- United Methodist Committee on Relief http://gbgm-umc.org/umcoro or (800) 554-8583
- Catholic Charities http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org or (800) 919-9338
- FEMA Charity tips http://www.fema.gov.
Stage Agencies
- Alabama Emergency Management Agency http://www.disaster.ema.alabama.gov or (205) 280-2200
- Alabama Homeland Security http://www.homelandsecurity.alabama.gov
- Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov or (225) 925-7400
- Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (601) 352-9100; 24-hour emergency line, (800) 222-MEMA or (800) 222-6362
- Mississippi Homeland Security http://www.homelandsecurity.ms.gov
- Florida Division of Emergency Management http://www.floridadisaster.org or (800) 342-3557.
FEMA recommends that evacuees monitor local news coverage wherever they are located for ongoing response and recovery information. Evacuees and other concerned persons can call the American Red Cross information line at (866) GET-INFO for information regarding emergency assistance, public safety information and road closures.
In addition, Louisiana residents can call the Louisiana State Police at (800) 469-4828 for updates on roadways that are open and safe for travel in less impacted areas. According to FEMA, volunteers should not report directly to the affected areas unless directed to do so by a relief agency due to the severity of conditions and the potential to hamper rescue efforts.
Thanks to the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses for providing the contact information for these resources.