Support of NDMS Evacuations NDMS Conference April 2006

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Support of NDMS EvacuationsNDMS
Conference April 2006
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Response to Hurricanes Katrina/Rita

• Shelters
• Nearly 1,200 shelters opened in 27 states
• 3.5 million overnight stays provided
• Feeding
• 34 Million meals served
• Financial Assistance
• 1.2 million families / 3.7 million individuals
• Staff
• 233,000 (primarily) volunteers

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Top Officials US Govt.
President, ARC Senior Mgmt
Red Cross Response/ Government Interface
HSC
IIMG
Key ARC American Red Cross BSOC Biomedical
Services Ops Center CDC Centers for Disease
Control in Atlanta, GA DHS Department of
Homeland Security DOC Disaster Operations
Center DRO Disaster Relief Operations EOC
Emergency Operations center ERT-A Emergency
Response team Advance (FEMA lead HHS
Department of Health Human Services HSC
Homeland Security Council at the White House no
ARC liaison here HSOC Homeland Security Ops
Center (DHS) ARC liaison upon request IIMG
Interagency Incident Management Group (DHS) JFO
Joint Field Office JOC Joint Operations Center
(FBI lead) no ARC liaison here NRCC National
Response Coordination Center (FEMA) PFO
Principal Federal Official (DHS lead) occasional
ARC liaison here RRCC Regional Response
Coordination Center (FEMA) SA Service
Area Note Solid line indicates automatic
deployment of a Red Cross representative to the
government entity dotted line indicates
deployment if requested
HHS
HSOC
DOC
BSOC
CDC
NRCC
All Depts
JFO
JOC
PFO
DRO
RRCC
SA
ERT-A
State EOC
RNAT
Chapter
Local EOC
EVENT
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Coordination within Red Cross for NDMS Evacuations

• National Red Cross National HQs received
  information from the Department of Veterans
  Affairs on the destination of evacuation flights.
• Regional Red Cross HQ shared this information
  with Red Cross Regional Service Areas
• State Regional Service Areas shared this
  information with local Red Cross chapters
• Local Chapters coordinated with local
  governments and public health to provide shelter
  for accompanying non-sick persons due to them
  being displaced by a major disaster.

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Situation on the Ground

• Red Cross was asked and did shelter accompanying
  family members of patients
• Red Cross was not asked to run special needs
  shelters (which we do not operate )
• Patients released from hospitals with no where to
  go tended to go to shelters
• Patients medical conditions were not known to
  shelter staff.
• Individuals often still required medical
  attention.
• No tracking system was in place for individuals
  leaving hospitals for shelters.

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Recommendations forEvacuation Planning

• Agencies must include coordination with Red Cross
  in their written plans.
• Coordination must occur before the evacuation
  begins so shelters can be ready for accompanying
  family members
• Share evacuee arrival locations / time with ARC
  as soon as you get it
• Clearly identify the caregiver/family member
  accompanying the patient.
• Have a well organized reception area at arrival
  point and have partners present to greet evacuees.

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Recommendations for Repatriation Planning

• Develop a patient tracking system so that
  evacuees can be repatriated more easily.
• Continue dialogue with partners post evacuation /
  pre-repatriation so that everyone has situational
  awareness of what is going on
• Repatriation planning must start as soon as
  patients and family members arrive in alternate
  locations!

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For more information

• Carol Hall
• Director
• Homeland Security Federal Coordination
• American Red Cross (National HQs)
• 2025 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006
• [phone]
• hallca_at_usa.redcross.org