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Posted on 09/01/2005 3:46:26 PM PDT by NautiNurse
The Houston Astrodome: A Symphony of Relief
Glenda Plunkett , Special to RedCross.org
Thursday, September 01, 2005 — HOUSTON -- When the Superdome in New Orleans was wounded Katrina, the 23,000 evacuees housed there would once again have to move. Solutions had to be found, and one answer was bussing to Houston for sheltering in the Astrodome.
Long time American Red Crosser Patrick Knapp was named Shelter Manager for the Astrodome operation. Knapp was Shelter Manager for the New Jersey shelter operation after the Sept. 11 attacks.
“This was an eleventh hour decision,” said Knapp, who has been with the Red Cross for ten years. “We stepped up to the plate with enthusiasm. We don’t want this shelter to be opened exclusively to Superdome evacuees. We want to serve them all. We want to bring everyone into the fold. This is not about you, or me, and it’s not about rules. This is about our clients.”
One of the problems facing the sheltering team was how to keep track of roughly 30,000 people. Tough problems like this one beg for innovation, and Red Cross creativity and a community partner found the solution.
“We called Kroger and asked for 30,000 of their bar coded swipe cards,” Knapp said. “They agreed and said they said they would set up a system at the shelter with a swipe card for each evacuee. The information will be collected at registration and a card will be assigned to each person.”
As that person leaves the Astrodome for an errand, they will swipe their card at the main gate, helping the Red Cross keep track of who is there and not there -- giving instant accountability. It makes Disaster Welfare Inquiry a snap. Now the Red Cross has a database and we have accountability. It paid for the Red Cross to make the move and advance it service through the cooperation of a community partner like Kroger.
Another key player at the shelter is logistics expert Daniel Krall with the Red Cross. Krall explained that cots were borrowed from FEMA and other state and local government agencies.
Hundreds of volunteers committed to work rotating 12-hour shifts to bring relief to these stranded evacuees with a timeline something like this:
4:00 p.m. - Four volunteers from the American Red Cross wait at the Astrodome ready to help. There were no supplies. The inside of the Astrodome is marked in tape and chalk lines of 5’x7’ rectangles. Each rectangle will hold one cot.
7:00 p.m. – Sysco Kitchen arrives.
10:00 p.m. – Refrigerator trucks arrive with food.
10:40 p.m. - No supplies yet. Whispers of a 10-bus convoy coming from the Superdome, with as many as 60 rogue busses as well carrying desperate, displaced persons aboard all needing one thing—basic shelter. The anxious crew was running on rumours, adrenaline, and a need to help.
11:35 p.m. – The cots arrive! A semi truck and trailer pull into the Astrodome. Volunteers quickly descend upon it to unload cots.
12:35 a.m. – 70 percent of the cots are up in the infield making the infield a sea of green rectangles each with a warm blanket. The sports arena is filling with volunteers on one mission for relief. Red Cross signage goes up.
1:00 a.m. – An ambulance pulls into a cubby just outside of the field of cots to bring medical service to the shelter. Each person will be checked for any health-related problems and if need be, treated by healthcare professionals.
As this reporter walked away from the Astrodome, now standing as an amazing testament of human strength, and innovation, I marvelled at how it was to see it come together. It was like a gifted composer who has this collection of beautiful notes playing in his head and then assembles them into one remarkable symphony. Only this time that symphony played a song of relief for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Kudos to the Shelter Crew of the Astrodome and all of the community partners that made this happen.
Buckets....they need buckets.
San Antonio is going to take some from LA.
I thought I'd try one of your links since WWL is down for the night. I saw a clip of people in front of the Convention Center. I'd seen something similar earlier, but this clip included a young diabetic girl.
There was one nurse screaming for insulin, which they were able to find and revive her. I am in tears. I'm diabetic myself, and I can't imagine being in America and dying in the heat, in a major city, for lack of insulin. God almighty.
Where is the help??
there are alot of historic homes there, the area where Douglas Brinkley lives I imagine. they will rebuild, many probably have flood insurance. I guess all of the top restaurants are in the french quarter.
they also have to rebuild a massive amount of access roads, airports, infrastructure galore.
We are witnessing incompetence of enormous proportions in that state government.
I said on a previous thread, that this hurricaine possiblity has been talked about for over 50 years, now it has finally happened. It's notlike they haven't had time to prepare. I would hope that my representatives were prepared for any worst case scenario. There job is to serve and protect. They have done neither very well.
It took me a long time to get through to 1-800-SAL-ARMY to make my donation there.
** We are sure going to learn a lot of lessons from this.**
Yeah...
Like when planning and gaming excercises, PC be damned...
I can just IMAGINE the media and Jesse's reaction to a Disaster excersise had included:
"Black Gangs riot, battle cops and loot"
LOL! Thanks for the laugh...and the truism...
Oh yes...a lot of this can apply to a larger than large scale terror attack.
"I just saw a number popup on FNC that said 475 thousand people evacuated before the storm. "
So a number "pops up" and it's the right number? I would be very interested in know how FNC came up with that number.
The numbering includes Tropical depressions. If a given Tropical depression doesn't become a Tropical storm, you end up with the discrepancy.
You posted to me first. I replied, a horrendous mistake I will not be making again.
That's good. I'm donating to the Salvation Army instead though.
Says the police that were photographed in Walgreens that looked like they were looting were there with a list of drugs for the hospital for children who were in bad shape and the drugs were not available at the hospital. He said that some of the people stealing "stuff" were using it to sell to get money to get out of the city because they didn't have any money (happened right before their welfare checks came in)... Kurt rode out the storm in NO and just got back. KTLA sent a helicopter to airlift him out because of the rising danger.
"So a number "pops up" and it's the right number? I would be very interested in know how FNC came up with that number"
FNC had Shep count the people as they left.
Ping to you!
Where is the Red Cross set up? The only place I've seen them is at the Astro Dome, where they are asking people to donate DVDs for the children. I've seen reports of them giving food to the Southern Baptist to prepare and then the RC kindly serves it, but I'm not sure this is the same place. I'm just wondering where else they are.
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