Emergency Response News Briefs

August 10, 2006 • Archive

Long-term Recovery Organizations Database Announced

Church World Service (CWS) has announced the creation of a publicly-accessible online data base information service which tracks development and work of local disaster recovery organizations throughout the U.S. The service available on the CWS Emergency Response Program web site (www.cwserp.org) is designed for use by agencies and organizations which need to keep current on recovery contacts in disaster-affected areas and the status of local groups engaged in the recovery process.

This database grew out of the CWS “Recovery Organizations Yellow Pages” which has been maintained on a computer-generated spread sheet and periodically distributed via email to the disaster response community. The Yellow Pages tracked local recovery organizations that responded to the 2004 hurricane season in Florida and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

The new service covers recovery organizations throughout the U.S., providing an online spreadsheet with basic organizational data. From the spreadsheet, users can access detailed organizational information. The database is intended to be used by agencies and organizations that are supporting long-term recovery organizations and groups, and is not intended to be a source for commercial solicitations.

Roundup of Disaster Response and Recovery Liaison (DRRL) Activities

DRRL Dan Grimes, while working as On-Call DRRL in Mississippi, is also following the possible need for long-term recovery organization in the Fairfax, Va., area due to excessive rain a few weeks ago. If needed, the Summer Storms Appeal (#6290) will be updated to include this work.
DRRL Lesli Remaly is moderating a conference call for Alaska voluntary agency members to facilitate addressing the unmet needs of over 300 cases stemming from 6 federal declarations for flooding and fires. The call was scheduled for today, Thursday, August 10.
DRRLs Lura Cayton and Tom Davis are providing the leadership to host regular information-sharing/clearinghouse meetings of faith-community partners in New Orleans. The information to be shared centers around volunteer and rebuilding initiatives of the groups. The most recent meeting was held Aug. 9.
DRRL Heriberto Martinez is training VOAD members on response and recovery in workshops in the US Virgin Islands. The training on St Thomas is August 9-10 and St Croix on August 16-17.

Roundup of Current CWS Shipments

The Hispanic Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, a CWS partner in working with Hispanic worker concerns following Hurricane Katrina, is holding a Hispanic Worker Fair on August 13. CWS has supplied a shipment of Gifts of the Heart Kits that included 1,035 CWS Health Kits, 210 CWS Baby Kits and 120 CWS School Kits. The total amount of the kits is valued at $22,365. The Hispanic Apostolate earlier received a $5,000 grant from CWS.

CWS has shipped 500 blankets and 540 Health Kits to the Rio Grande Conference of the United Methodist Church, El Paso, Texas, for use in response to recent floods in the region. The total value of the shipment is nearly $9,000.

International Staffers in Angola

Associate Director Fidele Lumeya and International Response and Recovery Liaison Don Tatlock are currently in Angola, meeting with the Igrejas Evangelica Reformada de Angola (IERA), the Evangelical Reformed Church of Angola, a CWS partner.