Hurricane Katrina disaster relief

The disaster recovery response to Hurricane Katrina in late 2005 included U. S. federal government agencies such
as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), state and local level agencies, federal and National Guard soldiers, non governmental organizations, charities, and private individuals. Tens of thousands of volunteers and troops responded or were deployed to the disaster; most in the affected area but also throughout the U. S. at shelters set up in at least 19 states.

Monetary donations were way below the records set by the tsunami and 9/11 relief efforts in the U. S. In a reversal of usual positions, the U. S. received international aid and assistance from numerous countries. The National Disaster Medical System had activated essentially all teams in the country, and pre staged multiple Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs), Disaster Mortuary Assistance Teams (DMORTs), and Veterinary Medicine Response Teams (VMATs) in Houston and Atlanta the day prior to, and the day of, landfall. When the levees were reported to have broken, the DMATs were moved to Baton Rouge on Tuesday, August 30, and as the needs were identified, teams were moved out that afternoon to the Superdome, and that night to the Louis Armstrong Airport. Three DMATs arrived around 2 am on Wednesday morning, Aug 31, set up a field hospital Base of Operations in Concourse D, began offloading rescuees from helicopters, and provided medical care if necessary. Additional DMATs were deployed there as the volume and tempo of patient arrivals increased, as the hospitals in the city began to evacuate their patients. Over 3,000 patients were cared for, and as DOD Medevac assets began arriving, patients were handed over and moved out to over a dozen cities. This operation peaked during the weekend of September 3 and 4, and was completed by mid week. Over 20,000 evacuees were also flown out by the civilian air fleet drafted into service, and 25 deaths occurred there, mostly elderly nursing home and hospice evacuees. More than 1,000 Army and Air National Guardsmen and 7,200 active duty troops were stationed in the Gulf Coast region to assist with hurricane relief operations with some remaining several weeks. The military relief effort, known as Joint Task Force Katrina, was commanded by Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré, commander of the U. S. First Army. At President Bush's urging, the U. S. Senate quickly approved $10.5 billion in aid for victims September 1, 2005. The U. S. House of Representatives voted and approved on the measure Friday, September 2, 2005, without any debate. President Bush requested an additional $51.8 billion on September 7. Congress approved that funding package the next day. On September 24, 2005, following the havoc caused by Hurricane Rita, the National Guard named Brig. Gen. Douglas Pritt of the 41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, head of Joint Task Force Rita (formally called JTF Ponchartrain). The fourteen hundred Oregonian soldiers and airmen, including the 1st Battalion of the 186th Infantry which is designated as a quick response unit, were joined by engineers and military police from Louisiana, a Stryker Brigade from Pennsylvania, and an engineering battalion from Missouri. It is their mission to provide relief support for all of the areas in Texas and Louisiana affected by the two storms and to remove obstructions that might otherwise hinder help to those affected. Governments of many countries have offered help to the U. S. for disaster relief, including the governments of Canada, France, United Kingdom, Germany and Mexico, with Canada even offering to accept Katrina evacuees. In addition to asking for federal funds, President Bush has enlisted the help of former presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush to raise additional voluntary contributions, much as they did after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Many had been critical of the slow response, with many people (particularly in New Orleans) left without water and food for three to five days after the storm. Among the first to express criticism of the management of the crisis had been The Pentagon, who complained only a day after Katrina hit that bureaucratic red tape from the Bush administration and the FEMA (newly reorganized under the Department of Homeland Security) had caused the delay of a scheduled and authorized military hospital ship from Norfolk, Virginia, among other related and prepared active military crisis response procedures.

Initially, the United States had been reluctant to accept donations and aid from foreign countries. However, this policy was reversed, and as the reports of damage grew more grim, the United States accepted the foreign aid. Countries and organizations that offered to send aid mentioned by the State Department included Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, International Energy Agency, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, NATO, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Organization of American States, Oman, OPEC, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, United Kingdom, the United Nations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Venezuela and the World Health Organization. Other countries not on this list have also offered aid, but the State Department mentioned that they had not been asked. Later, the U. S. State Department said all offers were being examined. Donations include Kuwait donating 500 million dollars, Canada sending frigate and frigate , a coast guard light icebreaker (CCGS Sir William Alexander), and two Sikorsky CH 124 Sea King helicopters to the area (2 additional helicopters were sent to Boston to replace US Coast Guard helicopters going to Louisiana) and Singapore sending three CH 47 Chinook helicopters and thirty eight RSAF personnel from a training detachment based in Grand Prairie, Texas. Some of these countries that helped even offered evacuees to immigrate to their respective countries. Notable offers from international organizations include the United Nations, which was ready to send supply high energy biscuits, generators, planes, tents along with experienced staff members; and Paris based International Energy Agency agreeing to make 60 million barrels oil available to help the United States weather the economic problems caused by Hurricane Katrina.

The National Hockey League, along with the National Hockey League Players Association, have donated $1 million. An auction of game worn jerseys, from the 2005–06 NHL season opening night, will also be held. The National Football League donated $1 million, as did the New York Yankees baseball organization. The New York Jets and New York Giants also allowed the 2005 LSU Tigers football team play their home games at Giants Stadium while both the Mercedes Benz Superdome and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center were being used as a refuge for victims of the hurricane, and Tiger Stadium (LSU) was being used by the New Orleans Saints for their home games. A Concert for Hurricane Relief, an hour long, music and celebrity driven broadcast was aired on September 2, 2005, by NBC. Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, an hour long simulcast benefit concert aired on September 9, 2005, worldwide. A four and a half hour long benefit concert titled ReAct Now: Music & Relief was broadcast by MTV, VH1 and CMT on September 10, 2005. Céline Dion, the Canadian singer, also donated $1 million.

In the wake of a large outpouring of support, many scam artists took advantage of the public's willingness to provide money and other resources to victims of the hurricane. The FBI reported that over 500 illegitimate websites were created to collect money that ostensibly would go to hurricane victims. Spam emails were then circulated to attract donations.