Even though Hurricane Isaac is gone, there is a lot of work to do!  We’ve been here at FEMA watching all the activity that happens after a disaster to get families back on their feet.  A lot of people in Louisiana and Mississippi need help, and we have learned that it takes teamwork to get them what they need!

FEMA isn’t the only group working to help survivors.  There are a lot of volunteers helping families who have been impacted by Hurricane Isaac.  Volunteers are people who help others for free, because they want to make a difference.  FEMA works with many groups of people who volunteer their time, services, and supplies during disasters.   There have been so many of these helping hands after the hurricane!

One of FEMA’s partners that relies on volunteers to get the job done is the American Red Cross.  Today, we stopped by the Red Cross to see what they are doing to help people after Hurricane Isaac.

The Red Cross provides meals, supplies, and shelter to people during and after a disaster.  A shelter is a place where families can stay if their homes are in harm’s way or damaged during a disaster.

The Red Cross also provides useful things to people after a disaster, like these:

That’s called a “comfort kit”.  It is given out so people can have important things they need, like a toothbrush, comb for your hair, tissues, and a bar of soap. While visiting the Red Cross, we also learned they have trucks that carry food and supplies to the disaster area. 

Here is a map showing where some of the Red Cross trucks are located across the country:

There are lots of ways for everyone to get involved and help survivors of Hurricane Isaac.  You can be a volunteer or raise money to give to volunteer groups (like the American Red Cross and other groups that do important work after disasters).  

If you are interested in helping, you and your family can visit the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website at www.nvoad.org.  We were so happy to learn about the work of one of FEMA’s partners that relies on volunteers, and we hope to visit more soon! The work of these groups goes a long way to help families and communities recover from disasters.

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Editor’s note: We are providing the following examples for your reference. FEMA does not endorse any non-government organizations, companies or applications.

Today is the anniversary of last year’s earthquake along the east coast – the biggest earthquake to hit the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains.   To remember the importance of preparing for unexpected events, we visited the Washington Monument – it was damaged during the earthquake.  Many of FEMA’s partners also visited the Washington Monument today, including the National Park Service, Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, U.S. Geological Survey, and representatives from the Virginia and D.C. governments. 

We met with Tim Manning, one of the big bosses at FEMA.  He talks about our visit to the Washington Monument and the importance of preparing for earthquakes and other emergencies.

We learned how to register for the Great Southeast Shakeout which will occur on October 18.  The Shakeout is an earthquake drill where schools and businesses practice “drop, cover, and hold on” – the appropriate steps to take if you feel the ground shaking.  We encourage you to register and participate with us!   

While we cannot always predict when a disaster will happen, we can at least prepare by practicing what actions to take.   We encourage you to visit Ready.gov/earthquakes to learn even more tips about preparing for earthquakes.