Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand in 2004 following Tsunami disaster. Photo by Thorfinn Stainforth
Downtown Port Au Prince after 2010 Haiti earthuake
Due to advanced communications technology and world wide access to mass media and the internet, global response to natural disasters during the last decade has been monumental in scope and relatively swift.
As a result, much of the world community stepped up to help ravaged victims devastated by those effected by such calamities as The Tsunami in June, 2004, Hurricane Katrina in August, 2005, the earthquakes in Haiti this past January, and Chile in February. Understanding its connectedness to the rest of the world, Indianapolis has also participated in both domestic and international relief efforts. That help came in the form of individuals, corporations, educational institutions, government agencies and non-profit agencies who donated money, resources and provided volunteer assistance to those suffering in the affected places around the world. In most cases when generous Hoosiers have sought out ways to help during global and domestic emergencies, it is the non-for profit organizations that provide the means by which regular citizens can donate both money and resources. Most active are the Indianapolis Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army Indiana Division, Catholic Charities Indianapolis, and other national charitable organizations which are operated by and can be accessed locally through the Seventh Day Adventists, Church of the Brethren, Nazarene, Southern Baptist, United Methodist, Episcopal, Lutheran and other churches.
Probably the most visible of all the local helping organizations is the Indianapolis Chapter of the American Red Cross which “maintains a readiness to shelter, feed, clothe and provide basic first aid and emotional support to citizens affected by disasters.” During international disaster responses, “The role of the local chapter is primarily to serve as a conduit for information,” says John B. Lyter, Chief Executive Officer or the local organization. “Primarily, we share information regarding the International and American Red Cross efforts. Additionally, we work with people in the community who have families in the affected areas. The program of communication and family reunification is very much akin to what we do everyday---especially for families separated by military assignments. Based on the relatively few families affected in any single community---the work is well resourced.” Lyter also points out that the local chapter also provides an opportunity for people to make financial contributions that are used to meet the needs defined by the affected Red Cross society as communicated through the International Red Cross. Lyter says that the “Katrina was one of the greatest challenges because the aftermath created the first domestic disaster where people self-evacuated and fled in varying numbers to each of the continental states of the U.S., including Indiana and Indianapolis in particular. The local chapter provided emergency shelter - notably employing the state fairgrounds for several weeks along with feeding operations, basic health care and psychological support for people who had to flee their homes. Total shelter population was something over 2,000.” In addition, according to Lyter, the Red Cross and the city’s housing agency “coordinated casework and family needs with United Way who then helped find short and intermediate housing for evacuees who were determining if and how long they wished to stay in central Indiana.” Finally says Lyter, “the Red Cross building was the community reception center. Red Cross and FEMA coordinated family casework and then other agencies, apartment complexes, employers, schools for short term and longer enrollment of kids taken from their own school setting; virtually any agency who wanted to help was given space and basic casework to provide assistance.” People with a variety of needs and resources sought assistance from agencies and government, making coordination of effort and programs difficult in a totally unknown situation. Fortunately, according to Lyter, “A great deal of critique activity and planning has occurred since those days and the national [and Indianapolis] is better prepared to respond.” As far as international disasters, Lyter says the local Red Cross takes its cue from its headquarters in Washington, D.C. In turn, the American Red Cross responds to the requests received from the International Red Cross HG in Geneva, Switzerland which coordinates and communicates with the Red Cross in the affected country. Another prominent entity operating locally is Salvation Army. An international movement, the Salvation Army is a Christian organization with a mission “to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” Programs and services provided by the Salvation Army include: emergency assistance including mass and mobile feeding, temporary shelter, counseling, missing person services, and medical assistance. It also provides warehousing services including the distribution of donated goods including food, clothing, and household items. In addition, (and critical to disaster response), the Salvation Army also recruits, trains, houses, and transports volunteers. According to Jerry Larsen, Divisional Director for Disaster Services for the Indiana Division of the Salvation Army, it’s the volunteers who really make a difference when tragedy strikes. “We are always training. We have over 500 volunteers from all over the state of Indiana. We find them through word of mouth and speaking engagements at churches and organizations.” Larsen says that the local organization has a number of people locally who are often called to international disasters. Larsen himself spent a month working in Haiti working with the disaster team there; laying the groundwork for further teams to come in; started feeding and hydration programs; and supported medical staff on the grounds. A call for help in a global disaster comes from the Salvation Army’s International office in London once they determine what kind of assistance is needed. “The International Emergency Services Team goes in first for the early assessment than determines what kind of team they need to send in to work with the disaster,” says Larsen. Then the disaster team itself goes in immediately afterwards to provide food services, hydration and shelter both for the first responders and the victims. Larsen says that many Indiana volunteers went to down to the Gulf Coast after Katrina, where the Salvation Army still has a presence, expediting a long term recovery plan that began several months after the initial months of response.
As far as coordinating with other agencies when disasters occur both locally and globally, Larsen says that his organization meets regularly with others in the statewide Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters, VOAD. It’s an organization of nearly 40 plus agencies which “Facilitates, and encourages collaboration, communication, cooperation and coordination, and builds relationships among members while groups plan and prepare for emergencies and disaster incidents,” according to its website. Member agencies include many of those mentioned earlier in this article. Catholics who live in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis are often informed of international disasters in stories published in the diocesan newspaper the Criterion. Readers are then often encouraged to make donations to Catholic Charities Indianapolis which forwards them to its mission office. From there, checks are sent to Catholic Relief Services where the funds are used for international relief. “We act as a go-between for the international organization to rally support throughout the diocese for global disasters and help with fundraising when needed,” says Greg Otolski, Executive Director of Communications for Catholic Charities Indianapolis. When it came to Katrina, Catholics in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana donated to Catholic Charities USA, says Otolski who added that “People from parishes and youth groups also went down to the Gulf Coast to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and helped on site. They cleared debris and helped to rebuild schools, homes, and churches in a prolonged effort.” Otolski also says that “when it comes to international disasters, the best thing you can do is donate money. What they don’t need are people from here who want to send clothes or food. They need cash once they figure out what the needs are on the ground to get things done.” As far individuals making donations to charitable organizations sponsored by their churches, Oltoski, says that “because church is such a big part of people’s lives, it’s an easy and convenient way for people to help. Plus there is also a lot of accountability in how that money is used. They know the administrative costs are incredibly low and that the money they give is going to be put to good use.” Regarding satisfaction derived from working on the front lines whenever there is a response to a domestic or global disaster, Salvation Army Indiana’s Larsen says, “We take a lot of personal pride in preparing ourselves to be ready to act whenever a disaster strikes; to be available to assist those as soon as possible after a tragedy occurs; and to see the positive effect it has on those who face a crisis. All of us, volunteers included, are grateful for the opportunity to touch the lives of people whenever there lives are torn apart and be ready to respond to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.” For more information about the Indianapolis Chapter of the American Red Cross visit their website at www.redcross-indy.org; Salvation Army Indiana at www.salvationarmyindiana.org: and Catholic Charities Indianapolis at www.archindy.org. For information about other National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) with ties to Indianapolis visit www.nvoad.org.
2004 Tsunami in Thailand / Photo by David Rydevik
Tom Alvarez is an freelance journalist spending much of his career in the media and nonprofit sector. Tom is a regular contributor to ORG Magazine.
