I sincerely hope that no Americans, regardless of race, age, or social-economic status, will ever again have to face the unacceptable recovery that took place in New Orleans.
Donald C. Menzel, Ph.D.
President
American Society for Public Administration
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A task force established by ASPA will explore the governance issues and challenges that arose when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region. The Katrina Task Force consists of five experienced academics and four practitioners with broad based knowledge, expertise, and a commitment to strengthening the emergency management capacity of public agencies.
The task force is co-chaired by Bev Cigler (Penn State) and Bruce Baughman (Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and former national FEMA official). Other members include Louise Comfort (University of Pittsburgh), Frannie Edwards (Director Of Emergency Management Office, San Jose, CA), Greg Gould (Emergency Program Manager, Training and Exercise, State of Alaska), Lenneal Henderson (University of Baltimore), D.C. Jensen (Chief Planner, Louisiana Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness), Carole Jurkiewicz (Louisiana State University) and Bill Waugh (Georgia State University).
The task force will work in concert with more than 50 ASPA members representing all regions of the country who have volunteered to serve as members of the Katrina Advisory Group. This advisory group is still seeking volunteers.
Katrina Advisory Group Volunteers Sought
The Katrina Advisory Group has been organized to work in concert with the small Presidential Task Force that has been established to explore and assess, where appropriate, the many administrative-governmental issues and challenges that arose when Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region.
We continue to seek interested professionals and students. They should contact Don Menzel at donmenzel@tampabay.rr.com . This is an opportunity to learn and contribute your knowledge and skills to ensure that the lessons learned are indeed taken to heart when the next catastrophe visits our shores or cities.
PA TIMES Focuses on Hurricane Katrina
The October issue of PA TIMES featured a section on Hurricane Katrina’s impact on individuals and the implications for our society. If you are interested in contributing editorially to future issues, please contact Christine Jewett McCrehin, PA TIMES editor, at cjewett@aspanet.org.
PAT-Net 2006 Conference will Feature Hurricane Katrina Panel
The Public Administration Theory Network (PAT-Net) 2006 Conference, February 8-10 in Olympia, Washington will feature a theory and practice panel on Hurricane Katrina. Panelists and papers they will be presenting include: Amy Gould, The Evergreen State College:"The Role of Public Administration in (Re) Naming Culture: The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina", Janet Hutchinson, Virginia Commonweatlth University: "Public Administration: Through Class Darkly."
Other panelists include Richard J. Herzog & Heather Wyatt-Nichol, Stephen F. Austin University: "Katrina, Rita, Margaritas, and Hurricanes: Redefining PA Theoretical Frameworks for Crisis Planning and Response Management", and Marc Berman, Washington State Human Rights Commission (with Robert Garcia, Center for Law in the Public Interest): "Katrina and the Demographics of Disaster Reconstruction." For more conference information visit www.evergreen.edu/events/patnet/.
How to Help
The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) extends its compassion and support to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and to those dedicated public officials and administrators who are responding to this devastating natural disaster.
You can help the victims of Hurricane Katrina directly. Please see the resources below for details. Check back frequently for additional information about what ASPA and its members are doing to address this disaster.
Outreach to ASPA Chapters in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina
If you are an ASPA member or chapter in need as a result of Hurricane Katrina, email Matt Rankin at mrankin@aspanet.org. Please let us know what you need and how you can be reached. As responses come in, a special resource page will be created on ASPA’s website to match donors and volunteers with those in need.
In the meantime, ASPA members are encouraged to contact the chapter representatives below to see how you can help with local relief efforts.
Alabama Chapter of ASPA
Sonya King
sking@uwca.org
Louisiana Chapter of ASPA
Mylon Winn, Ph.D.
mylonwinn@yahoo.com
National Council liaison to Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi Chapters of ASPA
Anne Osborne Kilpatrick
kilpatao@musc.edu
New Resources
Census Bureau maps of the areas impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita can be found at http://ftp2.census.gov/geo/maps/special/HurKat/
Click here for location-specific contact information for evacuees to use in accessing HHS benefits and services.
Organizations Offering Disaster Relief Information
At this time, ASPA is not equipped to handle donations directly. Please contact the following organizations to make a contribution or to volunteer.
- American Red Cross - www.redcross.org or 1-800-HELP-NOW.
- The National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) has established a relief fund for the students and staff of the College of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of New Orleans. If you would like to contribution to the relief fund, please make a check out to NASPAA -- Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and mail it to NASPAA, 1120 G Street NW, Suite 730, Washington, DC 20005. You can also call in a credit card donation to NASPAA financial officer Barbara Ridgely at 202-628-8965, x107.
- The American Political Science Association has established a Hurricane Katrina Political Science Relief Fund to meet the needs of political science faculty and graduate students, departments, and universities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The fund will address short-term requirements and support longer-term efforts to rebuild an infrastructure for research and teaching in political science, including library collections in the discipline. Gifts can be made online at www.apsanet.org/content_19189.cfm or mailed to: Hurricane Katrina Political Science Relief Fund, The American Political Science Association, 1527 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20036-1206.
- In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that it has established a toll-free assistance hotline number (1-800-307-8298) for current and retired federal employees and annuitants who have been impacted by the hurricane in the Gulf Coast area. The toll-free number will be open during the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday Central Time.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency - www.fema.gov or 1-800-621-FEMA
- FEMA Charity tips - www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm
- Louisiana Homeland Security - www.ohsep.louisiana.gov
- City of New Orleans - www.cityofno.com
- Louisiana Governor's Office - www.gov.state.la.us
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster - www.nvoad.org or 703-339-5596
- Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - www.la-spca.org
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