LOCAL AID RUSHED TO GULF COAST LAFD, RED CROSS JOIN RELIEF EFFORT.Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer Search and rescue crews and Red Cross volunteers departed Monday for the Gulf Coast, where Hurricane Katrina  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. cut a swath of death and
destruction across three states.
The Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. dispatched 14 members of its search and rescue team to help with the treacherous task of rescuing residents of swamped communities. ``We hope we can help bring a little comfort to the millions of affected people in the South,'' said Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey, who added that the two seven-member teams will be under the direction of the Incident Support Team of the Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the federal agency responsible for coordinating emergency planning, preparedness, risk reduction, response, and recovery. The agency works closely with state and local governments by funding emergency programs and providing technical . ``We will do everything possible to help as many people as we can in this time of need.'' Red Cross volunteer and lifelong San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. resident Bill Frazier flew South on Saturday to help coordinate disaster response, as the monster storm approached the U.S. mainland. By Monday, he said, most shelters at local churches were flooded and without power, and many roads were inaccessible. More than 2,000 people were being sheltered in Natchez and Jackson, Miss., Frazier said, and he was working to find spaces for still more victims. ``The problem right now is we don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. where we can get to,'' Frazier said in a phone interview from an office outside Atlanta where he was tabulating the number of shelter openings. ``We're kind of reaching in the dark.'' At least four other Los Angeles-area volunteers were on the road Monday, driving across country to help out. ``From what I've seen on TV, and what I've seen from hurricanes, there's probably going to be a lot of chaos,'' said Lindsay Ackerman, 22, of Burbank, who was making her way with another volunteer to Montgomery, Ala. ``I'm just doing it for the greater good. We're ready.'' The Red Cross hopes to send as many as 125 volunteers from the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. area to the storm-damaged region, joining some 200 from California who are already there. Officials hope to be able to provide up to 100,000 meals for at least 90 days. The Red Cross has a pool of several thousand volunteers in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, who are trained in disaster relief. The agency was seeking those who could work in the South for more than three weeks. ``We've sent the first wave to a staging area staging area n. A place where troops or equipment in transit are assembled and processed, as before a military operation. Noun 1. for immediate relief,'' said Red Cross spokesman Nick Samaniego. ``This is a long-term thing.'' Jason Kandel, (818) 546-3306 jason.kandel(at)dailynews.com HOW TO HELP --To donate money or volunteer to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, call (800) HELPNOW or see www.redcross.org. To check on a relative in the disaster area, call (866) GETINFO. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Capt. Ron Klamecki of the L.A. Fire Department packs MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) at Fire Station 88 in Sherman Oaks. The LAFD LAFD Los Angeles Fire Department LAFD Los Alamos Fire Department LAFD London Association of Funeral Directors (UK) sent 14 members of its search and rescue team to help in hurricane relief efforts. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer Box: HOW TO HELP (see text) |
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