American Red Cross Tsunami Response Transitions to Long-Term Recovery

Main Category: Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 27 Jun 2005 - 7:00 PDT

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Today the American Red Cross released its long-term tsunami recovery plan that addresses the needs of tsunami survivors over the next five years. Now that the initial emergency phase has passed, the organization is embarking on the important task of rebuilding lives and livelihoods.

The generosity of the American public has allowed the American Red Cross to provide more than $100 million in emergency aid to more than 2 million survivors. This aid includes emergency food for 1.6 million people, vaccinations for 1.1 million children and relief supplies for 400,000 people.

The relief effort was carried out with the worldwide International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, along with other global humanitarian organization partners.

In the past six months, the needs of tsunami survivors have evolved. They range from the rehabilitation of complete community water systems to disaster mental health counseling. With the initial emergency needs addressed, the long-term recovery efforts of the American Red Cross are now underway and are estimated to last five years.

"I witnessed the devastation first-hand and am inspired by the enormous amount of help the Red Cross has already provided to tsunami survivors," said Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO, American Red Cross. "We recognize there is a long road ahead, and we are committed to meeting the challenge. Working with our partners, we will help rebuild the lives and livelihoods of affected communities."

Over the next five years, the American Red Cross will assist survivors by providing:

-- Community health services and disease control such as rehabilitating water and sanitation systems, preventing disease through massive vaccination campaigns, and training local disaster mental health staff.

-- Disaster preparedness activities to promote safer communities ready for future disasters. When disaster strikes, preparedness efforts help to ensure fewer lives will be lost and communities will be better equipped to respond.

-- Community restoration and rebuilding by working with partners in the reconstruction of schools, health systems, and livelihoods in the affected regions.

The long-term tsunami recovery plan takes advantage of the expertise and experience of the American Red Cross in areas such as water and sanitation rehabilitation, healthcare education and disaster mental health services.

For detailed information on the American Red Cross tsunami recovery plan, please visit http://www.redcross.org/tsunami. For information on the efforts of our Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, visit http://www.ifrc.org.

Whether across the street or around the world, the American Red Cross will continue to turn the compassion of our donors into action, help communities prepare for emergencies and bring aid to those in need.

SIX-MONTH ACCOMPLISHMENTS

-- Provided emergency food assistance to more than 1.6 million people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives through a partnership with the World Food Program.

-- Provided safe drinking water and sanitation to tsunami survivors by supplying water storage units in Maldives, and offering guidance for long term water supply and household sanitation programs in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

-- Rushed relief supplies to 400,000 tsunami survivors. This aid included family tents, sleeping mats, cooking sets, hygiene kits and much more.

-- Prevented epidemics by vaccinating nearly 1.1 million children against measles in Indonesia in conjunction with United Nations agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

-- Trained local disaster mental health volunteers including teachers, community leaders and clerics who assisted more than 100,000 grieving survivors.

The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors- across the street, across the country and across the world-in emergencies.

Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new-the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through almost 900 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood-the gift of life-through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected.

As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 181 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the American Red Cross.

American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org
http://www.ifrc.org

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