|
Disaster Response Committee Report September 24, 2005
Dear fellow Chaplains: The immediate reports on the effects of “Rita” are encouraging. Now downgraded to a tropical storm, the major concerns are being focusing on local flooding through the Texarkana and Arkansas areas. Although New Orleans is once again dealing with flood waters, the successful evacuation of most of the affected Gulf Coast areas has reduced the number of casualties. As we receive requests for assistance, we will be able to gauge our personnel needs. If you have notified the Destin office of your availability, keep us posted if you experience any change in your status. Ask your Doctor about Hepatitis inoculations. As many of our Chaplains recover from their initial response to Katrina, it is encouraging to see the growth of a new echelon of leadership. Having been “baptized by fire,” many ICPC members who served at the local level in their own home states have taken on a new appreciation of preparedness for disaster relief. Several have asked if we will have a Disaster Tract at the next ATS. The Host committee has been working on that since July, and continues to do so even as you read this. We can look forward to that aspect of the 2006 ATS with high expectations. I will continue to keep you updated. Pray for the Chaplains we have deployed and for the victims. Peace Dr. Wayne Whitelock, CMC |