|
The final report of ICPC's Disaster Response Committee on Hurricane Katrina is now available. The final After Action survey of ICPC's Response to Hurricane Katrina is now available. It covers the reports, evaluations, and recommendations of the ICPC members who responsed to the human needs and community devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in the Gulf Coast Disaster of 2005. The hurricances were:
In the preface, to the final report, Chaplain Wayne Whitelock, c hair of ICPC's Disaster Response Committee, wrote that it was his "..privilege to read and digest the articulate, perceptive, insightful, thoughtful and sometimes poetic After-Action Reports of those ICPC members who responded to the Gulf Coast Disaster of 2005. A first reading offered much information and many useful insights and stories, but the most noticeable elements were certain shared awarnesses. "I hope those members who responded and shared their activities and observations in their After Action Reports will recognize their own words. All the findings are taken directly from their reports. Credit for all the content is to be given to the men and women of the ICPC who filed their reports. "In as much as possible, personal names, etc., have been replaced in the text by the symbol [abc] to protect confidentiality. Editor’s notes, corrections, and clarifications are also contained within brackets, thus: [xyz]. "Certain issues were covered by many of the reports with only minor differences. One example is the universal statement that: “The devastation was overwhelming.” "One representative example of comments on the same issue was considered enough to make the point in this report. So if you say: “Hey, I said that …!” do not be dismayed if the quote I used was from someone else who said it too. Also, do not assume that the number of citations about a given subject indicates how frequently it was noted. "Usually the simpler ideas needed less quotes to flesh them out, while the more complex ones needed more quotes to clarify them. "The After Action Reports tell countless stories from many different points of view. Since each responder brought differing expectations, skills, and theological understandings, their experiences were predictably diverse. "Additionally, the Gulf Coast Disaster of 2005 was not one event, but a series of continuing events spread out over a large expanse of time and geography, providing a variety of realities. Multiply that variety by the denominational/faith diversity that makes us the broad based and inclusive organization we are and it is understandable that each person’s story is unique. "However, the startling reality experienced upon reading these reports is not one of diversity, but rather commonality of purpose, commitment, and compassion. "The purpose of this report is to provide accurate feedback and information to the Disaster Response Committee and the leadership of the ICPC as it continues to improve its disaster response plan. "I want to thank all the ICPC members who assisted in this effort. Your honest candor and willingness to share your experiences and insights in your After Action Reports provide the foundation upon which this summary report is based." --Dr.Wayne Whitelock |