HHS Hurricane Relief Program
----- Original Message -----From: Katrina, HHSSent: Monday, October 03, 2005 11:15 AMSubject: Update on HHS Hurricane Relief Program.
Dear Hurricane Katrina and Rita Applicants:
Thank you for your patience as you await word on possible deployment to the
Gulf States Region as part of the government's response to the hurricanes.
Almost 700 "volunteers" are currently deployed as unpaid, temporary federal
employees. They are caring for special needs patients in Waco and Marlin,
Texas. They are assisting with evacuees in the Convention Center in
Houston. They are helping Disaster Mortuary Operation Teams and working in
special needs shelters across Louisiana. They are also involved in clinical
operations in shelters and on a Cruise Ship housing over 1,000 evacuees in
Mississippi. We appreciate their self-sacrifice and commitment to help
those who at this time cannot help themselves. Thank you once again for
your application as a volunteer; we will keep you informed of the status of
this operation during the days and weeks ahead of this response.
HHS Hurricane Relief Program Team
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This message is from HHS Office of the Surgeon General, Hurricane Katrina Responder Applicant System and is sent to all those registered in the health professional data base at <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>. Our intent is to keep you informed of the general status of applicant processing and responder deployments. You can not reply to this message. Please visit our web site and refer to the updated frequently asked questions <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>
----- Original Message -----From: Katrina, HHSSent: Monday, September 26, 2005 11:57 AMSubject: Message from the Surgeon General
When you offered to volunteer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, you
demonstrated a terrific willingness to help your fellow Americans during a
time of great need. That dedication to service is commendable. Since there
was such an overwhelming response to my call for assistance, there will not
be opportunities for all who signed up on the HHS website to be activated to
go to the affected areas at this time. All, however, are needed to help
strengthen the public health infrastructure and improve emergency
preparedness; the needs are national in scope, but can be addressed by
assisting at the local level. Therefore, I would like to take this
opportunity to tell you how you can continue to help your nation on an
ongoing basis.
One of my highest priorities is public health preparedness. One way I
address this priority is through my leadership of the Medical Reserve Corps
(MRC) program. This is a national system of community-based MRC units. MRC
units are cadres of public health and medical professionals, and others too,
who work on public health activities throughout the year, and who can
readily be called upon if an emergency strikes the community. By
volunteering ahead of time, MRC members are identified, credentialed,
trained and prepared in advance so they can help immediately in a disaster.
Some of the first public health and medical volunteers who responded to
Hurricane Katrina were MRC members in the local communities along the Gulf
Coast. In Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, MRC members were prepared as
the storm approached. After it hit and needs were identified, MRC members
helped staff medical clinics, supported special needs shelters and provided
other assistance as needed. As evacuees poured into communities throughout
the nation, MRC volunteers were already prepared to help with their needs as
well. And when the need for additional public health and medical assistance
was identified, MRC members from around the country were asked to help
outside of their local jurisdictions and to deploy to the affected areas.
I urge each of you to learn more about the organization by visiting the MRC
website at www.medicalreservecorps.gov. Find the MRC unit near you and join.
If there's not a nearby unit, you can assist your community and our nation
by helping to establish one. If you would like more information or some help
in getting started, please call (301) 443-4951 or email
MRCcontact@osophs.dhhs.gov.
Thank you for your willingness to help. I hope we can count on you in the
future as well. Join the Public Health Service team by becoming a part of
the Medical Reserve Corps and help our nation to be better prepared!
Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
VADM, USPHS
United States Surgeon General
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This message is from HHS Office of the Surgeon General, Hurricane Katrina Responder Applicant System and is sent to all those registered in the health professional data base at <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>. Our intent is to keep you informed of the general status of applicant processing and responder deployments. You can not reply to this message. Please visit our web site and refer to the updated frequently asked questions <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>
----- Original Message -----From: Katrina, HHSSent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 3:20 PMSubject: Message from the Surgeon General
The following is a message from the Surgeon General - please disregard the
previous email sent today, it was a draft, inadvertently sent
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Dear Colleagues:
Thank you for offering your service to assist those injured or displaced by
Hurricane Katrina. This unprecedented natural disaster sparked a remarkable
outpouring of generosity from the American people. Your willingness to
assist in delivering healthcare, mental health, clinical, and other services
to the affected region demonstrates the remarkable
neighbor-helping-neighbor, compassionate spirit that makes the United States
a leader in humanitarian relief, whether in our homeland or abroad.
Immediately after the storm, we felt a common and genuine sense of urgency.
The Department of Health and Human Services deployed over 1,200 members of
the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, our largest single
deployment since the Korean War. We also issued a call for volunteers to
help with the massive medical and human services relief effort. More than
34,000 Americans responded to assist in this disaster relief effort.
Our response to the storm has changed as the needs of those affected have
changed. Local communities throughout the United States are supporting
evacuees. Those communities, their state governments, and the private
sector are now better able to address the needs of those affected. The
requests for assistance are declining in number and urgency, though we
expect a continuing need in some communities. Health professionals
currently providing services will need relief and respite and the number of
persons cared for may increase or decrease depending on the ongoing
situations.
We have deployed more than 150 "unpaid, temporary federal employees" at the
request of state and local health departments; and, we will deploy more.
But, at this stage of the response, we believe that the extremely high
demand for volunteers which we originally anticipated will not occur. While
we will certainly call on a number of you to help in the response, we
believe those numbers will now be in the hundreds rather than the thousands.
We appreciate your patience as the needs and subsequent response have
changed each day. We will contact individuals with the skills that meet the
specific requests from the affected communities and that fit within our
deliberate and evolving deployment strategy. If we identify you as a likely
candidate for deployment, we recognize that your responsibilities at home
may preclude you from serving. If that is the case, we will understand and
move forward to identify other applicants.
Again, thank you for your dedication and willingness to serve the American
people in this time of tragedy and rebuilding.
Gratefully,
Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
VADM, USPHS
United States Surgeon General
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This message is from HHS Office of the Surgeon General, Hurricane Katrina Responder Applicant System and is sent to all those registered in the health professional data base at <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>. Our intent is to keep you informed of the general status of applicant processing and responder deployments. You can not reply to this message. Please visit our web site and refer to the updated frequently asked questions <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>
----- Original Message -----From: Katrina, HHSSent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 1:39 PMSubject: Message to Applicants
Dear HHS temporary employee applicant:
Thank you for offering to assist those injured or displaced by Hurricane
Katrina. This unprecedented natural disaster sparked a remarkable outpouring
of generosity from the American people. Your willingness to assist in
delivering healthcare, mental health, clinical, and other services to
persons in the affected region demonstrates the remarkable
neighbor-helping-neighbor, compassionate spirit that makes the United States
a leader in humanitarian relief, whether in our homeland or abroad.
Immediately after the storm, we felt a common and genuine sense of urgency.
The Department of Health and Human Services deployed over 1,200 members of
the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, our largest single
deployment since the Korean War. We also issued a call for non-uniformed
services individuals like you to help with the massive health and medical
services relief effort. More than 34,000 Americans responded to assist in
this disaster relief effort.
Our response to the storm has changed as the needs of those effected have
changed. Local communities throughout the United States are supporting
evacuees. Those communities, their state governments, and the private sector
are now better able to address their. The requests for assistance are
declining in number and urgency, though we expect a continuing need in
some communities for relief and respite of those currently providing
services and the high number of persons being cared for.
We have deployed more than 150 "unpaid, temporary federal employees" at the
request of state and local health departments; and, we will send more. But,
at this stage of the response, we believe that the extremely high demand for
additional personnel that we originally anticipated will not occur. While
we will certainly call on a number of you to help in the response, we
believe those numbers will now be in the hundreds rather that the thousands.
.
We appreciate your patience as the needs and subsequent response have
continued to change each day. We will contact individuals with the skills
that meet the specific requests from the effected communities and that fit
within our deliberate and evolving deployment strategy. If we identify you
as a likely candidate for deployment, we recognize that your
responsibilities at home may preclude you from serving. If that is the case,
we will understand and move forward to identify others.
Again, thank you for your dedication and willingness to serve the American
people in this time of tragedy and rebuilding.
Gratefully,
Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
VADM, USPHS
United States Surgeon General
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This message is from HHS Office of the Surgeon General, Hurricane Katrina Responder Applicant System and is sent to all those registered in the health professional data base at <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>. Our intent is to keep you informed of the general status of applicant processing and responder deployments. You can not reply to this message. Please visit our web site and refer to the updated frequently asked questions <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>
----- Original Message -----From: Katrina, HHSSent: Friday, September 16, 2005 1:21 PMSubject: MESSAGE from the Hurricane Katrina Applicant Team
Thank you for responding to our call for medical and health care providers
and support personnel to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
You are one of more than 33,000 people who have notified us through the
Department of Health and Human Services' website that you are available and
willing to help. We greatly appreciate your compassion and generosity.
Because of the tremendous response, we expect to be able to meet the needs
of the sustained relief effort. We are continuing to process applications
that have been submitted. However, we will not be collecting additional
individual applications on our website and our 1-866-KAT-MEDI hotline will
no longer be needed.
If you are a licensed healthcare professional and have not logged into the
CredentialSmart system with your password, you can do so until 9:00pm EST
Monday, September 19, 2005. If you are not able to get into the system by
then and are identified for possible deployment, you will be contacted for
your availability and credentialed at a later time.
The Office of the Surgeon General will continue to contact those of you who
meet the requirements and needs in the field as soon as we are able.
Deployments may be anytime during the next six months. We will give you
ample time to prepare if you are selected for deployment. Please be patient.
If you received travel information from us and need assistance, please call
our travel hotline at 1-866-778-1373.
Thank you for your patriotism and support for our fellow Americans in this
time of need.
Katrina Applicant Team
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This message is from HHS Office of the Surgeon General, Hurricane Katrina Responder Applicant System and is sent to all those registered in the health professional data base at <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>. Our intent is to keep you informed of the general status of applicant processing and responder deployments. You can not reply to this message. Please visit our web site and refer to the updated frequently asked questions <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>
----- Original Message -----From: Katrina, HHSSent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 3:18 PMSubject: Update from the HHS Hurricane Katrina Applicant Team
We would like to thank all of you who have registered to provide your time
and expertise to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Your response during
these difficult times has been overwhelming and heartening. As of
September 13, 2005, over 32,000 healthcare professionals and relief
personnel have registered with HHS for possible deployment in affected
areas.
Because of the nature of the disaster, the recovery effort will be long
term, and people will be needed for at least the next six months. HHS has
responded to the immediate needs after Hurricane Katrina and, with your
generous help, is prepared for the long recovery ahead. The vast pool of
applicants will allow us to rotate our currently deployed Commissioned Corps
Public Health Service officers with healthcare personnel, as well as fulfill
future state and local requests for medical personnel.
As of September 13, 2005 we have dispatched temporary federal employees to
Texas and a group is in the process of traveling to Louisiana. We plan to
deploy additional temporary federal employees (from those who have
registered on the HHS website) in the coming weeks and months.
We ask those who have registered to help, to please be patient. We are
working to meet the needs on the ground and will call up more temporary
federal employees as needed. For more information please visit the
frequently asked questions at https://volunteer.hhs.gov.
Thank you for your patriotism and spirit of support to the victims of
Hurricane Katrina.
Katrina Applicant Team
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This message is from HHS Office of the Surgeon General, Hurricane Katrina Responder Applicant System and is sent to all those registered in the health professional data base at <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>. Our intent is to keep you informed of the general status of applicant processing and responder deployments. You can not reply to this message. Please visit our web site and refer to the updated frequently asked questions <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>
----- Original Message -----From: Katrina, HHSSent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 1:44 PMSubject: Hurricane Katrina Applicants: Message from the Surgeon General
Dear Health Care Professionals and Relief Personnel:
Thank you for responding to our call for health providers and support
personnel to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
You are one of more than 20,000 citizens who have notified us through the
Department's web site that you are available and willing to help. We
greatly appreciate your compassion and generosity.
We are sending you this message to acknowledge receipt of your information.
As you are aware, we are quickly transitioning from the acute phase to the
much longer term recovery phase of this natural and human disaster. There
will be a continuing need for health and social services, and for your
efforts, for many months to come.
At this time, we do not know how many health providers and relief personnel
will be needed and during what time period or phase of the response. We ask
your patience as we mobilize this tremendous volunteer resource to respond
to the people of the Gulf Region.
We will maintain your information in our records, and will notify you should
there be any immediate or longer term need to call on your services. The
need for assistance has been overwhelming, as has the outpouring of offers
to assist.
Thank you for your spirit of patriotism.
VADM Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
United States Surgeon General
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This message is from HHS Office of the Surgeon General, Hurricane Katrina Responder Applicant System and is sent to all those registered in the health professional data base at <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>. Our intent is to keep you informed of the general status of applicant processing and responder deployments. You can not reply to this message. Please visit our web site and refer to the updated frequently asked questions <https://volunteer.hhs.gov>