Hurricane Katrina: A Guide to Resources
Mississippi Emergency Information
University of Mississippi Information
Resources for Finding Loved Ones/Missing Persons
Disaster Relief Information
Disaster Relief--To make Donations
Financial information/Relief
Employment: Finding a Job
Education resources
Pets: Locating Lost Pets
Updates on the Effects of Hurricane Katrina
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency help line:
1-866-GET-INFO (438-4636); http://www.msema.org
Mississippi Highway Conditions and Closures:
http://www.gomdot.com/
All traffic related incidents due to the hurricane will be listed here. This list is continually updated as situations occur so check back often to get the latest information.
Health Information related to Katrina
http://chec.library.umc.edu/
A list of health-related articles and other information including boil water alerts, West Nile information, can be found at thei site maintainded by the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
The Daily Mississippian
http://www.thedmonline.com
See articles for news articles relating to Hurricane Katrina, the University of Mississippi, and Oxford
University Counseling Center
915-7705. Counseling services are available to UM students.
UM Psychological Services Center
915-7385. http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/psychology/Clinical/PSC
Offers first eight sessions free to students, faculty and staff as well as any displaced individuals from southern Mississippi and Louisiana,. Contact
Instructions for Students Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Students personally affected by Hurricane Katrina should contact the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Life at 915-7705. Students who are considering leaving campus—even for a short period of time—are asked to contact the office before departing.
Apply for SAP Computers donated to students affected by Katrina
The company that provided the University of Mississippis campus management system has donated 340 refurbished laptop computers for students affected by Hurricane Katrina. SAP Public Services Inc. has given the computers to the university to distribute to UM students from the counties in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana that FEMA has declared as disaster areas. For more information see the UM Newsdesk. Applications for laptops will be accepted until September 9. Click here to apply.
Enrollment for students displaced by Hurricane Katrina
The University of Mississippi has extended its fall enrollment deadline for students who wish to transfer from colleges and universities affected by Hurricane Katrina. Students from Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama can enroll in classes at UM through Sept. 9 if they were previously admitted to any of the coastal universities now closed due to hurricane damage. More information, See the UM News Desk
Prospective students should contact the UM Admissions office online at
http://www.olemiss.edu/admissions.
Katrina Checkin
http://www.katrinacheckin.org/
Featuring free registration, this site allows users to post information on loved ones sought and found from various areas in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Users can choose to post in the “I’m OK” area, or the “Searching For” area. Information should be posted according to the location that the person sought or found hails from (where they had their most current residence before Hurricane Katrina). Heavy use can occasionally render this site unavailable.
Craigslist Resources for Hurricane Katrina
http://neworleans.craigslist.org/about/help/katrina_cl.html
Web board that has places to post listingf for missing family and friends as well as temporary housing information, volunteer opportunities, and general community notices.
The Clarion Ledger Online
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage
Includes link to Clarion Ledger website blogs to help locate loved ones from various areas including Biloxi, Gulfport and New Orleans.
Missing Persons Board
http://www.nowpublic.com/node/17228
NowPublic.Com has set up a missing persons board to help victims of Hurricane Katrina find those who go missing during the storm.
Everything New Orleans: NOLA.COM
http://www.nola.com/
Home page of the Times Picayune, the main New Orleans newspaper, NOLA.COM features a Missing Persons blog for posting information on loved ones sought and found and various area blogs for requesting or posting information on conditions in South Louisiana neighborhoods. Blogs are linked along the left hand column near the bottom of the page.
NOLA Refugees
http://www.nolarefugees.com/
Free blog for posting information about loved ones sought and found fro people from the New Orleans metropolitan area and surrounding parishes.
The Salvation Army SATERN Emergency Radio Network
http://www.satern.org/
Allows users to submit a health and welfare information request about loved ones in disaster areas. Note that heavy use of this site occasionally makes certain features unavailable.
The Red Cross
1-866-GET-INFO
Toll-free number for assistance in tracking down missing persons in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This number may be down temporarily due to the heavy volume of calls. Contact information for local Red Cross centers can be found by scrolling down the left-hand column and entering a zip code at: http://www.redcross.org/news/0,1074,0_312_,00.html
The Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org
Contact information for local Red Cross centers can be found by scrolling down the left-hand column and entering a zip code at: http://www.redcross.org/news/0,1074,0_312_,00.html
The Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/
Information on disaster relief, how to find your local Salvation Army office, and how to volunteer.
FEMA: The Federal Emergency Management Agency
http://www.fema.gov/
Includes a disaster assistance web page for individuals: http://www.fema.gov/about/process/
Everything New Orleans: NOLA.COM
http://www.nola.com/
Scroll down the left-hand column for links to disaster relief information including FEMA FAQ, insurance contact numbers, and shelter information.
Unfortunately in the wake of disaster, there are frauds and scams that may appear to be bonafide charities. For example, the Red Cross DOES NOT solicit funds by going door to door, by phone or via email spam (but they will contact you via email if you have given the your email address in the past). Individuals should be wary of these sorts of solicitations. The agency contact information below is intended as a starting point for charitable giving. The web sites will also allow users to locate local agency offices. Individuals may also want to work with their churches, local community organizations and familiar charities at this time.
The Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html
The Red Cross web site offers a number of ways in which individuals and businesses can make donations to their disaster relief fund.
The Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/
Features information on how to make financial donations and how to locate your local Salvation Army office for further information on how to assist disaster victims in your area.
The United Way
http://national.unitedway.org/
Features information about the Hurricane Katrina Response Fund and how to locate the agency office in your local area for volunteer opportunities.
FDIC Hurricane Katrina: Information for Consumers & Bankers in the Affected Areas
http://www.fdic.gov/news/katrina/index.html
The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) is working cooperatively with all of the state and federal banking agencies and other organizations to determine the status of the financial institutions located in the affected areas. In an effort to provide information to those affected by Hurricane Katrina, the FDIC is developing information and providing links to answer your questions about your banks.
FEMA: How to Get Assistance
http://www..fema.gov/press/2005/resources_katrina.shtm
.fema.gov/press/2005/resources_katrina.shtm
Covers personal, business, employee, students, and banking needs.
Small Business Administration: Hurricane Katrina Information
http://www.sba.gov/disaster_recov/index.html
Includes information on disaster recovery and application tools to apply for a disaster loan.
IRS Tax Relief in Disaster Situations
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=108362,00.html
Information on tax relief available to Hurricane Katrina victims. Includes links to IRS publications relevant to disaster losses.
Social Security Information for People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
http://www.ssa.gov/emergency/
The Social Security Administration is doing everything it can to ensure that monthly payments get to beneficiaries affected by Hurricane Katrina and that applications for benefits will continue to be processed. Includes links to information on closures of SSA offices and openings in temporary locations, how to apply for aid, and information for SSA employees.
American Banker’s Association Hurricane Katrina
http://www.aba.com/Solutions/Recovery.htm
Provides information on policies and procedures for banking in the wake of Katrina. Includes helpful information and links for evacuees form the Gulf Coast.
Hurricane Insurance Information Center
http://www.disasterinformation.org/about.htm
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. insurance industry has established the Hurricane Insurance Information Center (HIIC). The HIIC provides on-the-spot information on the insurance industry’s response, supplying claim filing tips and maintaining a dialogue with the public through an active consumer outreach program.
LII Insurance Claims
http://lii.org/search?query=hurricanekatrina+insurance
Links to resources on insurance and financial claims in the aftermath of disasters.
Bureau of Economic Analysis Hurricane Katrina FAQ
http://www.bea.gov/katrina/index.htm
Overview of the economic effects of Hurricane Katrina will be reflected in future BEA economic data.
U.S. Dept. of Labor Natural Disaster Assistance Programs
http://www.doleta.gov/Katrina/
Information on assistance available to victims of Hurricane Katrina including unemployment insurance, disaster unemployment assistance and national emergency grants. Includes information on how to file claims in states affected by Katrina and links to news releases on how the Dept. of Labor has responded in the aftermath of Katrina.More employment information is available at: http://www.dol.gov/opa/hurricane-recovery.htm
Katrina Recovery Job Connection:
http://www.jobsearch.org/katrinajobs
Or link through www.ajb.org
This site connects workers needing jobs with employers who want to hire them. Individuals can connect with employers who are anxious to hire them, for either permanent jobs or for jobs that are focused on cleanup and recovery.
National Restaurant Association Katrina Relief Efforts
http://www.restaurant.org/katrina/
Includes a database for finding or posting jobs for displaced restaurant or hospitality industry workers. Also includes information on how restaurants are responding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and on how restaurants can help further.
Kids Click Hurricane Katrina Page:
http://kidsclick.org/katrina.html
Web links and web searching designed for kids and teens by librarians, this page provides links to information on areas affected by Katrina, weather and hurricanes, community information such as animal welfare and being a good neighbor, dealing with feelings, expressing yourself creatively, family issues including death and being homeless, and the economic impacts of Hurricane Katrina.
Education Rights of Displaced and Homeless Children:
http://www.copaa.org/news/hurricane.html
Summarizes basic education rights of all "homeless" children, and also reviews rights of children with disabilities. Web sites at the end of the memo offer more detailed information.
Embrace Mississippi's Children: Hurricane Relief:
http://www.educ.msstate.edu/cni/eci/relief/embrace.htm
Embrace Mississippi's Children is collecting materials and monetary gifts for shelters and to help early care and education programs in Mississippi rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Help For Schools:
http://www.ed.gov/news/hurricane/index.html
From the U.S. Department of Education, users can post information on what their school or organization needs or what they can donate.
LII Hurricane Katrina Aid and Charities:
http://lii.org/search?query=hurricanekatrina+charitablegiving
List of links to charitable organizations assisting Hurricane Katrina victims.
Katrina and Services to Students With LD:
http://www.ld.org/Katrina/
Some parents may encounter problems when trying to re-establish special education supports and services for their child. NCLD is committed to helping you learn more about basic education rights of students affected by Katrina, offer tips so you can speak up for your own child or assist family or friends in re-establishing the Individualized Education Program (IEP), and provide a list of additional resources to ensure students with LD gain access to special education services in their new schools.
Learning Disabilities Association Updates:
http://wwww.ldaamerica.org/legislative/nfw/05september.asp
Includes links to news items with information for students K-12 and post-secondary who are from areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
ALA Adopt-A-Library Program:
http://www.ala.org/template.cfm?section=cro&template=/cfapps/katrina/request.cfm
To help the libraries in the Gulf region that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the American Library Association has set up an ‘Adopt a Library Program.’ The program provides an opportunity for libraries of all types in the US to provide assistance to the libraries in need. Support may come in many ways (books, computers, fundraising, volunteers, etc.). If your library is interested in adopting a library in the Gulf region please fill out the online form.
Petfinder.com
http://www.petfinder.org/
Post classified ads looking for lost pets, browse pictures of pets lost due to Katrina. The Animal Welfare Emergency Respons System: http://disaster.petfinder.com/emergency/ has more information regarding pets affected by Katrina and other disasters.
Noah's Wish
http://www.noahswish.org/Hurricane%20Katrina.htm
Noah's Wish has a pet shelter set up in Slidell, Louisiana. You can search their web site and photographs for lost or missing pets.
Human Society of the United States
http://www.hsus.org/
Information on rescueing animals affected by the recent hurricanes. Includes information on how to volunteer, donate, and links to emergeny pet shelters: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/hurricane_katrina_disaster_resources.html
Locating Microchipped Pets
These are some numbes to call if you are trying to locate a microchipped pet:
Web sites for popular news outlets currently carry a number of stories and video feeds on the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, these include CNN http://www.cnn.com, FOX News http://www.foxnews.com, MSNBC http://www.msnbc.com, CBS News http://www.cbsnews.com, and ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/.
United States Postal Service Mail Service Updates
http://www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates.htm
Summary of the suspension of mail services in storm stricken areas. Note that the Post Office will not accept mail addressed to certain areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. See this web page for updates and suspensions lifted.
United Parcel Service Katrina Service Update
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/service_updates/Katrina.html
Summary of service considerations for the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The Biloxi Sun Herald:
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/
Web site for the premier Biloxi newspaper, features town by town damage reports.
The Hattiesburg American
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage
Web site for the Hattiesburg premier newspaper that includes updates on the aftermath of Katrina covering coastal Mississippi and Louisiana.
The Clarion Ledger Online
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage
Current events surrounding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, including photo galleries, closure notices, boil water alerts, etc.
Everything New Orleans: NOLA.COM
http://www.nola.com/
Home page of the Times Picayune, the main New Orleans newspaper, NOLA.COM features updates on events in New Orleans and the surrounding towns and parishes. Galleries of photos can be found at http://www.nola.com/hurricane/photos/.
Jackson Channel.Com
http://www.thejacksonchannel.com/index.html
From WAPT channel 16 in Jackson, Mississippi, current news on the effects of Hurricane Katrina, links to live video coverage feeds, and links to information on Jackson area shelters, closings, and road conditions. Also includes a Health link to a list of water associations and applicable “boil water” notices.
Everything Alabama
http://www.al.com/weather/katrina/
Special report on Hurricane Katrina with links to news stories from several Alabama newspapers including Mobile Register, Birmingham News and the Huntsville Times.
Wikipedia Page on Hurricane Katrina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina
Extensive essay on Hurricane Katrina including overall descriptions of damage by state, and descriptions of its effects on the oil industry, casino industry, and other areas of the economy. Includes numerous links to disaster recovery, live local coverage, blogs, and photo galleries. Note that Wikkipedia is a free encyclopedia whose content can be submitted by anyone.
Last updated Sept. 26, 2005
Adapted from Mississippi State University Library's page: Hurricane Katrina: Picking up the Pieces: A Guide to resources by Christine Fletcher
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