Fact Sheet - Sept 10, 2005

[editor]

DATE: 9/10/2005

FACT SHEET - Day 9 - Saturday, September 10, 2005 7:00 A.M.

To: Houston Regional Media Outlets

R E L I AN T C E N T E R

J I C

Joint Information Center

Evacuees

A total of 245,000 evacuees from Louisiana have been transported to Texas.

Current Population:

Reliant Arena City - 61

Reliant Center City - 4,025

Reliant Astrodome City - 1,950

George R. Brown City - 1,291

Complex Total 7,327

Due to FEMA's decision to discontinue its debit card distribution at Reliant Park, financial services at Reliant Park will be available only to residents of Reliant Park shelters.

The American Red Cross will move its financial support operations, with the exception of card maintenance issues on existing cards, from Reliant Park to St. Agnes Baptist Church, 3730 South Acres Drive, Houston, TX.

Hours of operation will be daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning on Saturday, Sept. 10.

FEMA officials say that all Hurricane Katrina evacuees will continue to receive financial support. Register online at www.FEMA.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3663).

FEMA officials regret that any citizens may be further inconvenienced, and are working on improving its delivery system to those tragically affected by Hurricane Katrina. FEMA will be working with pastors, community leaders, and other organizations to ensure evacuees receive the assistance they need.

Social Security Administration reports it has serviced 1500 established recipients with their benefits checks through direct tie in to the main Social Security computer system in Baltimore. Administrators anticipate much reduced demand going forward.

The Salvation Army will offer worship services Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. and at several times Sunday morning in the tent area, parking lot, due east of the Astrodome toward the Holly Hall entrance.

Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza will say Catholic Mass at 10:30 a.m. Sunday

EMTs, Intermediate or a Paramedic looking for employment, are advised to call (936) 523-5190 or send an e-mail expressing your interest to: needemsjobs@optiq.net.

Joint Katrina Housing Task Force is currently canvassing evacuees who are staying inside Reliant Park to assist them in finding longer-term housing. Qualified evacuees will be sent to a new Housing-Choice Center (HCC) located in the Reliant Arena. Currently, HCC is not opened to walk ups. The HCC expects to begin servicing evacuees outside the Reliant Park next week using a mobile-processing van. The Task Force will make a press announcement once it is ready to expand its services.

District Clerk helps 100s of Katrina Evacuees with Child Support

Since Saturday, Harris County District Clerk employees have assisted more than 500 Katrina evacuees with child support issues, including helping ensure custodial parents get their payments.

The child support customer service personnel are available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in Room 104 of the Reliant Center. Banners and signs direct evacuees to the assistance center.

District Clerk Charles Bacarisse said, "We have assisted custodial parents with address changes. We've taken information on getting child support set up. We've taken information from noncustodial parents who wanted to let the state know that they are displaced and out of work; therefore, they have not been able to make their child support payment. We have processed stop payment forms for them on checks that were previously issued. This information is being sent to Louisiana's State Disbursement Unit or elsewhere, as appropriate.

"We have answered any child support-related questions that we possibly could.

"And that's just a few of the tasks. We get a lot of questions not related to child support and we try to assist or direct persons to the area that handles the issue they ask about. We've helped a host of other persons with questions not related to child support," Bacarisse said.

Louisiana Unemployment 866-783-5567 or www.laworks.net

TWC has established a hotline to take calls from employers wishing to hire displaced Louisiana workers. Call 800-695-6879. The hotline is staffed Mon-Fri from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00p.m.

A "house rule" began Tuesday which requires evacuees to be in Reliant Park by 11:00PM. There is no re-entry after 11:00PM.

To find loved ones

Family members should call 1-877-568-3317 (1-877-LOVED1S) or go online to www.familylinks.icrc.org www.redcross.org

Contact your local Red Cross to locate family members.NO information as to whereabouts will be released to anyone other than confirmed family members due to safety and privacy reasons.

Military Family Program

To contact family members of the armed services and let them know of your status:

Army (Active) 1-800-833-6622

Army (Reserve) 1-888-777-7731

Air National Guard 1-888-777-7731

Navy (Active, reserve, and Dependents) 1-877-414-5358

Navy (Navy Civilians and Dependents) 1-877-689-2722

Air Force 1-800-435-9941

Website: http://www.militaryfamilylocator.org

Lost Kids

All lost kids questions should be referred to the Children's Assessment Center at 713-986-3300

Volunteers

Through September 9th more than 45,000 individuals have volunteered.

Volunteers are still needed! They should call Volunteer Houston at 713-965-0031 to sign up.

Health

The Reliant Arena clinic computer system is down and an update on numbers of total patients seen will be provided later.

There have been over 12,000 Prescriptions filled for evacuees so far.

There have been over 9,000 tetanus shots given so far.

There have been NO cases of Cholera.

Hepatitis A vaccination has been given to evacuees as indicated by the recently updated recommendations made by CDC.

More than 1,000 childhood immunizations have been given.

There have been about 850 - 900 cases of vomiting and diarrhea related to stress, change of food, and the stomach flu. This is not unusual when people are living in such close proximity to each other.

Doctors and nurses wanting to volunteer should call 832-667-3152 or 3153 or 3154 to sign up

Donations

At this time, no more used clothing or household goods should be delivered to the Reliant Center Complex. Donors are encouraged to donate these items to their nearest Goodwill, Salvation Army or similar charitable facility of choice.

Over 7 million in services, goods, and housing already distributed.

Quality of Life Center named Reliant Town Square.

Reliant Town Square will include sports, playground, and laundry area.

Sharing Homes

If people want information about taking evacuees into their home they can go to

www.shareyourhome.org or www.craigslist.com

[RedScare]

Continued methodical progress by the Houston/ Harris County folks, despite changes in plans by FEMA. At this rate, it does indeed look like they may shut the shelters down by September 17.

"FACT SHEET - Day 10 -Sunday, September 11, 2005 6:00 A.M.

Sep 11th, 2005

R E L I A N T C E N T E R

J I C

Joint Information Center

Hurricane Katrina Houston Response

Contacts: 832.667.3192

832.667.3193

832.667.3188

Fax: 832.667.3187

WWW.HCJIC.ORG

Day 10

Sunday, September 11, 2005 6:00 A.M.

FACT SHEET

Evacuees

A total of 245,000 evacuees from Louisiana have been transported to Texas.

Current Population:

Reliant Arena City: 14

Reliant Center City: 3,000

Reliant Astrodome City: 1,450

George R. Brown City: 1,076

Complex Total: 5,540

The American Red Cross will launch a nationwide toll-free call center at 8:00 a.m. to assist Hurricane Katrina evacuees. The center will provide financial resources and referrals to services for hurricane survivors across the nations. The number is 1-800-975-7585.

Also, the American Red Cross continues to run its financial support operations from St. Agnes Baptist Church, 3730 South Acres Drive, Houston, TX. Hours of operation will be daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The American Red Cross has processed and issued 6,500 checks for evacuees.

FEMA has serviced 36,823 families, and distributed more than $49 million.

Social Security Administration reports it has serviced more than 2,000 established recipients with their benefits checks through direct tie in to the main Social Security computer system in Baltimore. Administrators anticipate much reduced demand going forward.

More than 100 evacuees have accepted Continental Airlines