Hurricane Katrina/Rita Summit
Held to Ensure Evacuees’ Needs Are Met
JEFFERSON CITY, Feb. 17, 2006-The State Emergency Management
Agency (SEMA) a division within the Missouri Department of Public
Safety today hosted a Hurricane Katrina / Rita Summit.
Gov. Matt Blunt said Missouri will continue to do everything
within its control to help Hurricane victims.
“Missourians' boundless compassion has been displayed
in a number of ways in the aftermath of these natural disasters that
displaced thousands of our fellow Americans and caused untold hardship,”
Blunt said. “We will continue to work with charitable organizations,
the private sector and the federal government to do all we can to
meet the needs of families and individuals who remain in our state.”
This is the third summit since the devastating hurricanes
struck the Gulf Coast. Missouri has many hurricane evacuees currently
residing in the state. At the peak of the crisis, over 17,000 evacuees
were in Missouri. Many thousands of evacuees remain and are still
in the early stages of recovery facing numerous unmet needs.
The Hurricane Katrina / Rita Summit was conducted to
address specific needs and to identify gaps and barriers of Hurricane
Katrina / Rita survivors.
The Disaster Recovery Partnership/State Citizen Council
conducted the Summit. SEMA is the key support agency for the Disaster
Recovery Partnership and the Partnership is an association of human
services and disaster relief organizations from the public and private
sectors.
The Partnership is made up of disaster relief organizations such as
Missouri Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (MOVOAD), American
Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, United
Methodist Disaster Response, Lutheran Disaster Relief, Catholic Charities
and United Way partnered with key state agencies such as Department
of Mental Health, Department of Health and Senior Services, Department
of Social Services and many other state agencies.
In addition, key federal agencies such as FEMA and United
States Department of Agriculture Rural Development are also partners.
Altogether, over 35 agencies are currently active in the Partnership.
The Partnership fosters the collaboration, communication, cooperation
and coordination of all its partner agencies in providing disaster
relief to disaster survivors.
The main focus of coordination efforts has been the
formation and support of local long-term recovery committees. These
committees are the main point of contact for Katrina / Rita survivors
in Missouri. These committees provide case management, recovery assistance
and services to disaster survivors. Currently, seven long-term recovery
committees are actively assisting evacuees. These committees are located
in the following areas:
· St. Louis Area
· St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren Counties
· Kansas City Area
· Southwest Missouri
· Southeast Missouri
· Boone County and
· Cole County