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Published by
the Orthodox Church in
America, September 23, 2005
IOCC emergency personnel
prepare for Hurricane Rita |
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BALTIMORE, MD [IOCC/OCA Communications]
— Three weeks after responding to the
devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina along
the US Gulf Coast,
IOCC emergency response personnel have begun
preparations in Texas in anticipation of the
arrival of Hurricane Rita.
Efforts have been underway since Tuesday,
September 20, to position supplies in the areas
projected to be most impacted by the looming
storm. Orthodox parishes are being readied in
Houston and further inland to receive relief
shipments and evacuees.
Even as preparations for the next hurricane got
underway, IOCC efforts continued in Mississippi
and Louisiana. IOCC maintains a presence in
Mobile, AL; Biloxi, MS; Baton Rouge, LA; and
Houston, TX.
The scope of the disaster and the ongoing
recovery efforts have prompted IOCC to bring in
experienced relief personnel from its offices
overseas. IOCC head of office for the Republic
of Georgia, Pascalis Papouras, a native of
Cleveland, OH, arrived Monday, September 19, to
assist in the response.
IOCC’s emergency response network, comprised of
trained Orthodox clergy and their parish
communities, provides emergency services to
people struggling to recover from natural or
man-made disasters. Heading IOCC's emergency
response network along the coast is the Rev.
David Kossey of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox
Diocese. Among the other emergency network
members assisting IOCC's efforts is the Rev.
David Garretson, rector of the Orthodox Church
in America's Saints Peter and Paul Church, South
River, NJ. Father David pursued emergency
response training with IOCC shortly after the
9/11 terrorist attacks.
“We are continually moving to respond to the
needs as they emerge,” said Frank Carlin, field
director for IOCC’s operations in the Gulf Coast
region. “This is a fluid situation with rapidly
changing needs.”
“The best way to help survivors of Hurricane
Katrina is through cash gifts and assembling
health kits,” added Mr. Carlin. “This gives us
the flexibility to act quickly to needs as they
arise and will help the communities as we begin
planning for the long-term recovery.”
Contributions toward hurricane relief efforts
received in recent weeks have enabled IOCC to
respond is such ways as distributing more than
18,000 “Gift of the Heart” health kits,
providing 1,500 household clean-up kits to
people returning to damaged homes, and supplying
over 150 tons of emergency assistance, including
food, water, blankets and bed linens, diapers,
personal health kits and mattresses.
The address and instructions on how to assemble
health kits may be found on IOCC’s website at
www.iocc.org/healthkits. The kits should be sent
to IOCC at the Church World Service warehouse in
New Windsor, MD.
As requested earlier by His Beatitude,
Metropolitan Herman, OCA faithful are asked to
send contributions directly to the IOCC
Hurricane Disaster Response Fund, PO Box 630225,
Baltimore, MD 21263-0225. Donations may also be
made online at
www.iocc.org or by calling toll-free
877-803-4622.
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