City of Knoxville - Katrina Update September 7th

HOW KNOXVILLE IS HELPING HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS

Katrina Update September 7th

09/21 - Furniture Needed for Knoxville Evacuees

09/21 - Red Cross to Close Civic Coliseum Shelter

09/16 - "Humanity for Hurricane Relief" Event

09/13 - KPD & KFD Respond to Calls for Help

09/13 - Hurricane Katrina Photos by KPD and KFD

09/13 - 6,000 Evacuated Families Served

09/09 - Three Planeloads of Evacuees Arrive

09/08 - 160 Evacuees Expected Friday Night

09/08 - Warehouse Halts Acceptance of Donations

09/07 - Knoxville Remains on Standby

09/06 - Four Planes of Evacuees Expected

09/05 - 750 Evacuees Expected

09/02 - Mayor's Announce Knoxville's Response

09/01 - Donate to Red Cross at Boomsday

08/31 - Knoxville Sends Rural / Metro Ambulances

Knox Responds

Compassion Coalition

Second Harvest Food Bank

Knoxville Red Cross

American Red Cross

Salvation Army

Local Hurricane Katrina Headlines in Knoxville

News from New Orleans

Help Hurricane Victims

GIVE TO AMERICAN RED CROSS
Call 865-584-2999 or
Donate Online - CLICK HERE

GIVE TO SALVATION ARMY
Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or
Donate Online - CLICK HERE

GIVE TO SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK
Mail check or deliver in person to:
Second Harvest
922 Delaware Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37921

GIVE FURNITURE TO COMPASSION COALITION
TWO LOCATIONS: Cokesbury Center, at 9915 Kingston Pike Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. - OR - Old Hill's building at 4825 North Broadway, next to Big Lots Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More Info

Evacuees from Hurricane Katrina are not expected to arrive today (Wednesday, Sept. 7), but the city remains on standby for Thursday, Sept. 8 arrivals at McGhee Tyson Airport. Those who need serious medical attention will be transported via ambulance to area hospitals, others will be transported by buses to local shelters.

About 350 evacuees will be housed at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum; 100 at First Baptist Church, in downtown Knoxville; and 150 at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. Red Cross officials are finalizing a site for a fourth shelter. Central Baptist Church of Bearden is serving as an intake for evacuees arriving in Knoxville through other efforts.

A third volunteer training session has been scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Greater Warner Tabernacle AME Zion Church, 3800 Martin Luther King Blvd., the site of today's training session also. More training sessions will be scheduled as needed.(You must be 18 & over to participate in training sessions.)
[REGISTER ONLINE FOR SESSION]
[Red Cross Shelter Operations Workbook - PDF]

Five-member liaison teams will be at the shelters beginning later this week to assess children's readiness for school and assist them in getting enrolled in appropriate classes.

Media access at shelters must follow American Red Cross guidelines in order to protect the privacy of evacuees. Media must check-in with the shelter manager and be escorted within the shelter. Areas where children are located, where health care is provided and staff areas cannot be photographed. Evacuees will be asked to give their permission for interviews and photography.

The local Red Cross chapter has already processed about 400 families, or 1,500 to 2,000 people, from the Gulf Coast area.

Please DO NOT bring donations to shelters.

Compassion Coalition is coordinating all donations of food and clothing for the local shelters (Mr. Andy Rittenhouse is in charge of this effort - 865-251-1591 or info@compassioncoalition.org.)

The Communications staff of both Knoxville and Knox County Mayor's Offices will continue to provide updates at least once a day.

For further information, please contact either
Dwight Van de Vate
865-215-2005
dwight.vandevate@knoxcounty.org
or
Margie Nichols
865-215-2418
mnichols@cityofknoxville.org