I fear that your single experience with the Red Cross following Katrina has tainted your view. I am a former employee (chapter disaster director) but remain a loyal volunteer for the organization on a national level.

Katrina was, as you know, nothing like any other relief operation in the country’s history. Mistakes were made and people suffered but thousands and thousands received rapid assistance.

On other relief operations prior and since, the Red Cross utilizes its trained and highly experienced cadre of DSHR (Disaster Services Human Resouces) System volunteers to travel quickly to relief operations and provide assistance. It makes sense for the organization to fly individuals who have years of experience on relief operations to help manage those operations. On the vast majority of relief operations only seasoned veterans with managerial skills are the volunteers being flown in.

I appreciate your efforts to bring more attention to the problems of the Red Cross but I do hope that you will recognize that not every Level 4 or even Level 5 relief operation is like Katrina. I would recommend that you serve on another “normal” relief operation through the DSHR to see how things are done and done well.

Best,
Matt Rosenberg
Red Cross Volunteer