Reports of dysfunction by Red Cross volunteers dispatched to Southern California for last year’s wildfires underscore the need for a close examination of what changes, if any, the Red Cross has made since Hurricane Katrina.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported excessive and uncoordinated car rentals and hotel bookings, volunteer mismanagement, and overall waste of volunteer time/energy and donated dollars. Unmentioned by the article were plane ticket costs for Red Cross volunteers flying to Southern California from across the country. 

The confusion and lack of organization was reminiscent of post-Katrina problems– just on a smaller scale. Too similar for comfort, considering the size of the Southern California disaster– compared to the size of the Katrina disaster.

The fix? The GAO just published a report on Red Cross disaster response activities. Highlights are also available.

Since Katrina, the Red Cross has been dropped from its role as the lead Mass Care provider, as defined by Emergency Support Function #6 in the National Response Framework. However, the Red Cross still plays a major Mass Care role. Expectations may be tempered but the job description is largely unchanged.

The Disaster Accountability Project is recruiting Monitors to help report gaps in services in Real Time– so these problems can be realized and addressed faster. If the American Red Cross is to be held accountable for improving its Disaster Response activities, the public must help… not just an internal Red Cross ombudsman.