National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Update on Hurricane Katrina

September 1, 2005 We know our members are concerned about their fellow rehabilitators in the states hit by Hurricane Katrina. We are making every effort to contact each of them and will keep you updated on conditions in the areas hit and any help they may need. To ease already taxed or completely downed communication systems, the rehabilitators we have managed to contact are networking in their state and will be calling us with needs and updates on life in general. Of those we have managed to contact in MS, AL and LA, most have no power or water and some have damage to their homes, but all the people and animals are fine. Chris Clark at the Squirrel Store is already generously collecting formula, fluids and heat packs for distribution as soon as it can be arranged, however many rehabilitators do not have mail delivery either. If you would like to help, please contact the NWRA Central Office by phone or Email (see below), giving your name and contact information. As more information is made available to us, NWRA will try to facilitate connecting those in need with members who wish to assist. Unfortunately, in the areas hardest hit, phone lines are down and cell phones cannot be recharged without electricity. It may be a few weeks before a full picture of the needs is available and NWRA encourages those that wish to help their fellow rehabilitators to be patient during this lag time. All the rehabilitators we have spoken with are managing and committed to caring for the animals and to the profession they love. What a wonderful group we have the honor of calling colleagues! NWRA will send update Emails as we learn more. Thank you all for your concerns. Wendy Fox NWRA Board Member ********* Here are some details from Wendy Fox about members affected: Katrina's first port of call as a Catagory1 hurricane was Florida. All rehabilitators and animals are fine, a little wet and wind blown, but fortunately nothing serious to report. The eye of the storm passed over Pelican Harbor Seabird Station (and my house!). I'm still waiting for the power to be restored at home; every time I start getting hot I just think how lucky I am. I could be sitting on a roof with nothing left. Di Conger and I have been calling rehabilitators in MS, LA, and AL. Communication is very difficult and as we don't wish to add to existing problems, we have asked the rehabilitators to network and then relay information back to us. Very briefly, what we have so far follows. Most of the people have no electricity, some have no water, some have damage, but people and animals are fine. Squirrels are falling from the sky. Chris Clark at the Squirrel Store is trying to collect formula, fluids, and heat pads to send when possible. MS is already finding a centrally located place where items may be sent for distribution. We're trying the same in LA and AL. All the people we have spoken with were delighted to hear our voices and to know that NWRA cares. Alabama Anne Miller - Most of the staff are still without power, but The Wildlife Center did not lose power. Susan Clements in AL is also a member of FWRA, as is her mother and her mother is providing updates on Susan. Susan and animals are OK but she hasn't managed to get back to her facility yet. Louisiana Di spoke to Lorrie Hale and Mark Mitchell and they are fine in Baton Rouge. Leslie Lattimore is fine, no power for weeks and she was trapped by flooding on her property but now can leave. Her facilities are fine. Joanne Luebbert is also OK in northwest LA and is willing to take animals if needed and when possible. Mississippi They took a real beating.They are setting up a central location and will distribute things from there. Becki Bolm and Valery Smith are OK and are going to act as the ‘middle (wo)-men’ for communications. They (and we) have not been able to contact WRANPS yet, but we're working on it. It's near Bay St. Louis and some of the people live in Bay St. Louis. Good friends of mine who live in Bay St. Louis evacuated but did manage to get back to see their property. They will try to contact some of the WRANPS people, but there is no phone service and cells work only sporadically. Valery Smith. Rehabilitators in her area of northern MS are OK and not in need at this time; however, nothing south of Hattiesburg is accessible. They have not been able to make contact with rehabilitators south of Hattiesburg or people they know in the affected parts of LA and, unfortunately, don't expect to be able to for some time. They are hoping that their colleagues will manage to contact them somehow. We'll keep you updated, Take care Wendy ********** NWRA Central Office Phone: 320-230-9920 Fax: 320-230-3077 Email: NWRA@NWRAwildlife.org