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Press Contact:
Cisco DeVries
(510) 981-7103

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 7, 2005

City of Berkeley Responds to Hurricane Katrina

City welcomes its first evacuees, sends emergency personnel to the disaster area, and makes plans to help with the long recovery ahead.

Berkeley, CA – The City of Berkeley has begun a significant effort to assist in the emergency response and long-term recovery of the devastated gulf coast region.  With four emergency personnel already deployed in the disaster area, the City is now making plans to lend out staff on a rotating basis to deal with the clean-up and recovery work to come.  In addition, the City is helping to coordinate a community-wide response to the national tragedy and to assist the evacuees that have made their way to Berkeley and the East Bay.

“Community groups, churches, and individuals throughout our community are already sending money and offering assistance to those affected by the hurricane. We want to make sure we are doing all we can to coordinate those efforts locally and to send experienced hands from our staff as needed in the disaster zone,” said Mayor Tom Bates.  “This is also a reminder that a catastrophic earthquake will also someday strike our community.  We all need to make sure we are ready when disaster strikes.”

The City’s response to Katrina includes:

• The City has deployed three firefighters to the disaster area.  The firefighters were sent because of their expertise in search and rescue, swift water rescue, and hazardous materials.  In addition, the City sent one of its public health nurses to the disaster area. 
  
  
• The City is coordinating the availability of temporary housing for displaced people from the disaster area.  In addition to the possible use of City public housing units, the Berkeley-based Affordable Housing Associates has made 10 units available for refugees.
  
  
• Thirteen members of an extended family that fled the disaster area have arrived in Berkeley.  City staff are helping to provide for immediate food, clothing, and housing needs.  The children from this family have been enrolled in the Berkeley public schools.

• The City has called a meeting of leaders from some of Berkeley community, service and faith-based organizations to better coordinate efforts, especially as they relate to refugees in the local community.  In addition, the City is creating a local option for donors to provide resources as necessary to meet the needs of displaced people in our area.

Additional efforts will be announced as they are developed and implemented.

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