[NRSKarenRN]

Advance for Nurses has excellent reporting on what's been happening in hospitals and Houston evacuation centers---best coverage I've read so far!

Kudo's for those reportors who went after these stories as NURSING shines through!

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Hope Floats By Mary Aucoin

As of press time, approximately 1.5 million people were displaced by Hurricane Katrina from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
While the numbers change on a daily basis, as of now there are approximately 30,000 evacuees staying in what is now referred to as Reliant City (four shelters within the Reliant Center/Astrodome complex), while 7,500 are expected at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center (GRBCC). Overall, there are nearly 240,000 evacuees now staying in shelters, hotels, with families and even the homes of some compassionate strangers throughout Texas.

Since evacuees began arriving in Houston, they’ve been helped by thousands of registered volunteers determined to provide them with heartfelt care and compassion. Lemonade stands, area car washes and neighborhoods seeking donated toiletry items are ongoing across Houston to help our neighbors.

ADVANCE spent Labor Day weekend visiting these shelters to learn about the massive organizational effort under way, and what an evacuee can expect upon arrival.


Raw Emotions : By Pamela Tarapchak

Dealing with the the psychological ramifications of Katrina


Strangers in a Strange Land : By Mary Aucoin

Today, I saw firsthand the tragic conditions of our neighbors from Louisiana who now live as a community inside Houston’s Astrodome.


Ready to Serve: By Elissa Crocker

U.S. Public Health Service (PHS),often labors behind the scene, providing a spectrum of services to augment and support the mission at hand.


Open Arms: By Barbara Drosey & Pamela Tarapchak

Opening the doors wide for NICU and maternity disaster evacuee's at Woman’s Hospital, Baton Rouge .