Hi Everyone:

I am writing to update you on Katrina and bring news of Rita.  I spent

some time in Baton Rouge and stayed with Cindy Elliott and her husband

and two of her friends from New Orleans. We visited a shelter where

there were 2,500 people. The Red Cross first responders said the shelter

will be open for at least three months. I also visited schools and spoke

with teachers and counselors, many of whom have also lost their homes.

Julia Eksner sent me some really useful materials that I adapted and

used. I am going to rework them again based on the experiences of the

children and teachers in Louisiana. I'll send the docs to you.

Taro Yamaski is also coming to Baton Rouge. We are going to try to get

out into some of the rural parishes that received no help from FEMA.

Baton Rouge has a population of 250,000 people and there are 250,000

evacuees. In Louisiana alone there are 55,000 people still living in

shelters. The paper I have attached will give you some idea what is

happening in schools. One of the biggest issues is that evacuees are

already dispersed and it is not clear that there is any way of keeping

in touch with them. I have been told that there are more than 1000

evacuee in New York City but one of my doctoral students has been trying

to locate them and none of the official agencies seems to know where

they are.

Now there is Rita. Cindy says that everyone in Baton Rouge is "in

shock." They are on the eastern side of the storm which she says is the

worst place to be. There are always tornadoes associated with these

storms -- there were many with Katrina and they are expecting the same

with Rita. The biggest threat is the rain and the problem of the

weakened levees in New Orleans. Cindy says the psychological impact of

this second storm is overwhelming.

The news from Texas is equally grim. There was a report on NPR from Port

Arthur which is expected to take the brunt of the storm. Apparently they

had two buses to evacuate some of the elderly and more frail but the

buses were taken for use in Houston. Many residents are still in Port

Arthur even though there is a real danger that the town will not survive

the storm.

I'll send another e-mail when I return from Baton Rouge. If you would

like to help there are many schools that need support. There are two

schools in Baton Rouge that were going to be demolished that survived

the storm They are now open even though they have no tables or chairs or

supplies.  If you are in the US and can send books etc. Let me know and

I will connect you with a school. If you have materials that will help

me as I talk with teachers and counselors I would be grateful. I am

focuses on a social response to mass trauma. Maybe I should send you the

docs so you can give me advice on adapting and extending them.  I'm

thinking  how to proceed as I write!  Okay. I'll attach the two page

doc. Please make suggestions and send other docs that might be useful.

Take care everyone.

Denny