Can someone be a contact person for a Katrina relief flight?

The American Red Cross is coordinating most efforts.  I would suggest getting intouch with them on your local level and they should be able to help you coordinate for Louisiana or Mississippi.

If that doesn't work, let me know and I will try to get intouch with someone for you.  Email me at [email protected].

Sorry, but I have to side with FEMA and the authorities in this matter. The last thing the rescue/recovery effort needs is a bunch of amateurs in there running/flying willy nilly, inefficiently using resources, taking the risk of becoming victims themselves and further burdening the rescue effort.

Brenda, what exactly did y'all have in mind? What supplies? Where would you deliver them? Who would you deliver them to? Even residents aren't being allowed bacl into the most affected areas, so there is no one to receive the supplies. To the evacuee shelters? Then work through the Red Cross, they're managing those shelters.. From what I hear though, what they need most is dollars.

That said, if your organization can arrange this through an official organization like Red Cross, I'd be happy to help work things on this end. I'm 140 miles west of New Orleans, we have a nice airport, there are snaller airports between here and there as well. If need be, I can mobilize a Rotary Club or two to help in the effort.

Lafayette (where I am) has about 10,000 evacuees in shelters, probably 100,000 in motels and private residences. Perhaps those people could use assistance.

Right anna, from the comfort of your own home, you don't know all the circumstances, just what the media feeds you. Just because 500 airboats sounds like a good idea doesn't mean that it's practical, efficient safe, or fits into the bigger effort. What happens to 500 airboat operators once they get here if there is no food or shelter, no gas to get them out?

Why would we need boaters from Florida? We have thousands of airboats here within an hour drive. In fact, hundreds of boaters from this area made the trek to New Orleans, many were put to work but many more were sent home went the shooting started. Ditto with a caravan of school busses. What happens to 500 airboat operators once they get here if there is no food or shelter, no gas to get them out?

For that matter, why would we need supplies flown down from Chicago? Again, I'm two hours away, we have no shortages here. Walmart is up and running, there's a huge regional distribution center withing ten minutes of my house. Food, water, gasoline is plentiful. The task at hand is to get supplies to those few survivors remaining in the city, then get them out of New Orleans.

I know there's a certain amount of helplessness as you watch this unfold, but it appears that the resources to help the immediate need are in place. It will be a long-term evacuation/relocation/reconstruction process, and probably the best way to help is to continue to support the organizations like the Red Cross with donations.

Again, once you get out of "the red zone," there are no shortages. Despite the media and impression of the rest of the nation, this is NOT a third world country. Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Morgan City, probably Houma, are all up and running, mostly unscathed, all within two hours of metro NO. All major arteries into those communities are operable. Stores are open, supply lines are open, I see no need to fly supplies in from Chicago. If you find a reason though, I will be glad to help as much as possible. Meanwhile, I continue to recommend monetary donations so that the organizations can buy those supplies HERE, where they have been efficiently transported by the normal marketing/distribution system.

The problems lie in getting those supplies into the affected areas, and getting the people out of those areas into established shelters. Those tasks are now in the hands of the military, and they will request civilian help if needed.

Larry King is hosting a 3-hour special tonight on CNN, on "What you can do to help." Might be a good place for info and where to start.