Gustav Relief Effort – Immediate Action Needed for Baton Rouge

DATE: September 2, 2008

During the conference call led by USCM President Manny Diaz this morning, Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden reported that his city has been severely hit by Hurricane Gustav and desperately needs our help. Mayor Holden said that FEMA is “about the same” as in the past and not currently meeting his city’s needs. Baton Rouge was not ordered to evacuate, and therefore the citizens remained there and are bearing the brunt of the storm with 250,000 homes without power, diesel fuel supplies running very short, a need for tarps, cleaning supplies, water, and much more.

Immediately, Baton Rogue needs your help. Mayor Holden has designated Mr. Mike Futrell in office as the Gustav relief coordinator. He can be reached directly at (225) 326-7767 or mfutrell@brgov.com . Here is an official list of needs provided by Mayor Holden for the City of Baton Rouge.

· FOOD AND WATER

· COTS

· TRAILER TO HAUL & STORE

· PERSONAL HYGIENE

· FIRST AID SUPPLIES

· DRY GOODS

· BLANKETS

· BLOW-UP MATTRESSES

· WASHING SUPPLIES (POWDER)

· PORTABLE GENERATORS

· PORTABLE STORAGE PODS

· TARPS

· PORTABLE RADIOS (AM)

· COMMUNICATION DEVICES

· HAND SANITIZER

· BABY SUPPLIES

Please contact Mr. Futrell to coordinate any assistance before you send it to Baton Rouge.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin reported that any supplies that he has left will be immediately sent to Baton Rogue. Mayor Nagin is also working on a re-population effort for the citizens who evacuated his city. And, we are also working with Mayor Nagin on needs related to his stressed hospitals and medical facilities. We have contacted Doctors Without Borders in Manhattan.

In addition, Mayor John Robert Smith of Meridian, Mississippi reported that he is working with a 29 county relief effort for the smaller cities hit on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Mayor Smith will be reporting back on their needs.

I also know that many of your cities are hosting citizens who evacuated, and there will continue to be issues related to FEMA reimbursement that will need to be addressed.

As agreed on the call, I have reached out directly to key private sector partners of our Mayors Business Council including Wal-Mart, The Home Depot Foundation and Walgreens to help as they did during Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. I am copying this memo to all of our Mayors Business Council members because I know that many of them will want to help. Business Council members who want to help should contact Mr. Futrell directly as listed above, and copy USCM Business Council Managing Director Geri Powell at gpowell@usmayors.org .

We have set up an emergency USCM headquarters at our hotel for the Republican National Convention, and USCM Second Vice President Elizabeth B. Kautz of Burnsville is with us and is helping in this effort.

Mayor Diaz is calling the FEMA Director this morning, and we will continue to provide updates as we learn more from our member mayors. In the meantime, if you have any questions contact me at (202) 744-9110 or tcochran@usmayors.org, or my Chief of Staff Ed Somers at (202) 744-9223 at esomers@usmayors.org .