As a leader in the civil engineering community on disaster response and recovery, ASCE is monitoring the impact of Hurricane Rita on the Gulf region. On behalf of the more than 139,000 members worldwide, ASCE extends its condolences to victims of the Hurricane Katrina. We join with the nation in sorrow over the magnitude of the loss and suffering, and are working to assist in restoring the well-being of the affected states.

As the relief effort for this tragic event unfolds over the coming weeks and months, there will be many opportunities for ASCE and its members to assist. The Society is in regular consultation with governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations to coordinate its response with these groups.

How You Can Help

Currently, the focus is on humanitarian aid and the greatest need is for financial contributions. ASCE has a long-standing partnership with the American Red Cross. You may make contributions to the hurricane victims directly through the Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/

Volunteers should not report directly to the affected areas unless directed by a voluntary agency.

The American Red Cross has an ongoing need for engineers who are trained in disaster response and ready for deployment. To volunteer in that capacity, we urge you to contact your local American Red Cross chapter at http://www.redcross.org/donate/volunteer/.

While the Federal Emergency Management Agency also has an ongoing need for engineers, only those who have pre-registered and trained with the agency will be included in the disaster response teams. If you would like more information on working with FEMA, please visit http://www.fema.gov/. Learn about disaster preparation and EMI training available online from FEMA.

ASCE Disaster Response Programs

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, ASCE has developed a response plan, which includes the following:

• Professional engineers in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and surrounding areas have seen their own lives severely disrupted. Part of this disruption includes the ability to obtain continuing professional development in the near future. As a result, ASCE has formally recommended to the professional engineering licensure boards in each state that they allow extensions of up to one year for professional engineers to obtain their 2005 continuing professional development credits necessary for licensure renewal.


• ASCE is consulting with technical experts in the field on the deployment of technical assessment teams to the disaster area. ASCE is spending $50,000 toward developing and administering Hurricane Katrina assessment teams.

• A collection of articles related to response to and mitigation of hurricane events is available free to the professional community.

• ASCE is establishing communications with its affiliated societies to determine the needs of the local professional community as they lead efforts to restore and rebuild the infrastructure. ASCE in conjunction with TISP coordinated a meeting with other nongovernmental organizations on Sept. 6 in Washington, D.C. For information on the meeting, click here.

• Technical experts are responding to public and media inquiries, and ASCE spokespersons are appearing in media reports on the disaster. If you are available for media interviews, please contact Jill Dixon in the communications department at (703) 295-6404 or jdixon@asce.org.

• The federal government has asked trade associations involved in construction to help with immediate relief of the victims of Katrina. FEMA is asking for donations of money and items of immediate need, such as water, food, housing and machinery. To learn more, go to http://www.swern.gov and fill out information to either donate or sell supplies to the federal government. http://www.tisp.org/news/newsdetails.cfm?&newsID=544

• ASCE is serving as an information clearing house to find information for ASCE members on how to begin recovery; including a technical listserv, and information for ASCE members affected by the hurricane.