American Massage Therapy Association^®

AMTA Response to Hurricane Disaster – Update September 7, 2005

The traumatic and devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina have affected millions in the Gulf states and AMTA extends our heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones and those who continue to face challenges of survival.  We also are moved to express great gratitude to all relief and recovery workers who have overcome overwhelming challenges to help those in need.  And, we especially would like to thank to those massage therapists who have volunteered to help relief workers cope with the physical and emotional stress of their efforts.

AMTA staff has now established communications with Chapter leaders in all the states affected by the disaster.  Many of those AMTA members were out of communication with us for several days.  We have learned that Chapter leaders in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are all safe, though some have lost their homes and businesses.  With thousands of members in those states, we continue to gather information about the well-being of other massage therapists in the region.

Many things are happening in the Gulf states and situations are constantly changing, often hourly.  We will keep AMTA members updated as frequently as possible on what is happening there, how AMTA members are involved in relief efforts, and what you can do to help. 

Click here for today’s update on responses to Hurricane Katrina.  Check the AMTA Web site for frequent reports and updates.  If you know of AMTA members who don’t have access to the Web, please help keep them informed of what is happening and how they can help those in need.

Please keep your positive energy going out to your fellow colleagues/members in these states. 

What is AMTA Doing?

We sent an initial message to members last Friday to make everyone aware of the great risks for those who wanted to travel immediately to the stricken areas to provide support.  It continues to be unsafe to travel to many parts of Mississippi and Louisiana.  AMTA is investigating a variety of means to help people in these areas.  (See note below on fundraising at AMTA National Convention) Please be patient as we gather information and guide you on how you can best offer you help in this situation and maintain your own health and safety.

The AMTA National Office is working with Chapter presidents in the three affected states to help them coordinate AMTA Massage Emergency Response Team (MERT) activity.  AMTA’s MERT program is administered at the Chapter level to provide massage for relief and rescue workers.  Because the disaster is so widespread and communications are still poor in those states, your AMTA National Office is assisting the Chapters in their MERT coordination.  We are waiting for decisions from each MERT about if or when they may want to ask MERTs from other states to help them.

• The Mississippi MERT was deployed through the Mississippi State Department of Health on Saturday night, September 3. 

• The Louisiana Chapter is not ready to deploy massage therapists for relief workers or to accept help from other states.  This situation is expected to change within a few days.

• The Alabama Chapter is just now re-establishing contact with the AMTA National Office.  We will let you know later how things are developing there.

What Can You Do to Help?

AMTA national leaders and the National Office have heard from many members who want to provide massage for relief workers and/or the victims of the disaster.  AMTA is proud of this spirit in massage therapists.  If you are MERT-trained and live in a neighboring state, you may have an opportunity to provide massage for relief workers, if the Chapter in the affected area needs your help.  At this time, only the AMTA Mississippi Chapter is working on this possibility.

If you want to offer massage for the victims and evacuees, you can best make that happen by working with your local Red Cross chapter (http://www.redcross.org/where/chapts.asp) or the agency responsible for coordinating evacuees to your state. We strongly suggest that you do so in order to protect your own health and safety.  Keep in mind that Red Cross chapters are very busy and it may take a while to reach them and work out how you can assist sheltered evacuees.  AMTA recommends that massage therapists not travel to another state to provide massage to evacuees, because massage regulations and Good Samaritan laws differ from state to state.  Waivers may not be in effect in states hosting evacuees.

We have reports from all three states that individual massage therapists are volunteering to massage relief workers and evacuees.  In some areas, it is continues to be very dangerous to enter the devastated areas and we want you to be aware that your volunteer help may not be accepted at this time.

How Can You Help Fellow Massage Therapists?

Many AMTA members have lost their practices as a result of the hurricane.  The AMTA Web site provides a Career Center http://www.amtamassage.org/amta-careercenter/Default.aspx in which members looking for work or who have jobs open for massage therapists can post information.  This is a step you can take right now, or later, to help members looking for work.

AMTA encourages massage businesses and massage schools that have job openings to use this tool to help those members who now will be looking for work.  AMTA is investigating other ways it can help members rebuild their practices. 

How to Contribute to Aid Agencies

According to the agencies coordinating relief efforts, the greatest needs at this time are for funds to keep the flow of supplies and transportation going.  If you want to make a donation of money or supplies (including clothing) to aid people affected by the disaster, there are several legitimate organizations and agencies set up for this purpose.  There are many groups handling different types of aid for the people affected by the disaster.  AMTA recommends that you make contributions through those agencies directly.

You can make donations to the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org, by calling 800-HELP-NOW, or by mailing the contribution to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.  You can find out about volunteering for the Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/services/volunteer/0,1082,0_325_,00.html.

Here are links to other agencies providing aid to the hurricane victims.  They also provide links to other charities:

www.fema.gov This site of the Federal Emergency Management Agency gives a list of recognized charities http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/and information on how to check the credibility of a charity when donating.

www.Give.org  This Web site of the Better Business Bureau provides a list of charities helping with the hurricane relief effort.

AMTA has no affiliations with the charities listed above and takes no responsibility for interactions or activities resulting from donations made to the organizations listed above.    Some sites may be political or religious in nature and AMTA does not endorse the views expressed or products or services offered.

AMTA Coordinating Hurricane Katrina Fund Raiser at Albuquerque Convention.

AMTA will make a special provision at the National Convention in Albuquerque to accept donations for the American Red Cross.  These contributions will be handled directly by the Red Cross chapter in Albuquerque.

This will provide an opportunity for convention attendees and trade show exhibitors to make donations to the Red Cross.

Previous Updates
9-2-2005

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