American Massage Therapy Association^®

AMTA Response to Hurricane Disaster – Update October 10, 2005

What is AMTA Doing

Massage Relief Efforts

Types of Aid Needed in the Affected Areas

AMTA Gathering Reports of Massage Response

Previous Updates

What is AMTA Doing to Help Members Affected by the Disaster?

AMTA is actively implementing the AMTA Hurricane Katrina Relief Program approved by the National Board of Directors at its meeting on September 20, 2005.  Key elements of the program resulted from recommendations brought to the Board by Chapter Presidents attending the meeting.  Chapters initiated a concept that members at the Chapter level and their Chapters demonstrate their desire to help fellow members affected by the storm re-establish their practices and not have to be concerned about paying AMTA dues. 

As of this date AMTA National Office staff have spoken with 65% of the 396 members who live and/or practice in the affected areas of the 3 Gulf states.  These members were offered dues relief and the Practitioner Member Rebuilding Kit (see press release), as a gift from their fellow members.  So far, twenty-one members expressed their warmest appreciation for the offer, but told us that they are not in need and AMTA should give the assistance to those members who truly need it. 

The Louisiana Chapter has contacted at least 40 members who previously had not received communications from AMTA about the Rebuilding Kit.

AMTA is happy to announce the massage products companies who have already agreed to provide items for the Practitioner Member Rebuilding Kits.  Kits will include a massage table or chair (choice of the member), linens, massage oils/lotions, and a book on massage techniques. 

AMTA and its members thank these companies for their compassion and their support for those AMTA members most affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Massage Relief Efforts

The AMTA National Office continues to work with Chapter presidents in the three affected states to help them coordinate massage emergency response activity. All three states waived license requirements for massage therapy volunteers from other states.  

• The Louisiana Chapter has devoted its efforts to finding members in the affected areas to determine if they need help. 
• The Alabama Chapter reports that, in response to a direct invitation from the American Red Cross, In-Kind Donations Office, it began its massage response on Sunday, September 18, 2005. Since then seven volunteer therapists have been able to offer services on 10 of 17 days, and they have donated 77.75 person/hours and treated 310 ARC DR Volunteers to 15-minute sessions of chair massage, clothed table massage, energy work (ReiKi, etc.) or Reflexology. They have had from one to four volunteers provide from 13 to 83 appointments per active day. 
• The Mississippi Chapter reports that, working through the Mississippi Department of Health, Regional Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM), on October 1 & 2, AMTA members provided massage for responders at the D’Iberville, MS Fire Department, the Pass Christian Fire Department, and the Diamondhead Fire Department.  

On October 3, members provided massage at the Biloxi, MS Fire Department Station 9, at the Police - Fire Department Auto Maintenance Station and Biloxi Fire Department Station 6 at Eagle Point. They then returned to provide massage at the D’Iberville Fire Department.

Types of Aid Needed in the Affected Areas

AMTA encourages members to consider the various types of assistance that will be needed by people affected by the hurricane. Agencies such as the American Red Cross are organized to provide initial relief services to those affected by the disaster. Within the first two weeks after the hurricane, they received contributions of approximately $500 million. As initial responses are winding down, other charities and agencies will need to provide services to assist those affected by the hurricane to reorganize and restart their lives and businesses. Donations to Red Cross are short-term oriented, while donations to other agencies are geared toward mid-term and long-term assistance.

AMTA Gathering Reports of Massage Response

AMTA is collecting information and stories of members who have provided massage to relief workers and/or people affected by the hurricane.  If you have provided massage in response to the hurricane, please email information to us about what you did.  We will post these stories on the Web site for all to share.

Watch this section of the AMTA Web site for frequent updates on AMTA’s response to the hurricane.
If you know of massage therapists 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. See previous updates for specific information about how to work with aid agencies, to make donations for victims and to help fellow massage therapists.

Previous Updates

9-14-2005
9-9-2005
9-7-2005
9-2-2005