As rescue efforts continue in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina, which caused massive damage along the Gulf Coast and
catastrophic flooding in New Orleans, the UCLA and Los Angeles
communities are doing what they can to assist with the cleanup by
sending rescue workers, making donations, and opening up their
homes and campuses to displaced students.
Many colleges in affected states such as Louisiana, Mississippi
and Alabama may be unable to open for fall classes; the displaced
students will be able to enroll in courses through UCLA Extension
and transfer earned units back to their home institutions.
The university is still assessing how many of these students can
be housed in the residence halls and how these fees will be
paid.
The UCLA School of Law has also agreed to admit a number of
second and third-year students from the law schools at Tulane and
Loyola University New Orleans until the students can return to
their schools.
UCLA Health Sciences has formed a Hurricane Katrina Response
Unit to assist in providing consultation to emergency medical units
in the field, and the UCLA Medical Center has offered space for
seriously ill hospital evacuees from the region in need of
specialized care.
Student groups are beginning to raise funds to donate to
disaster relief organizations, although fundraising efforts have
started slowly because so many students are away from campus and
many organizations have disbanded for the summer.
But some have begun discussing what they can do to help, and
many will raise funds or team up with other campus groups who are
already raising funds, said Interfraternity Council President Chris
Hatfield.
Hillel is reaching out to its members for help in attaining its
donation goal of $3,600.
Rescue workers and volunteers from the L.A. area are assisting
with the victims’ more immediate needs through rescue and relief
operations.
The Los Angeles Fire Department has deployed 14 firefighters
with water-rescue training and its Federal Emergency Management
Agency task force to the region to assist with rescue efforts, LAFD
spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
An 80-member urban search-and-rescue team, along with trucks,
tractors, and other search vehicles, has been sent to the New
Orleans area as well, Battalion Chief Larry Schneider said.
Due to the widespread devastation the hurricane has caused, the
extent of the impact is not yet known.
"As school is not in session, some of our students may have been
in the path of the hurricane, and certainly some of us will have
family and friends who were," said economics Professor David
Levine.
Levine added that since Los Angeles is relatively far from the
disaster zone, much of the economic effects will not be fully
realized here.
The impact felt here will probably not extend beyond higher
gasoline prices, which fluctuate according to local conditions and
supply, Levine said.
With reports from Derek Lipkin and Sara Taylor, Bruin senior
staff.