FEMA Sets Up National Hotline; State Hotline to Close
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
MT Dept. of Public Health & Human Services
Gayle Shirley
406-444-2596
gshirley@mt.gov
Helena - For immediate release
September 16, 2005
Contact: Gayle Shirley, Public Information Officer, DPHHS, 444-2596 or 431-1039
Monique T. Lay, Public Information Officer, DES, 841-3963 or 439-9414
Montanans have a new toll-free number to call if they want to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery effort.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has established a national donation hotline, which will take the place of the Montana hotline established two weeks ago by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. The Montana Hurricane Relief Hotline will close Friday at 5 p.m. after getting close to 600 offers of help from generous Montanans.
Effective immediately, Montanans should call 1-800-440-6728 to make donations to FEMA's Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort. In addition, toll-free numbers have been established in three of the states hit hardest by the hurricane:
- Alabama: 1-877-273-5018
- Mississippi: 1-866-230-8903
- Louisiana: 1-866-334-8304
Gov. Schweitzer commended Montanans for their outpouring of support for Katrina victims.
"The generosity of Montanans is inspiring," he said. "Montanans are always willing to help, but their creativity and thoughtfulness demonstrate just how much they really care for these victims."
Gov. Schweitzer said he recognized in the first days after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast that Montanans would want to come to the aid of their Southern neighbors. So he asked the state Department of Public Health and Human Services to establish the donation hotline. DPHHS has staffed the phones since Sept. 5.
"The desire to help was immediate," the governor said Friday, "so we established the Montana hotline to help people lend a helping hand. It's now time to transition this service to FEMA so help efforts are more centralized."
