Our friends in Europe promised aid and it is being loaded onto ships at this moment. NOLA/AP has the story:
European aid readied for shipment to Hurricane Katrina aftermath
European nations on Monday prepared aid teams, food rations, water pumps and even cruise ships to help U.S. regions hit by Hurricane Katrina.
Countries large and small have offered aid - from tiny Luxembourg's beds and blankets to half a million food rations from Germany and Britain.
Greece put on standby two cruise ships to house refugees and Sweden has offered aircraft to help distribute aid shipments, said Barbara Helfferich, a European Union spokeswoman.
Helfferich said an EU aid coordinator would go to the United States soon to help ensure aid goes to victims of Katrina in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. U.S. authorities made a rare request for help from Europe over the weekend, asking for anything from diapers and baby formula to forklifts and veterinarian supplies.
Helfferich said the 25-nation EU was able to move quickly to fill requests.
"We have reacted very speedily and, after the aid has been requested, we have been basically able to respond in 24 hours," she said.
She said more pledges had come in Sunday, including promises to ship power generators, cots, tents, first aid kits and Greece's offer of ships.
The NATO alliance has also started to coordinate shipments of food, drinking water, generators and tarpaulins through its disaster coordination center.
The United States thanked its European allies in the 26-nation alliance for their solidarity.
"The United States has been enormously grateful for the outpouring of support both emotional and concrete from allies over the past week," said Victoria Nuland, the U.S. ambassador to NATO.
And some more:
Germany and Britain had already sent 570,000 emergency food rations over the weekend, while Luxembourg was preparing to send a team of five aid experts, two jeeps, and bedding. The Netherlands had deployed a naval frigate, which was transporting drinking water, medical supplies and much needed helicopters.
Many European countries have pledged to release parts of their strategic oil and gas reserves to stabilize global oil supplies.
Thank you!
