[The organization] has received hundreds of call from Canadians wanting to help the people impacted by this disaster and will accept funds designated for Hurricane Katrina.

I think the United States has a huge capacity but on the front end they don't want people to be waiting and suffering while the help arrives.

It's a little bit that we can do to help the people that are less fortunate, ... They will represent the City of Oneida and the Oneida Fire Department very well.

People who don't live in presidential-declared disaster areas get help, but not the most help or the quickest. Those in declared disaster areas but not in the Hurricane Katrina-Rita-Wilma areas get more help quicker, while those in the Katrina-Rita-Wilma disaster areas get most.

This will be part of a total community disaster management program.

We are sending our most experienced and highly trained volunteers to support the largest relief operation in the American Red Cross' history. In the coming weeks we will send at least 100 volunteers to the region, then more as required. It is the most effective way that we can help our counterparts in the US.