


The American Red Cross is not lending its usual assistance in New Orleans, because the Louisiana National Guard acted first.  After Saturday September 3, it was agreed with state officials the Red Cross was not needed because the large-scale evacuation of the city was under way.
The organization explains on its web site:
On September 1, the Red Cross offered to Louisiana state officials to enter New Orleans, who rejected the offer due to logistical difficulties.  Making the offer the next day to Col. Jay Mayeaux, the deputy director of the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Red Cross was asked to wait 24 hours while preparations were made.  By the next day, Saturday September 3rd, the National Guard had arrived in the city, felt they had adequate supplies and did not need the Red Cross.
The American Red Cross is often involved in emergency situations, and the term applied to the Superdome, "refuge of last resort", is based on Red Cross shelter standards.  It is the minimal type of  shelter, defined primarily by not meeting shelter standards:
Despite the Superdome being a minimal shelter, it was reported there were 26,000 people there.  As the Times-Picayune reported on Sunday, August 28, Col. Mayeaux was involved in preparations:
The National Guard delivered enough food for 15,000 people for 3 days, to a place which may have had 26,000 people.  Four days later, National Guardsmen accompanied by buses (475 in all) and supply trucks arrived at the Superdome on September 1.
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Red Cross is not in New Orleans for Katrina, Guard raced it to Superdome