Scientology Press Office

Katrina started as a tropical storm that became a category 4 hurricane, creating one of the worst humanitarian crises in United States history. Katrina found every weak point in the Gulf Coast’s disaster preparedness, and volunteer help was essential to deal with the problem.

A group of Scientology Volunteer Ministers joined the relief efforts in Baton Rouge. Having just assisted the National Guard in dispensing food, water and other necessities to Dade County storm victims when Katrina hit South Florida, they left for Baton Rouge and arrived there on August 31st.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers worked with National Guard durring Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

The Church of Scientology Mission of Baton Rouge was the focal point of local relief efforts and served as the headquarters for arriving volunteers from around the United States. Within a week, more than 500 were in action at Louisiana refugee shelters in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Orleans and Vermilion Parish.

The seasoned Scientology Disaster Response Team, headed by Judy Fagerman of Tampa, set to work organizing and providing for the immediate needs of the victims, securing shelter, bedding, showers, food, water and medical help.

A Baton Rouge doctor sought the assistance of the Volunteer Ministers to provide trauma counseling to the thousands of people arriving at the city’s River Center convention center relief site.

Some of the Florida team found themselves in Lafayette, helping local Volunteer Ministers after area authorities requested they lead disaster relocation operations.

As a result of their work, the local sheriff, Michael Couvillon, distributed an official communiqué urging all civil authorities to avail themselves of the Volunteer Ministers’ services, in which he stated:

"The International Scientology Disaster Response Team has worked at Ground-Zero during 9-11, assisting clean-up and aid after the tsunami, and was a major force in every hurricane to hit Florida in the last three years. They are experts in handling human misery and assisting the rescue workers and other relief teams to get the job done."