The Southeast Louisiana Chapter American Red Cross dedication and ribbon cutting of the new Northshore regional office and Continuity of Operations COOP, building Thursday afternoon was greeting by an excited, enthusiastic crowd of board members, employees and volunteers despite the heat.

The building was made possible in part by a $25 million gift to the American National Red Cross by the State of Kuwait and their Red Crescent Society to help improve infrastructure along the Gulf Coast and in high-risk areas. Four locations benefited from the donation including Baton Rouge, Mobile, Ala., Tallahassee, Fla. as well as the new building in Madisonville.

After cutting the ribbon dedicating the new building, Dr. Jasem Albudaiwi, Counselor, Embassy of the State of Kuwait, said, “It is a great honor to represent my country in this opening. It is an honor for Kuwait to give this small gift to the people of Louisiana.

Dr. Jasem Albudaiwi, Counselor, Embassy of the State of Kuwait, cuts the ribbon dedicating the new American Red Cross Northshore Regional office and Southeast Louisiana Chapter Continuity of Operations or COOP building in Madisonville just north of I-12. (Staff Photo by Debbie Glover)

“Today is July 22. Ten days from now, Aug. 2, 20 years ago, Saddam’s troops invaded my country. When we look back, we find out if it were not for the effort of the American administration back then to lead an international coalition to help out Kuwait-$25 million is nothing compared to the lives that came to liberate Kuwait. 300 souls, U. S. troops, died in the process. This money is nothing compared to that.

“Thanks go to the U.S.A. for liberating my country. Thank you and may God bless you. May you use this facility for training only and not a disaster.”

After his standing ovation, Kay Wilkins, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter, said, “Please take our thanks forward to your colleagues.”

Honored at the opening were Frances Barker, an employee since 1991, and Mike Litzenberger, chapter volunteer since 1995. Both were honored with engraved gifts and by placement of placards in the new building.

Upon receiving her gift, Barker said, “ I never had a job, I had an opportunity to serve my community.” After Hurricane Katrina, Barker accompanied Prince Charles to the Ninth Ward. She told him, “We’ll never be the same, but we can be better.”

Litzenberger was known as “Hurricane Mike.” His dream was to have a building with a warehouse; now his dream has come true.

Other dignitaries at the grand opening included Jerry DeFrancisco, President of Humanitarian Services, American National Red Cross; Russ Paulsen, American National Red Cross; Reid Falconer, St. Tammany Parish Council representing Parish President Kevin Davis; State Senator Jack Donahue; Frank Tessier, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross Southeast Louisiana Chapter; Ed Mathes, Mathes Brierre Architects; and Aaron Bradley, DonahueFavrot Contractors. Parish President Kevin Davis could not be present because he was working on preparations for Tropical Storm Bonnie.

The new building will now serve as the Northshore regional office, which covers St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes, now at 300 Ashland Way in Madisonville, near Louisiana Highway 1077 and Louisiana Highway 1085.

The 21,420 square-foot building will serve as a Southeast Louisiana Chapter Continuity of Operations or COOP, building in the event of a disaster similar to Katrina and will serve all 13 of the chapter’s parishes. Along with multiple education classrooms, office space and conference rooms, including a media room, the facility are the permanent repositories of records for the New Orleans area. The server for the Red Cross chapter was also moved to the new location, out of the flood zone.

The second floor can also be converted to dormitory-style facilities for office and administrative personnel as well as volunteers who may need to evacuate the New Orleans office. A complete kitchen and bath facilities, including showers, are available upstairs.

There are two warehouses for storing supplies, food, and water, cleaning equipment, generators and other equipment needed for an area-wide disaster. The main warehouse, fully stocked and ready, houses items needed for response to an area-wide disaster. A smaller warehouse will serve as storage for people affected by other disasters, including house fires.

A much smaller storage area will house equipment and supplies needed for various classroom activities, including classes in life saving, first aid and CPR.

A large multi-function room downstairs can be divided into classrooms or serve as a command center in the event of a hurricane or flood. There is ample room for large-scale disaster response in the new facility and staging areas for rescue and response operations, said Wilkins.

Ironically, the original groundbreaking in December 2008 was originally scheduled for earlier that year, but had to be postponed due to Hurricane Gustav. At that event, Wilkins said that in the aftermath of Katrina, the Red Cross “created history everyday.”

On Thursday afternoon, Wilkins thanked the State of Kuwait for their vision and their gifts. “We have Tropical Depression #3 (now Tropical Storm Bonnie” in the Gulf-each of us should have a plan already. It’s just life in southeast Louisiana.”

She also thanked Mathes Bierre Architects and DonahueFavrot Contractors in building the facility; the Northshore Community Foundation for their grant providing audio-visual, Internet and computer equipment; the United Way for helping the community understand preparedness; and RSVP and VOA for providing volunteers.

Wilkins said, “Today is a new page in our chapter’s history and a great opportunity for our community as a whole as we work together to further expand our culture of preparedness.”

For more information on how to volunteer with the American Red Cross, please call 892-4317 or visit www.arcno.org.