I don't know numbers, but I know there are a bajillion new Red Cross volunteers that came forward during Katrina. It's anyone's guess as to how many of them have stuck around to really get trained for the long run, but I know I hear my emergency services director (who is currently on a much-needed vacation to Utah with no cell phone connection whatsoever) talk about how chapters have expanded their capacity and they'll only need DSHR people for the really big ones. All of which is to say that hopefully it won't hurt quite so bad because Red Cross chapters have a little extra padding.

But still, most of us aren't quite as flexible and quick to deploy as NCCC people must be. Heck, I even work for the Red Cross and disappearing for 3 weeks is a trick for me...in the "real world" it's gotta be even harder. I suspect a lot of bosses aren't as sympathetic as they should be about letting people off the hook on a moment's notice so they can fly down south and work in a shelter.

So yeah, not having NCCC people is going to hurt.

~Bethany