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  • Essay / Problems with the Red Cross: the need to abandon old practices

    Emergencies and natural disasters can occur at any time and in any place. Along with the list of natural disasters like floods, fires and hurricanes is a growing list of man-made tragedies. According to an infographic shared by Business Insider, states with a low risk of weather events are not safe from disaster because they are generally unprepared. Although technology can predict some disasters, they generally cannot be avoided. In the event of a disaster, the governor of the affected state may request assistance from the federal government, which in turn implements Recovery Support Functions (RSF) under the National Disaster Recovery Framework. The framework details the roles of coordinating agencies, lead agencies and supporting organizations. The American National Red Cross (ANRC) is designated as the supporting agency; however, they are not a government agency. It is an independent, nonprofit institution pursuant to a charter issued by Congress. The charter designated the ANRC to carry out relief requirements under the Geneva Treaty, coordinate national and international disaster relief efforts, maintain mandatory functions in support of the National Response Plan (NRP) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and provide support to current and former military personnel and their families. Since the founding of the Red Cross, the organization has had a tremendous impact on disaster-affected communities around the world; However, frequent reports of mismanaged operations, inadequate disaster responses, and financial indiscretions raise questions about the organization's credibility. This article examines current organizational structure, leadership, disaster response efforts, and financial management in order to make improvements and regain the trust of the American public. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay This review was written to address concerns about the conduct of the American National Red Cross (ANRC) in responding to Hurricane Katrina emergency. It seeks to determine whether provisions of the federal charter may have played a role in the organization's poorly orchestrated relief efforts. It provides a historical summary of the ANRC charter, including the causes of past revisions. Congress decided to review the actions of the ANRC after the federal government received harsh criticism for its role in the failed emergency response. The accusations included manipulation of inaccurate data and gross miscalculation of the number of evacuees staying in hotels, racially insensitive gestures by the organization's volunteers, and the distribution of financial aid to people not admissible. A committee has been appointed to review the governance and reporting of the Red Cross. The committee found flaws in the organization's ability to coordinate and execute plans, as well as in the poorly organized accommodation process. Another report examined the lack of efforts to provide assistance to victims in minority areas. Two bills were introduced and then signed to improve the governance structure and clarify the role of the Board of Governors. The report's author, Kevin Kosak, worked on nonpartisan research in Congress for eleven years. He does not show any bias in his reports as they are purely informational.It will be useful in identifying past mistakes of the ANRC to prevent their recurrence in the future. This book describes the controversy surrounding the ANRC's handling of charitable donations following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Red Cross has once again found itself at the center of controversy after being accused of soliciting donations for 911 victims and then squandering the funds on future needs. Worse yet, New York has a law prohibiting the use of charitable funds for anything other than what it was raised for. Donations collected by the Red Cross exceeded $1 billion, a substantial amount of which was allocated to future projects. People who donated money to help 911 victims accused the Red Cross of being deceptive in its fundraising plan. In the following days, the president of the Red Cross resigned from her position, but she was still subject to a congressional hearing in which Congress denounced the organization's decision to withhold more than two million dollars intended for 911 victims. Under growing pressure, the Red Cross assured the public that their donations would be used to help families and victims of 9/11. The book was written by American economist Eugene Streuerle, as an economic view of philanthropy. Streuerle has served on numerous boards, authored 18 books, and received the TIAA Award for outstanding scientific writing. This book is a good example of why Americans are losing faith in nonprofit organizations. It is important to see how the damage was done so that it can be repaired. Smith shares his research findings on how Red Cross volunteers gain satisfaction from their experiences and, conversely, what experiences caused them to become dissatisfied. The findings correlate with reports of unorganized relief efforts felt by the public. When asked about their dissatisfaction, top responses include disorganization, poor communication, and lack of education. According to some volunteers, a debriefing is supposed to take place before and after rescue operations, but they say they have never witnessed it in practice. Surprisingly, several complaints have been filed by managers and volunteers regarding the mistreatment of volunteers. On one occasion, a volunteer reported spending the night in a broom closet because he was asked to hand his over to a Red Cross management team, and others say they rarely hear “thanks” from their management team and don’t feel appreciated by their management team. managers. The findings are important because they demonstrate unhealthy behaviors known to cause organizational dysfunction. If the seemingly small problems of poor communication and poor leadership are not corrected, the Red Cross will continue to perform poorly in emergency situations. The study was conducted by Smith and Grove less than three years ago, so the information should still be applicable. The importance of this study was affirmed when it was presented to a research association for nonprofit organizations and at the 2016 Public Administration Annual Conference. Repeated claims that the ANRC is unable to adequately respond to disasters prompted the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study. of their response procedures. Although the ANRC is subject to government oversight, it does not include