Cross-posted with permission from the Disaster Accountability Project (author: Ben Smilowitz)

Hurricane Katrina demonstrated that some major disasters can exceed the response/relief capacities of the American Red Cross (ARC) and other Emergency Support Function #6 (ESF-6) Mass Care Providers (described in the National Response Framework (NRF) Annex).In response to post-Katrina lessons realized, the NRF shifted primary ESF-6 Mass Care Responsibilities from the ARC to FEMA (Before/After and After). While this change is a great start, the ARC will still serve a similar function, as demonstrated by recent Mass Care responses to recent tornado disasters. The change will allow the ARC to avoid taking accountability for under-performing after a disaster because main Mass Care responsibilities now lie with FEMA.While the ARC and other ESF-6 organizations have the capacity to help a few hundred families affected by a tornado, these non-governmental organizations will likely run into the same challenges experienced after Katrina should they face another disaster of greater proportion.Furthermore, so long as organizations like the ARC are raising funds in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, there will be strong efforts within these organizations to gloss over or avoid media exposure of mistakes, oversights, or gaps in critical services.... bad press results in fewer donated dollars... These "public affairs" efforts present an inherent conflict of interest for organizations simultaneously fulfilling a role tasked by the federal government and raising billions of dollars in private donations. The public should know exactly what limitations exist for organizations providing such critical services.

This week, May 12-16, the International Association of Whistleblowers will hold a conference in Washington, D.C. to publicly describe the challenges they faced in bringing to light corruption and abuses of power by the federal government, its contractors and the medical community.

The event is free, and the public is invited to attend. The schedule of events (including times and locations) is available on the IAW website. Even organizers say you can disregard the registration fee requested on the registration form.  Below, is a summary of the schedule along with details that are not available on the event  website.

How will Tuesday's Closed Door Senate Session play in America's Heartland?  Just ask Cindy Sheehan and the hypocritical callers to Milwaukee talk radio.

In the formerly blue collar city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we're all about accountability and transparency.  It's practically in our genes.  You see, we obtained these characteristics from the generations before us, who taught us that above all else stands honesty, and integrity, and a hard day at work.  And yes, you probably already know this from watching Laverne and Shirley reruns -

"Nothins gonna turn us back now.
Straight ahead we're on the track now.  
We're gonna make our dreams come true!"