Like the rest of the country, we have been watching the events unfold in the Tennessee area.  We’re watching as homes are being destroyed and cities have become virtual lakes.

We hope that you (personally & at work), have not been too adversely affected by this disaster; if it has, we at NPPA offer our deepest sympathy.  We cannot possibly comprehend what you’re going through, but empathize with your plight.  We know that even though we cannot be there in person, we can use NPPA to get the word out.  So here find some news on the floods, in general and as it’s been affecting some of our member’s facilities, as well as a few nonprofit organizations that you can donate to in order to contribute to the relief efforts.

HCA Donates $500,000 To Nashville Red Cross Flood Relief Efforts

On May 5, HCA (Hospital Corporation of America), with corporate headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, announced they will give $500,000 to the Nashville Area Red Cross for flood relief and to aid flood victims in Middle Tennessee.  HCA has hospitals across the nation, including Tennessee. 

In addition to this cash donation, HCA is providing space for a statewide Red Cross command center housed at its Skyline Madison Campus in Madison, TN.  The command center is staffed by approximately 80 Red Cross volunteers from across the country, and some 700 volunteers are expected to cycle through the center over the course of its effort.

The company also gave its corporate employees a paid volunteer day to assist in local recovery efforts.

Richard M. Bracken, HCA Chairman & CEO commented:  “We are proud to make this donation.  This disaster has affected everyone in our Middle Tennessee community, and many of our colleagues suffered their own personal losses.  Through multiple efforts, they maintained care to our patients and reached out to help friends, neighbors, and total strangers.”

To contribute, visit the HCA donation website, at:  http://hcahopefund.org.

Vanderbilt Children's Hospital Nashville:  Flood News & Relief Efforts

After the Flood:  Resources for the Vanderbilt Community.  Vanderbilt University and Medical Center are back to business, however, many of their employees are still deeply affected by the flood.  This site is a central information resource for employees affected by the flood:  www.vanderbilt.edu/flood.  On it you will find some of the below information, and more.

Disaster Pay Benefit:  If a faculty member, staff member or trainee has been or will be in the next 6 months unable to report to work as scheduled due to their residence being destroyed or because their residence is uninhabitable, Vanderbilt will be offering a one-time, non-precedent setting benefit to these affected employees of up to two weeks of paid time off commensurate with their normal work schedule.

Vanderbilt Employee Needs Assessment Survey:  If you or someone who reports to you needs assistance recovering from the flood, please fill out this survey for the person in need.  Please complete this as soon as possible to help us determine the needs of the Vanderbilt community.

Find out how to apply for federal disaster relief:  President Obama has declared Davidson, Sumner, Williamson, and Hickman counties a federal disaster area.  Register for aid by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency helpdesk at 800-745-0243 or visiting the FEMA website.

Cleaning up from the flood?  Document, document, document!  Any flood-related expenses, from purchase of cleaning supplies to renting hotel rooms or cars, should be documented by saving receipts, taking photographs, etc.  The documentation will help people receive reimbursement if they qualify for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Vanderbilt helping Vanderbilt: Flood Assistance Network:   Vanderbilt has established a website called “Vanderbilt Helping Vanderbilt: Flood Assistance Network.”  Visit it online:  www4.vanderbilt.edu/flood/assistance-network.  This network is for Vanderbilt employees (you will need to login) who need to replace items destroyed or damaged in the flood, and for employees to post items they want to donate.  Items listed on Vanderbilt Helping Vanderbilt should be free of charge (go to www.vanderbilt.edu/myvu/classifieds).

Vanderbilt Flood Relief Fund:  A special online Vanderbilt Flood Relief Fund has been established to get resources directed more efficiently within the university community:  https://webapp.mis.vanderbilt.edu/olga/?appealCode=Z10HF.  All monies donated to the fund are tax deductible for the contributors and minimize tax implications for those receiving aid.  In order to preserve the tax benefits, donors to the fund may not designate specific individuals or groups to receive aid.  Flood relief contributions made previously to the Employee Hardship Fund will be transferred to the new relief fund, and those contributors also will receive a charitable deduction.

Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos commented:  “The magnitude of loss caused to members of our community by this flood is perhaps greater than any other event our city has ever encountered, and than we have ever faced before as a university.  I assure you that helping members of our community navigate through this extraordinarily difficult time is our priority.”

Other Information & Websites on TN Flood Disaster:

• The Red Cross:  All text messages, online and phone donations are funneled to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, a general fund used for U.S. aid, according to the Middle Tennessee Red Cross.  Currently, that money is being used to feed and shelter people who were forced to flee their homes after severe weather brought tornadoes and flooding to the southeast.  The hardest hit area was in Tennessee, but the Red Cross money is also going for aid in Kentucky and Mississippi.

The Red Cross purposely has not designated funds to specific causes like “Nashville flood.”  This way, the Red Cross feels that if donations exceed their expenses for a specific disaster, contributions can be used to serve victims of other disasters:  www.RedCross.org.

• The Salvation Army:  to support their relief efforts, make a credit card donation by calling 800-725-2769 or donating online at their website, www.salvationarmyusa.org.

• Hands On Nashville:  does widespread organizing of volunteers to help with a variety of flood recovery and relief efforts, when safe volunteer opportunities are identified by the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management.  Register on their website, www.hon.org.

• Middle Tennessee Kroger supermarket locations:  Kroger in middle TN is collecting donations of money and non-perishable items for the American Red Cross and Second Harvest Food Bank to aid flood victims.

• Christ Church:  drop off donations of bottled water, new clothes and cleaning supplies, such as buckets, gloves and mops, at Christ Church, 15354 Old Hickory Blvd.  Volunteers are also needed to distribute these items.  Call 615-834-6171 for more information.

• Chamber of Commerce for Lebanon/Wilson Counties:  this Chamber of Commerce is coordinating volunteer cleanup efforts.  To get or offer help, call 615-444-5503.

Our thoughts and wishes for a speedy recovery and cleanup go out to all NPPA Members in the affected flood areas of Tennessee: 

Assistant Pharmacy Director Wendell Cheatham, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Memphis;

Purchasing Agent/Technology Coordinator Rodney Elliott, Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga;

Purchasing Analyst Don Hite, HCA Supply Chain, Nashville;

Pharmacy Purchasing Agent, Joanne Miller, Methodist Medical Center, Oak Ridge;

Pharmacy Buyer Technician Supervisor Todd Monroe, Williamson Medical Center, Franklin;

Pharmacy Buyer Angel Roper, Grandview Medical Center, Jasper;

Pharmacy Inventory Technician Judy Salyer, East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Knoxville;

Director of Pharmacy Trish Tanner, Johnson City Medical Center, Johnson City;

Pharmacy Purchasing Agent John Tice, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Nashville.