The extent of the damage, including the complete lack of water, electricity, and other necessities in many areas, has made access to many affected areas impossible at the present time. While DKI's recovery efforts have started in many inland areas, along with tens of thousands of local residents, it still awaits approval from the National Guard and other state and federal bodies before it can begin the cleanup of many coastal areas.

Unfortunately, the damage has not been confined to just the Gulf Coast. Several DKI member companies have been working for over a week in Florida restoring property damaged by Katrina's initial landfall, and many other DKI member companies are responding to water and wind damage throughout Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio and other areas damaged by Katrina's only slightly more subdued path north, as well as the ancillary tornados it produced.

All told, more than 10,000 pieces of portable equipment, including air movers, dehumidifiers, generators, and portable extraction units are either currently in place or staged immediately outside the hurricane ravaged areas. And more is on the way as another group of DKI catastrophe response teams is waiting to see where they can best lend assistance before mobilizing their resources. It is expected that within a month over 30 DKI companies from around the country will be in the Southeast aiding their fellow members and the property owners affected by the storm.

For homeowners, property owners and managers, and government officials seeking the most up-to-date information on the disaster recovery efforts, DKI has established a web-based resource at www.hurricanecatastophe.com which provides important updates on storm activity, as well as how to prepare for a storm beforehand and respond to its impact afterwards.

More information about DKI is available at www.disasterkleenup.com.