The unprecedented disaster that was Hurricane Katrina was groundbreaking in many ways for many people, especially the American Red Cross.

According to a report recently released by the organization, Katrina was the first storm to force residents of an entire metropolitan area to evacuate and be unable to return home for months.

It was the first disaster to result in disaster victims dispersed to nearly every state, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Never before had disaster survivors been served more than one million Red Cross meals in a single day. On Sept. 3, 2005, the Red Cross provided nearly one million meals on this day alone and maintained this pace for several days.

It also marked the first single disaster after which more than one million families received emergency assistance from the Red Cross.

In sheer numbers, more than 1,800 lost their lives with more than $81 billion in damage. New Orleans was 80 percent submerged.

The Red Cross faced a double whammy when Hurricane Rita struck Southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana on Sept. 24, 2005 as a Category 3 storm. Over a million assistance cases were opened for the two hurricanes, but final figures climbed to 1.4 million families, or four million people.

Kay Wilkins, CEO of Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross, said in the report, “When I remember our work after Katrina, I remember the collaboration, the teamwork among community partners and the joy over any comfort we could bring.”

Wilkins and the 42 employees of the Red Cross opened 26 shelters that would exceed 5,000 residents. They also staffed local emergency operation centers and coordinated with partners to meet the needs of 1.2 million residents within the affected area.

More than 45 percent of Red Cross funding during the recovery phase was channeled through partnering organizations. Grants to provide emotional support totaling $30 million went to more than 120 groups, ensuring all segments of the population were served.

By day six of response to Hurricane Katrina, the Red Cross was serving one million meals per day. Five years later, the Red Cross is prepared to reach that number within 72 hours, half the previous time. Reasons for more rapid response include:

They now have four times the number of trained disaster volunteers than were available during Katrina.

The organization has also established a nationwide warehouse system and pre-positioned supplies to support 350,000 shelter residents.

The Red Cross also has established strategic partnerships with more than 150 partner organizations. There is now also improved coordination with local and state governments as well as with the federal government and FEMA.

They also have created and implemented the National Shelter System which now includes more than 56,000 pre-identified shelters nationwide; and improved the Red Cross safeandwell.org Web site to help reconnect loved ones during and after disasters.