The role of the American Red Cross in responding to an international crisis is very different fromits response to a disaster within the United States. Following a foreign disaster, the American Red Cross sends aid only after receiving a request for assistance from the Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society in the affected country. As the Movement's coordinating body, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the Federation) helps determine how each National Society offering assistance, including the American Red Cross, can best use its expertise where it is needed most. This unified response targets aid, avoids duplication of efforts and ensures that donations are used to meet priority needs. It also leverages the strengths, abilities and resources of all National Societies able to respond.

A Worldwide Humanitarian Movement

"The Movement" refers to the unified efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the Federation) and individual Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies around the world, including the American Red Cross. The work of the entire Movement shares a commitment to seven fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. These shared principles allow Red Cross and Red Crescent workers from different backgrounds to work together, bringing emergency relief to disaster victims and improving the basic living conditions of chronically vulnerable people around the world. The Federation oversees peacetime relief efforts during natural and human-caused disasters worldwide. This includes coordinating the Movement's tsunami response in parts of Sri Lanka and Indonesia, as well as in other affected countries. The ICRC protects the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence. The ICRC is the lead agency in the regions of northern and northeastern Sri Lanka and in Somalia-areas where there is armed conflict andwhere the ICRC had a strong operational presence before the tsunami. With the Federation and the ICRC, the American Red Cross and other National Societies coordinate with organizations such as the United Nations World Food Programme and other partners to determine the greatest immediate needs for distribution of emergency relief supplies, tracing and family reunification services and the deployment of specially trained workers.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world's largest humanitarian network, with 115 million volunteers and a presence in over 180 countries. Because of its global network of committed employees and volunteers, the Movement is uniquely positioned to respond immediately when disaster strikes and provide relief to the most isolated and vulnerable.

• Its reputation and worldwide presence allow the Movement to operate at the international level, coordinating with organizations such as the United Nations, as well as at the local level, even in small or hard-to-reach communities.
• The Movement's commitment to its fundamental principles inspires trust among members, partners and governments.
• After large-scale disasters, such as the tsunami, the Movement can draw from a global pool of complementary relief and development expertise to meet the needs of the vulnerable quickly and efficiently.
• Red Cross and Red Crescent employees and volunteers throughout the world are ready to be called into action at a moment's notice. In most cases, when a need arises or a disaster strikes, the Movement is already present in that country, whether through a local National Society, the ICRC or the Federation.

The Movement's Tsunami Response

December 26, 2004
In the morning, an earthquake registering 9.0 on the Richter scale occurs off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggering a massive tsunami. Most fisherman are working on or near the water, and women and children are still at home.

Within 20 minutes, tsunami waves strike the coast of northern Sumatra. They reach Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and the Maldives. The Indonesian Red Cross Society headquarters in Banda Aceh is completely destroyed. As news of the tsunami reaches around the world, the American Red Cross and other Movement members begin to mobilize.

The ICRC is already in Aceh and Sri Lanka. The Indonesian Red Cross Society, working out of temporary headquarters, and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society start providing assistance within hours. Many of the volunteers have lost family, friends and homes in the tsunami. Nevertheless, they evacuate victims, locate survivors' family members and provide clean water and psychosocial support. The ICRC coordinates the Restoring Family Links program to help separated family members communicate and reunite in all affected countries.

An American Red Cross worker helps families separated bythe tsunami get in touch with each other.

The Federation starts receiving requests for assistance and begins matching the expertise of local National Societies with the needs of the survivors to get the most appropriate aid to those who need it.

Seven hours after the initial strike, the tsunami reaches the eastern coast of Africa. About the same time, the Federation, in its coordinating role, notifies 400 Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) members to prepare to deploy. With expertise in relief, logistics, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, psychological support and/or language abilities, these experienced Red Cross/Red Crescent workers will help coordinate the set-up of relief activities and begin assessing needs. The American Red Cross is called upon to provide assistance in some of its core areas of expertise: water and sanitation, logistics and rapid relief distribution.

Four hours later, approximately 12 hours after the earthquake, the first Federation response team departs for the affected region. More teams leave later that day. The American Red Cross International Disaster Response Unit prepares to send workers and emergency relief supplies.

Over the Next Week...
Federation and American Red Cross relief teams arrive in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives. Relief work continues, focusing on emergency food and water distribution and the prevention of disease.

Nearly 2,000 Indonesian Red Cross Society volunteers from 26 provinces start removing thousands of bodies and distributing tarps and family cooking and hygiene kits to survivors. More than 3,000 Sri Lanka Red Cross Society volunteers provide first aid and distribute non-food relief items across 15 districts.

Before the Month Is Out...
More than 500,000 people receive essential assistance from over 40 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. Approximately 9,000 volunteers and nearly 300 workers deliver food, clean water, health care, psychosocial support, shelter materials and household and hygiene articles. The Federation sends 18 relief and supply teams and 77 relief flights into Asia, in the Federation's largest emergency relief operation ever.

Millions of people, touched by the suffering they see, donate money to help those affected by the tsunami. An unprecedented number of contributions come in to the American Red Cross and immediately start to be put to use in emergency response efforts, even while plans for long-term recovery programs are made and partnerships formed.