Once upon a storm: Katrina and nutrition support or the lack thereof.

Abstract

Nutrition support teams face many challenges to establish, fund, maintain, and justify their existence. Some of the challenges can be resolved over time. However, the challenge of providing nutrition in general and nutrition support in specific during a natural disaster is void of the luxury of time experienced with the previously delineated challenges. The experience of Methodist Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 in providing nutrition and nutrition support is summarized in this invited article. The recollections of various represented disciplines are bolstered by tables and figures that outline the 7 days before and after Katrina. Transdisciplinarity was exhibited through the performance of nontraditional functions or tasks by a variety of professionals who lived 5 days or longer in the “Methodist Island.” Lessons learned and considerations for disaster preparedness as it relates to nutrition and nutrition support as well as general considerations are provided.