Local and national charities, as well as individuals, roared into gear yesterday to offer aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

In Pittsburgh, philanthropic and faith groups called for volunteers, utility companies sent workers to the South and individuals headed off into the deepest destruction to offer medical services.

One of the federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, headed by Mercy Hospital's emergency medicine physician, Keith Conover, was deployed to Alabama. At last report, it was in a staging area in a central part of the state and had yet to be moved to one of three hospitals devastated by the hurricane.

Conover had just finished his emergency room shift on Saturday when he got the call from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to go to Alabama. He's with a group of nurses and paramedics, one of 23 teams being dispatched. Conover's group was hoping to reach southern Alabama.

After Katrina first threatened Florida a week ago, Dominion Resources Inc., the parent company for the Pittsburgh-based Dominion Peoples, sent 300 electrical workers south. Since then, 200 more line workers, most from Virginia and North Carolina, have been dispatched to Louisiana and Mississippi to help cut down trees and restore power.

Natural gas workers, including volunteers from Pittsburgh, may go down once the water recedes to aid with gas lines, said Dan Donovan, a company spokesman. Dominion has a power and exploration division in New Orleans that suffered considerable damage, he said.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania chapter of the American Red Cross has not yet deployed its volunteers to join the others who are helping 40,000 evacuees in 230 Red Cross shelters. Agency officials here are waiting to see if the remnants of Katrina cause substantial flooding in this area.

If that happens, the agency already has volunteers trained in aiding at shelters and feeding the displaced; it has double-checked its communications systems and stocked up on medical and cleaning supplies. Yesterday afternoon, a truck was dispatched to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to prepare for food distribution.

From volunteers able to travel south, the Red Cross would send those who can commit to at least 15 days of aid. Those already trained to respond to disasters who are available were asked to call 412-263-3132.

Anyone who wants to make a donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund can call 1-800-435-7669 or go to www.redcross.org.

By yesterday afternoon, The Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania was able to accept donations for the relief and recovery effort. Donors were advised to make checks payable to The Salvation Army and list "Katrina" in the memo section. They may be sent to the army's Western Pennsylvania Division, 424 Third Ave., Pittsburgh 15219.

Bishop Thomas Bickerton, head of the Western Pennsylvania United Methodists, said the 900 churches in his conference had put out e-mails seeking volunteers for cleanup and food work teams. Like dozens of other denominations, the United Methodist churches plan to set aside special offerings to be consolidated with relief donations.

The church's Committee on Relief has established a number for contributions: 1-800-554-8583. Locally, the United Methodists also have been active in preparing and distributing health care and flood relief kits.

The health kit includes basic necessities to help with personal hygiene, nutrition and cooking. It includes washcloths, hand towels, soap and toothbrushes, among other items. The flood bucket, used to help individuals clean up after a water disaster, includes bleach, sponges, latex gloves and heavy-duty trash bags.

All items contributed for the kits must be new and the denomination asks that no religious, political or patriotic notes be a part of them. For more information on what to include, call 1-800-814-8765 or visit www.umcor.org.

Bulk donations or individual kits can be delivered to the United Methodist Center, 1204 Freedom Road, Cranberry 16066, or call 724-776-2300.

Once the emergency is over, the United Methodist Committee on Relief will focus its assistance on rural populations, often overlooked as cities garner the bulk of aid and publicity.

The United Jewish Federation is accepting donations online at www.UJFpittsburgh.org or by check, payable to UJF Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief, sent to United Jewish Federation, 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh 15213.

Brother's Brother Foundation, a North Side-based charity that specializes in international relief, is sending 5,000 pairs of shoes and new clothing and hygiene items. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will help with the distribution. Donations to assist with shipping can be made by calling 412-321-3160, online at www.brothersbrother.org or by sending checks payable to the Brother's Brother Foundation to BBF/Hurricane Katrina, 1200 Galveston Ave., Pittsburgh 15233.

Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said a national collection will be taken up in the church's 195 dioceses and that the denomination's social services arm, Catholic Charities, will continue to review needs. In the meantime, donations can be sent to 2005 Hurricane Relief Fund, Catholic Charities USA, P.O. Box 25168, Alexandria, VA 22313-9788.

Metropolitan Basil, head of the Byzantine Catholics of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, asked his faithful to remember those ravaged by the storms. The metropolitan's jurisdiction includes 85 parishes and missions in Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Checks should be made payable to the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh with the notation "Hurricane Katrina" and mailed to Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, 66 Riverview Ave., Pittsburgh 15214.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, an emergency response agency with the Presbyterian Church (USA), has issued a $10 million appeal for hurricane relief and pledged $500,000 from collective donations and general relief funds to meet needs.

Donations can be made online at www.pcusa.org/pda/donate/accounts.htm , or checks payable to the Presbyterian Church (USA) can be mailed to Presbyterian Church (USA), Individual Remittance Processing, P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh 15264-3700.

For other donating options, visit the Web site www.networkforgood.org/topics/animal_environ/hurricanes.