As horrific scenes of human suffering unfold on the television, many Americans are heading to the Gulf region to assist with hurricane relief efforts. Some are heading their own independent missions, against advice from established aid organizations such as the Red Cross.
DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host: Thousands of volunteers are now pouring into the Katrina disaster zone      from across the country.  Some are trained medics or heavy equipment      operators; others just want to help.  These do-it-yourselfers are headed      south with chain saws, bottled water and a ton of goodwill.  But aid      officials are concerned some volunteers may become part of the problem.      NPR's Eric Niiler has more.</s>ERIC NIILER reporting: After a couple of days of watching disaster footage on CNN, Carlos      Gavidia said he had enough.  He owns a successful financial services      company in Virginia, and says he couldn't wait any longer.</s>Mr. CARLOS GAVIDIA (Volunteer): I'm more of an action guy.  And so I      called my partner and I said, `Let's do something.  Instead of just      giving money to the Red Cross, let's hand-deliver something.'</s>NIILER: Gavidia and his partner bought $100,000 worth of meals ready to      eat from a South Carolina contractor.  They got Safeway and Costco to      donate bottled water.  A buddy from Boston loaned his 18-wheeler, and      they're trying to get another one for all the supplies.  The convoy      leaves in a few days. Destination?  Gulfport, Mississippi.</s>Mr. CARLOS GAVIDIA (Volunteer): People tried to discourage me, tell me, `Oh, no, let the      government handle it.  Let them do it.'  But this is just too      devastating, and I've just been compelled that I've got to done something      today, now.</s>NIILER: Gavidia's can-do attitude is being repeated across the country.      Do-it-yourself aid convoys are loading up in many cities, including New      York, Chicago, Charlotte and Cleveland.  Many are being organized by      local radio or TV stations, or on the Internet through community Web      sites such as craigslist.  Online, it's easy to see all the people who      want to help.  But Marietta Basil(ph) with the American Red Cross in      Washington says all this help may be too much of a good thing.</s>Ms. MARIETTA BASIL (American Red Cross): Well, the major problem is that      often there's no one on that end to receive them.  So it creates chaos      and disappointment.</s>NIILER: Basil says many volunteers who show up in a disaster zone don't      know what they're doing.  This was especially true earlier this year      after the tsunami struck Indonesia when hundreds of Westerners arrived      days later with little food or water of their own.  Without training, a      plan and a destination, Basil says they're more like disaster tourists.</s>Ms. MARIETTA BASIL (American Red Cross): They can really tax the resources and kind of be more of a      hindrance than a help, actually.</s>NIILER: Don't tell that to Michael Belobradic(ph), a 22-year-old      bartender and college student in Columbus, Georgia.  He's looking for a      ride to New Orleans.</s>Mr. MICHAEL BELOBRADIC (Volunteer): I just don't feel like I can sit at      home and, you know, drink with my friends and play video games and go to      work--which is what I would probably be doing--for the next couple of      months and live with myself if I didn't try to do something to help.</s>NIILER: Belobradic says he's tried calling the Red Cross, but couldn't      get through.  He says he's a good camper and knows how to work with      people, but admits he has no special skills.  Red Cross officials say      many people underestimate the physical and emotional toll on rescue      workers, even trained ones.  Melissa Wenzel(ph) is a Red Cross volunteer      from Phoenix who arrived in Baton Rouge on Monday.</s>Ms. MELISSA WENZEL (Red Cross Volunteer): Our main goal is providing      immediate relief, such as food, sheltering and emotional support.  And we      just don't have the bandwidth to warehouse and package and distribute the      massive amounts of donated goods that are coming in.</s>NIILER: Wenzel's best advice is for people to sit tight, wait a week or      so. By then, officials will know exactly what is needed.  Eric Niiler,      NPR News, Washington.</s>DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host: You can follow the career of Chief Justice William Rehnquist      and the latest news on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina at our Web      site, npr.org.</s>DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host: This is NPR News.