Donations from Hawai'i residents to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina have rivaled the outpouring after December's Indian Ocean tsunami.

Hawai'i Red Cross officials said phones have been ringing off the hook, and the organization has been processing hundreds of donations just in the first few days.

So far $50,000 has been donated through the state's American Red Cross chapter, adding to about $200 million raised nationally as of yesterday afternoon.

Often donors are emotional.

"People really want someone to talk to about what they're seeing on the news," said Cassandra Isidro, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross Hawai'i State Chapter. "They're emotional calls."

Although she feels the outpouring of caring from Hawai'i is similar to that for tsunami victims, it's too soon to tell whether the monetary support will equal the $2 million raised over two months for Southeast Asian victims.

There is a growing list of hurricane relief efforts throughout the state, from banks to UH sporting events, from churches to the Hawaiian Humane Society.

St. Andrew's Cathedral downtown plans a "Night in New Orleans" with jazz and traditional gumbo; the Humane Society has launched a fundraising effort to help reunite pets with their owners; and Aloha United Way is helping to link relatives through its 211 Information hotline.

First Hawaiian Bank donated $25,000 to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

"As we know all too well in Hawai'i, hurricanes can devastate lives and property at any time," said Don Horner, president and chief executive officer of First Hawaiian Bank. "We want our neighbors on the mainland to experience our aloha at this difficult time."

A donation box at the state Capitol collected $860 yesterday, its first day.

One of the most unusual Hawai'i fundraisers is spearheaded by Alan Muschek, who runs a refrigeration company. He will give out hot dogs at Wal-Mart Mililani from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, tomorrow and Monday, hoping for donations.

Muschek was inspired by a Boy Scout fundraiser this summer at the World Trade Center site.

"We went down to the Red Cross to ask if they needed stuff and they really needed money," he said. "So that gave us the idea."

Donated sausages and buns came from Redondo and Star Bakery, and other donations came from Coke, Pepsi, Paradise Beverages, Monterey Bay Canners, HSM Foods, King's Food, Y. Hata, Fresh Start and Swift.

"We can't ship the hot dogs so we're going to give them out for free and that way people can donate," Muschek said.

While Muschek's family fundraiser has been approved by the Red Cross, spokeswoman Isidro warned residents to beware of scam artists.

"We haven't had anything locally that has caused us to be concerned, but our national office has pushed us to be proactive about it and issue the warning," Isidro said. "If you want to verify (that it's legitimate) large local businesses and national chains are probably fine. It's just the individual stuff you ought to be cautious about. If someone were walking around collecting money, that's suspicious."

Meanwhile, Maj. Chuck Anthony, spokesman for the Hawai'i National Guard, said Guard members locally have been warned of possible deployment to stricken areas.

"This is a very broad, very general warning that every state has received," Anthony said."

Anthony said Guard members pouring into Louisiana from bordering states would soon need to be replaced by units from across the country, and Hawai'i will be on that list.

"We are pretty sure we are going to wind up getting the call, but I don't see anything imminent, it could be weeks or maybe months," he said.

Four Honolulu paramedics who attended an Emergency Medical Services conference in New Orleans were getting ready to head back to Hawai'i after leaving the city Aug. 26 for Baton Rouge. The group had been stranded there for a week.

HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS IN HAWAI'I

Hurricane relief efforts throughout the state include: