August and September is the height of Atlantic hurricane season, a time when the most intense storms usually occur. But long before a hurricane strikes, AmeriCares is ready – so that crucial medicines and relief supplies are in the hands of response partners and disaster survivors as quickly as possible.
“We prepare for high-impact seasonal disasters like hurricanes well before they occur,” explained Garrett Ingoglia, Director of Emergency Response at AmeriCares. “Our disaster preparedness planning and coordination is a vital part of our emergency response capabilities, especially in hurricane-prone regions like Latin America, the Gulf Coast, and the East Coast.”
AmeriCares hurricane preparedness initiatives include:
Global Pre-Positioning
We can save lives and improve health outcomes in the critical hours and days after a hurricane or major storm by strengthening the response capacity of our partners on the ground. To help accomplish this goal, AmeriCares has awarded grants to partner organizations in El Salvador, Colombia, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua to purchase and pre-position enough emergency supplies to help at least 300 people each within 72 hours of disaster. This targeted support enables our partners to quickly aid displaced families and curb the spread of disease. These grant-funded supplies – including tarps for shelter, water purification products, cooking sets and other items -- help meet urgent needs while we work with our corporate partners to prepare timely shipments of emergency medical and humanitarian aid.
Stocking the Emergency Response Pharmacy
AmeriCares is constantly building and refining our cache of emergency medicines, medical supplies and other relief items ready for delivery in advance of a major storm or immediately thereafter. Our 30 years of experience gives us a strong knowledge of items most needed during different phases of response and recovery. To build on that knowledge and to better understand specific emergency needs, AmeriCares surveyed 300 current and potential response partners -- including free clinics, community health centers, medical reserve corps, and public health organizations. The answers have helped further refine our emergency response inventory and plan initial shipments.
Emergency Family Kits, pre-positioned in AmeriCares warehouse
Strengthening Our U.S. Network
To respond immediately and effectively here at home, AmeriCares is strengthening our network of response partners. During the June, 2012 Mid-Atlantic storm response, partners such as West Virginia Health Right clinic were critical in helping us identify needs and distribute aid in hard-hit communities. Leveraging relationships and developing our network of U.S. partnerships is critical to helping us respond quickly and coordinate efficiently with other organizations—no matter where in the country the disaster occurs.
Preparing Emergency Family Kits
Another AmeriCares preparedness initiative for 2012 is the procurement and pre-positioning of emergency family kits in our Stamford, CT warehouse for distribution during our disaster response here in the U.S. We have prepared enough kits and other first aid and cleaning supplies, to help approximately 2,500 families displaced by disaster. Based on our experience and the results of the survey, we know that displaced families are often in desperate need of basic personal care items, particularly if they are staying in public shelter, a hotel, or with friends or family.
A shipment of 100 clean-up kits was sent to help families in Florida cleaning up in the wake of Tropical Storm Debby. “The best way to respond to a hurricane is to prepare thoroughly beforehand,” said Ingoglia. “We have to anticipate survivors’ needs and be ready to go long before a storm hits.”
Since 1982, AmeriCares has provided medical relief and humanitarian assistance to millions affected by natural and man-made disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina and Irene in the United States, earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Pakistan and Japan, and the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. So far in 2012, AmeriCares has responded to tornadoes in Kentucky and Indiana, wildfires in Colorado, storms and power outages in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest and flooding in Minnesota.
