Expect Extremes

The severity and frequency of natural and man-made disasters are on the rise as environmental, social and political factors contribute to the surge in complex humanitarian crises. Disasters now directly affect over 200 million people annually. At Americares, we must be ready 365 days a year so we can quickly respond to any global disaster. Last year we responded to 36 different disasters. With our partners around the world and here at home, we prepare for the worst that nature or humans can produce. 

• Hurricanes and other Extreme Weather Events
• Earthquakes and other Catastrophes
• Infectious Disease Outbreaks 
• Manmade Complex Disasters 
• Ongoing Health Crises of Chronic Disease 

No one can stop hurricanes or droughts or earthquakes, but we know from decades of responding to disasters that we can identify historical vulnerabilities of certain areas like Tornadoes in the South and Central U.S., Typhoons in the Philippines, Floods in Kentucky, Hurricanes in the Caribbean, and Earthquakes in Indonesia.

In the case of disease, we  anticipate the conditions that contribute to such outbreaks and work to limit their impact. As the Global Pandemic of COVID extended into a fourth year, our focus on protecting health workers and health facilities here at home and around the world highlighted the critical nature of providing health workers on the front lines of any disaster with the means to stay safe and continue meeting the health needs of their communities. We can mitigate the potential threat to health care services and save more lives by raising the level of local preparedness, making the health system more resilient and capable of caring for survivors during and after an emergency. In the United States, we are helping free clinics around the country build greater resilience in the face of the climate crisis and extreme weather events.

Even in civil conflicts and other man-made disasters such as the War in Ukraine, we can strengthen supply chain capabilities globally and locally and expand partnerships with other disaster and health organizations to be better prepared to meet health needs should a crisis arise. And now with human activity the effects of climate change contributing to the magnitude of natural disasters and the increasing frequency of different types of disasters, disaster preparedness is rapidly becoming a matter of survival.

Planning for a disaster requires dynamic, direct action at the local level – a continuous process that takes place before, during and after a disaster.  And a good plan needs reliable resources.

Protect Health

Our work in past disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy, has led us to design emergency preparedness programs specific to safety net health facilities in the U.S. and local health centers globally, particularly those serving vulnerable populations. We know from decades of experience what it takes to save lives in the next disaster:

• maintain an emergency pharmacy full of medicine most in need;
• prepare the local health care providers with targeted, hands-on training – proven and well practiced in action;
• and strengthen the local health facility with necessary physical improvements, reliable resources and basic equipment such as generators, fire extinguishers and even simple first aid kits.