The apocalyptic Hurricane Ian that made its devastating appearance for the first time on September 26th, has ravaged everything in its path and left afflicted citizens of Florida and the nearby areas running from pillar to post for basic amenities. Life has come to a complete standstill in the hurricane-afflicted areas as residents face infrastructure failures and food shortages. This article encapsulates How to help Florida disaster victims.
The present death toll due to the hurricane has mounted to 10 people in southwest Charlotte County although officials fear this figure could climb considerably.
Local commissioner Joseph Tiseo told the BBC that the region had a “tremendous wind event that lasted for 12 hours straight… it was brutal”. He remarked that it was unclear how many of the fatalities were directly related to the hurricane.
Lee County, located a little further south, was hardest hit by the storm surge.
At a news conference on Thursday evening, the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, described the destruction as “almost indescribable” in Fort Myers, a community with a harbor.
“To see a house just sitting in the middle of Estero Bay literally must have gotten picked up, flown because of the massive wind speed and the storm surge, and deposited in a body of water,” he said.
“I would say the most significant damage that I saw was on Ford Myers Beach, some of the homes were wiped out, some of its was just concrete slabs.”
Some locals were forced to swim out of their houses. A woman from Orlando told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, “You have either swim or drown.”
When the floodwaters in her ground-floor apartment in Fort Myers rose, the woman said she had to wait “approximately five minutes for all the floodwaters to come out.”
Residents of the Sun Seekers mobile home park in North Fort Myers described their horror there as they hid under blankets.
One of the occupants, Kim, claimed, “It was terrifying because you’re helpless. We had no [phone] service to call anyone, but no one would have come anyway.”
How to help Florida disaster victims- The numerous ways in which you can contribute to relief efforts
On Thursday morning in Punta Gorda, Governor Ron DeSantis spoke about the reaction to the devastation. This will be a 24-hour operation, according to DeSantis. He said that relief had arrived in Southwest Florida.
DeSantis declared that he does not want people to concentrate on making material donations. DeSantis stated, “We don’t really need individuals to provide us anything. The ability to assist those relief organizations in helping those people is what we need.”
He urged people to donate money so that groups could distribute the resources they already have. DeSantis stated, “Your financial contribution can make a world of difference.” According to DeSantis, more than $2 million has been given in the last day to Florida disaster relief operations.
Visit the Florida Disaster Fund website or text DISASTER to 20222 if you wish to donate money. The Florida Disaster Fund is a government-established welfare fund that aims at dealing with the after-effects of hurricane Ian. Wednesday saw the program’s activation announcement from Florida’s first lady, Casey DeSantis.
The leading hunger-relief organization in the country, Feeding America, has a subsidiary, Feeding Florida, which is currently engaged in managing the food scarcity resulting from the hurricane. To help hurricane victims, the group is working with its network of food banks across the state. Donors can pitch in at their neighborhood food bank or financially via its official website.
In case you’re still pondering How to help Florida disaster victims, The Red Cross is also accepting donations to aid hurricane-afflicted people. According to Red Cross representatives, they will offer food, supplies, and shelter to individuals who have been forced to flee the storm. The Red Cross Disaster Action Team and the Red Cross Disaster Mental Health team are two more volunteer alternatives for anyone who wants to assist.
A blood shortage that was already present before the hurricane has gotten worse for the Red Cross. Call 1-800-733-2767 to donate blood, or visit the official website to find blood drives near you.
If you’re still wondering how to help Florida disaster victims, you can also visit the Red Cross official website to search for Red Cross volunteer opportunities by ZIP code.
Life safety and restoring essential services like fuel, power, and communication are the top priorities to deal with in the first 72 hours following a storm, according to DeSantis. In order to assist residents in getting access to these resources, rescue teams, first responders, and National Guard troops are currently en route to the affected villages.
The Silver Lining
It is said, and rightly so, that there is no greater unifier than shared trauma. Communities are coming together, according to Casey DeSantis, to help one another. “We just couldn’t be more proud of what you have done to support your fellow Floridians,” she said. The governor and his wife both expressed their admiration for the recovery efforts and the tenacity of those affected by the hurricane so far.
Governor DeSantis also urged President Biden on 28th September to issue a Major Disaster Declaration for all 67 counties, for all categories, and for all sorts of assistance. A Major Disaster Declaration, if approved, offers a variety of federal assistance programs for people as well as money for both temporary and permanent employment as well as public infrastructure.
Additionally, Governor DeSantis asked President Biden to provide FEMA the power to cover 100% of the federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures (FEMA Categories A and B) for the first 60 days of the following impact. Only the US President has the authority to approve this FEMA funding.
Those who were impacted will recover, according to DeSantis, but everyone needs to work in tandem to clear the road for them.
