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August 16, 2004

Florida copes with pressing needs

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (Sunday, Aug. 15, 2004 Disaster News Network) ? By Sunday evening, some 2,200 residents were still staying in 21 shelters in 11 Florida counties, according to state emergency management reports. Ten special needs shelters are open with 680 evacuees. United Methodist are assisting in relief efforts through Church World Service.

Sixteen people have been confirmed dead by medical examiners.

Most of the people in the special needs shelters are elderly. If people brought with them a few days worth of supplies - medicines, for example - they will reach the end of their store soon.

Local churches, The Salvation Army, and the American Red Cross were working together to see which churches could open as comfort stations for hurricane survivors. Southern Baptist teams were already serving thousands of hot meals throughout affected areas.

Multiple FEMA mobile vans were canvassing the area to talk to people about what aid might be available to them. A FEMA disaster field office will likely open Wednesday, with the location still being decided.

There are a lot of homes that are simply not salvageable. But many just need repairs, said Jody Hill, head of Florida Interfaith Networking in Disaster (FIND). "There are lots of houses down here that need their roofs covered and protected. If we can get those houses protectively covered, we can probably protect them from further damage."

Christian Contractors was assisting with repairs.

The Rev. Jim Kirk, a Florida Presbyterian pastor who also represents Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, announced on Sunday that the Peace River Presbytery in North Port, Fla., will have an organizational meeting covering disaster response on Tuesday.

Debris has been a hazard in yards and on roadsides. "I have to tell people be careful walking on the grass. There's glass and nails in there," said Hill.

The needs of migrant communities and farm workers were also a concern. Church World Service, working closely with the United Church of Christ and with Florida social service agencies, has been working to identify the most urgent needs of migrant populations and farm workers, among others with special needs. Mental health needs for these vulnerable populations were also a pressing issue.

Voluntary and faith-based groups in Florida were also sorting out where volunteers will stay while they are helping with relief and rebuild.

State officials continued to urge out-of-town volunteers to be sure to work with a responding group instead of arriving solo. "Don't just show up. Confirm there is a job to do before you leave," said one state official.

Leaders from members of the national coalition of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) were concerned that, with the national media focus on Charlotte County - indeed a devastated area - other counties, and especially other states, may get overlooked.

"There is corridor of damage and need through the state of Florida," explained one VOAD leader. "There is a 40-mile stretch through Polk County that's devastated that nobody sees on the news. There are a lot of trees on houses, roofs ripped off, trusses eliminated. They said it slowed down when it hit the state but I'd like to know where."

Communications are tough, he added. "Communication devices are minimal in some of these areas. It depends on whose tower was hit and when."

Florida businesses and stores were only beginning to open, many using generators for power, said Hill. "Bits and pieces of stores were open," she said.

Response leaders said they wanted to gently urge the concerned public to remember other national needs as well. "We are considering the whole path of Charley and also the effects of Tropical Storm Bonnie, even up through the north Atlantic," said Linda Reed Brown, associate director of domestic response for the Church World Service Emergency Response Program. "And we know other agencies share our concern."

For those wondering how to help, traveling to the hardest hit areas isn't the answer unless you're specifically asked to do so by a responding group.

One VOAD organization representative who had visited heavily damaged communities in partnership with FEMA said many neighborhoods were still unsafe to access. "In a lot of these areas they haven't let families back in yet. There are power lines down, there are trees down. A lot of roofs are missing," he said.

Many roads were still closed, and President Bush visited Florida's damage today, closing even more roads, at least temporarily, for purposes of security.

VOAD groups were working to disseminate information about how to find future comfort stations and distribution warehouses, as well as information covering steps and safety measures to take when the power is out. Some 859,000 people were without power on Sunday evening.

FEMA and Adventist Community Services were working together to open multi-agency distribution warehouses, some of which could open as early as Tuesday.

Hill said FIND is also seeking permission to use fellowship halls in local churches to store disaster relief items.

But FEMA officials continued to stress that financial contributions, not material goods, were the best way for people to help Hurricane Charley survivors.

Faith-based organizations -- including Lutheran Disaster Response, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, United Church of Christ, Southern Baptists, Church World Service, and many others - were working closely with local churches and local government officials to identify and address mental health needs. The National Organization for Victim Assistance was also offering services.

Florida-based groups such as God's Care in Times of Crisis and Somebody Cares were also involved in helping people cope with emotional trauma in the wake of Charley.

The Florida Department of Children and Families reported it was going to offer mental health services at least two American Red Cross shelters, one in Fort Myers and one in DeSoto County. Tetanus was also a concern.

Faith-based groups and local churches were identifying clergy who can assist with spiritual care.

One mental health expert said some first responders, particularly those who responded to the fatal damage in Punta Gorda, had "significant stress issues." A team of both public and faith-based individuals was helping address those concerns.

And at least one group doesn't want people to forget about the animals. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) was activated at the request of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Since arriving in the area on Saturday, an HSUS disaster animal response team of some 30 people has been conducting damage assessments and coordinating with local and state agencies.

HSUS is setting up an animal relief center in Punta Gorda as early as Monday morning.

Posted August 15, 2004 9:14 PM

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