Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Update
Volunteer Michelle Adams
American Red Cross
Hurricane Harvey
One-Month Update | October 2017
Massive Red Cross Response Continues in Wake of Unprecedented Flooding
On August 25, Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, packing devastating winds, a powerful storm surge and torrential rains. That was just the beginning for millions of people in Texas and Louisiana, as the deadly storm lingered for days, inundating communities including Houston—the nation’s fourth largest city—with relentless rainfall that caused catastrophic flooding. Even before Harvey made landfall, the American Red Cross was preparing to launch a massive response. We mobilized thousands of trained disaster volunteers, trailers of supplies to support 10 mobile kitchens, each able to produce 10,000 meals a day, and more than 200 emergency response vehicles—over half of our fleet.Since Harvey struck, thousands of compassionate volunteers and employees have worked day and night to
support a huge sheltering operation for tens of thousands forced from their homes, as well as providing food, relief supplies, health services and emotional support to individuals and families coping with heartbreaking losses.
Due to unprecedented flooding and washed-out roads,some Red Cross volunteers even hitched a ride in the back of a Houston City dump truck in order to reach a Red Cross shelter. This help made all the difference for families like Rene, Luisa and their three small children, who fled their home for a shelter in Victoria, Texas, as the dangerous storm approached. “I was glad we had somewhere we could go,” Rene said. “The kids are safe.”
When survivors returned to their homes, they faced unimaginable destruction. Entire homes were torn to pieces or waterlogged and coated with mud. Vehicles,appliances and furniture were damaged, and ruined belongings stacked in piles on the street. While residents labored to salvage what they could, Red Cross workers visited flood-ravaged neighborhoods to provide food,water and essential relief and cleanup supplies.
Recovery from a disaster of this magnitude will take months and even years. Many people are still unable to return home, and thousands more are just beginning the long process of putting their lives back together. But thanks to the generosity of our donors, as of September 25, the Red Cross had already authorized the payment of nearly $128 million in immediate financial assistance that will go directly into the hands of nearly 320,000 households who need help. Massive disasters like Harvey create greater needs than any one organization can meet alone. In the weeks and months ahead, the Red Cross will work closely with the entire response community—government agencies, other non-profit groups, faith-based organizations, area businesses and others—to coordinate emergency relief efforts and get more help to people in need as they face the daunting challenges of recovery.
Newlywed Volunteers Make Helping Others a Part of Their Honeymoon Newlyweds Mr. & Mrs. Hart, of Austin, Texas, volunteered with the Red Cross to help people impacted by Hurricane Harvey—despite the fact that they had been married only a week. After a brief orientation training and background checks, the couple went to work helping approximately 270 displaced Gulf Coast residents residing in the shelter at New Braunfels, Texas.“I guess this is part of our honeymoon,” said Mr. Hart. Mrs. Hart is a medical technician, so she assisted Red Cross Disaster Health Team members as they checked vital signs of shelter residents... Mr. Hart helped out with a variety of jobs, ranging from listening to and comforting shelter residents who wanted to share their stories to helping with cleaning chores. Selfless volunteers like Mr. & Mrs. Hart make our work possible. They joined thousands of Red Cross volunteers—comprising 94 percent of our disaster workforce—who came from across Texas and all over the U.S. to help people coping with Harvey’s devastation.
We appreciate all those help giving a hand and showing their support!!
