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Stamford, Conn. – Oct. 8, 2024 – Americares is ready to respond to Hurricane Milton—the second major hurricane headed toward Florida’s West Coast in less than two weeks. As the storm approaches, Americares Emergency Response Team is reaching out to 110 partner clinics in Florida in the path of the storm to offer assistance.
Hurricane Milton—which rapidly strengthened to a Category 5 storm yesterday before returning to Category 4 status—is forecast to make landfall tomorrow night, bringing life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and heavy rain to the Tampa Bay area and prompting evacuations, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“Florida’s Gulf Coast is bracing for what could be the third major hurricane in 13 months,” said Americares U.S. Director of Emergency Response Mariel Fonteyn. “Communities still reeling from Hurricane Helene and continuing the recovery from Hurricane Idalia last year are going to need help. We’re ready to respond and support survivors’ health needs.”
Americares is prepared to deliver critically needed medicines and relief supplies to partner organizations in Florida to meet the health needs after the storm makes landfall. The organization is also prepared to provide emergency funding to help repair damaged health facilities and restore health services disrupted by the storm.
At the same time, Americares continues to respond to Hurricane Helene, which slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 with a massive storm surge, wreaking havoc and causing massive destruction and major flooding from Florida to western North Carolina and Tennessee.
Americares quickly deployed response teams to assess the health needs in the hardest hit communities across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee and continues to deliver shipments of hygiene kits, antibiotics and relief supplies to partner organizations in affected areas. Americares is preparing to install water purification systems for partner organizations in North Carolina without running water and coordinating deliveries of bottled water to Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. Americares is also providing emergency funding to partner organizations throughout the Southeast to repair storm damage, remove downed trees blocking health facility access, fund transportation for health center staff and support other storm-related expenses.
Americares has a long history of responding to storms in Florida and the Gulf Coast. Americares has been on the frontlines of recovery efforts following major hurricanes in the region in recent years, including Hurricanes Idalia, Ian, Irma, Dorian and Michael. The health-focused organization responds to more than 35 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings preparedness programs to communities vulnerable to disasters.
Donations to Americares 2024 U.S. Hurricane Fund will support its responses to Helene, Milton and future storms. To donate, go to americares.org/hurricanerelief