|
Evans Visits Florida Shelter, Pledges Red Cross Help
Written by
Lesly Hallman
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Tuesday, August 17, 2004 — SARASOTA, Fl.—Recovery and cleanup after Hurricane Charley will reach into the millions of dollars and will become one of the largest American Red Cross relief and recovery efforts ever, according to Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans.
Evans arrived in Florida over the weekend to survey the damage and meet with Red Cross volunteers and talk with those affected by Hurricane Charley. On Sunday, Evans joined President George W. Bush on a tour of a hurricane-ravaged neighborhood in Punta Gorda. Other tour participants included Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL); Michael Brown, Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response; Craig Fugate, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management; Wayne Sallade, Director, Charlotte County Florida Office of Emergency Management; Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL); Congressman Porter Goss (R-FL), and William Cameron, Sheriff of Charlotte County.
“The President told me specifically how grateful he was for the Red Cross assistance on the scene,” said Evans, who was one of only a handful of individuals invited to meet the President. During an impromptu press conference with the traveling white house press corps, President Bush specifically mentioned the Red Cross’ vital humanitarian role in this response.
Later in the day, Evans visited a Red Cross shelter, which was set up at a local middle school and continues to support those who can’t yet return home.
Red Cross President Marty Evans comforts a hurricane victim at a Red Cross shelter in Ft. Myers, Fl. (Photo by Bonnie Gillespie) |
She described the selfless work of countless Red Cross volunteers and members of the community who were joining the efforts as the “face of compassion.”
The disaster relief effort for Hurricane Charley is moving swiftly, according to Evans, thanks to coordination among support agencies and local governments and pre-positioning of vital supplies by the Red Cross.
“We have significantly more logistical support than in the past, and as soon as the roads were clear we were on the ground with comfort kits, clean up kits and meals for residents,” she said. “The main thing now is going into the neighborhoods, going house to house and providing food and disaster relief, and starting damage assessments.”
Evans encouraged residents to continue to come into Red Cross shelters rather than staying in stiflingly hot, weather-damaged homes.
“We are worried about the health effects of people without air conditioning, drinkable water or proper nutrition. Red Cross volunteers are now fanning out through damaged neighborhoods, giving people water, food and mental health counseling as needed,” Evans added.
Evans committed the Red Cross to providing continued support to disaster victims, helping them through the recovery process.
“The Red Cross is here to help people put their lives back together,” said Evans. “I’m thankful President Bush recognizes the valuable role of the countless Red Cross volunteers on the scene.”
Related Content:
|
