RED CROSS COMMITS 2 MILLION TO HELP BAHAMAS

• HONOLULU, HI- September 6, 2019 — The American Red Cross has committed an initial $2 million to assist in meeting the immediate needs of those affected by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas, while continuing to provide shelter and food to thousands of people in the United States. The storm left unbelievable devastation behind in the Bahamas. Abaco and Grand Bahama were particularly hard hit. Initial aerial assessments show widespread devastation to the islands, from destroyed homes to contaminated water sources.
• Before Dorian struck the Bahamas, the Bahamas Red Cross prepositioned supplies for 1,000 people on the islands and has mobilized 200 volunteers.
• On Thursday, the IFRC sent 38 tons of materiel including warehouse tents, 1,600 jerrycans, 1,600 tarpaulins, 800 hygiene kits, 800 shelter toolkits, 1,600 plastic buckets, 3,200 blankets and 700 kitchen sets.
• According to national and regional estimates, approximately 76,000 people – the vast majority of residents on the two islands – have been affected by Hurricane Dorian.
• The IFRC estimates that more than 62,000 people are in immediate need of clean water across the affected areas.
• More than 13,000 houses are believed to have been damaged or destroyed. That’s equivalent to about 45 percent of all dwellings on the two islands.
• The International Federation of the Red Cross has announced an emergency appeal for $3.2 million to support the Bahamas Red Cross as it responds to the storm.
• The American Red Cross has made a contribution of $500,000 to support the Bahamas relief effort and deployed a disaster response specialist to provide media support.
17 Hawaii Red Cross Volunteers Remain Deployed for Dorian as Thousands are Sheltered
Seventeen (17) Hawaii Red Cross volunteers remain deployed to help residents in the path of Hurricane Dorian. Nine volunteers are from Oahu, six from the Big Island, one from Kauai, and one from Molokai. The volunteers are in Florida, Georgia, North or South Carolina, and will be helping with Mental Health, Spiritual Care, Sheltering, Logistics, Planning, and Staffing.
The American Red Cross is supporting people affected by Hurricane Dorian across five states
• Thursday night, more than 5,600 people stayed in 112 Red Cross and community evacuation shelters in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
o This included 175 people in one Red Cross shelter in Georgia; more than 1,400 people in 22 Red Cross shelters in South Carolina; some 4,000 people in 78 shelters in North Carolina; and 86 people in 11 Red Cross shelters in Virginia.
• To date, the Red Cross and community organizations have provided over 36,800 cumulative overnight stays for Hurricane Dorian.
• More than 2,700 trained Red Cross responders from all over the country are helping to support relief efforts.
• With the help of our partners, the Red Cross has served more than 85,000 meals and snacks.
• Volunteer mental health and health services professionals have provided some 10,300 contacts to provide support and care to people affected by Hurricane Dorian.
• In advance of Dorian, some 110 emergency response vehicles and 104 tractor-trailer loads full of relief supplies, including cots, blankets and 63,000 ready-to-eat meals were mobilized.
• Hurricane Dorian has forced the cancellation of nearly 100 Red Cross blood drives and donation centers in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia resulting in more than 2,300 uncollected blood and platelet donations.
• To assist local blood centers in Florida, the Red Cross sent approximately 350 blood products to ensure patients have access to lifesaving blood as hurricane warnings and evacuations keep many from giving.
• More than 29.5 million weather alerts related to Dorian have been sent through Red Cross mobile apps since August 28.
The Red Cross is a non-profit humanitarian organization which provides assistance to meet the immediate emergency needs of those affected by disasters. All Red Cross assistance to disaster victims is free. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it depends on public contributions to help others. To make a secure online donation at redcross.org/hawaii or call: (808) 739-8109.
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