Hurricane Michael

During a sudden-onset disaster, International Medical Corps can provide emergency medical relief—volunteer doctors and nurses, medical supplies, mobile medical clinics, and a modular, portable field hospital. We also work with local First Responders to support and help restore local health systems, which can be offline or significantly impaired after a natural disaster. As a global first responder with almost 35 years of experience delivering emergency relief in difficult environments, we have the capacity to respond anywhere in the world—fast. We can have a team on the ground in less than 24 hours, and a fully functional field hospital set up in less than 72 hours.

The Florida Department of Health has asked International Medical Corps to send volunteer doctors and nurses to help staff medical facilities and special-needs shelters affected by the storm, and potentially to establish field-based medical treatment capacity for communities with heavy infrastructure damage.

International Medical Corps was founded in 1984 to relieve the suffering of people affected by conflict, natural disaster and outbreak of disease. We have decades of experience responding to large-scale disasters, such as the Indian Ocean Earthquake and tsunami; earthquakes in Haiti, Nepal, Mexico and Japan; Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines; and humanitarian crises around the world, including famine, disease and conflict. We have a breadth of experience delivering emergency relief in difficult environments, and are experienced at getting people and supplies to places that are hard-hit, often where communications are down.

Some of the major health concerns arising from hurricanes come from wind, flooding and power outages. In particular, once the worst of the storm has passed, there are still significant health concerns you must consider.

Flooding due to storm surges can damage medications, cause infection of open wounds and increase the potential for transmission of waterborne diseases. Flooding may limit access to safe drinking water. And standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can transmit disease.

Power outages mean that you might lose the ability to refrigerate medications that need to be kept at specific temperatures. And a lack of lighting also increases the danger of getting injured as you walk around.

Finally, the combination of flooding and downed power lines present a danger of electrocution.

Here are some resources that can help you prepare for a disaster:

• Health risks and precautions to take before, during and after flooding.
• Health risks and precautions to take with power outages.
• After a major disaster, it may take hours or days for help to arrive. Plan ahead with this downloadable first-aid checklist.
• Access to clean water is critical to preventing disease. Be ready by storing at least 5 gallons of clean water per person.

The best way to help in a disaster is with a cash donation to an experienced organization that is working in the affected area. Unlike donations of clothing, blankets and other items, cash can meet any need, anywhere. It can buy generators, purchase medical supplies and quickly help get the right kind of assistance to the right place when it’s needed most.

International Medical Corps also accepts volunteer doctors and nurses to work in the field during a disaster response. You can see our volunteer opportunities here.