How to help Florida disaster victims

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Fallen trees, broken windows, flooded rooms and damaged cars are some of the problems affecting families in the wake of Hurricane Ian. The Category 4 hurricane left thousands of Florida residents with basic needs, and many organizations are providing opportunities for donations and volunteers to the public.

Hurricane Ian changed course to the east before making landfall just after 3 p.m. Wednesday, catching residents off guard. Many people who could not be evacuated are experiencing flooding and infrastructure failures. State and local officials are already mobilizing rescue and repair initiatives.

At a news conference Thursday morning in Punta Gorda, Gov. Ron DeSantis discussed the response to the destruction. “This will be a 24-7 operation,” DeSantis said. He said people have come to Southwest Florida to help.

DeSantis said he didn’t want people to focus on donating material goods. “We don’t necessarily need people to send us stuff,” DeSantis said. “What we need is to be able to help these charities to help these people.”

He encouraged the public to make monetary donations so organizations can distribute supplies already in place. “Your financial contribution can make a huge difference,” DeSantis said. In the past 24 hours, people have donated more than $2 million to Florida hurricane relief efforts, DeSantis said.

Anyone interested in making a financial contribution can visit the Florida Disaster Fund website or text DISASTER to 20222. This official private government fund was established to provide financial assistance to communities struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis announced the activation of the program on Wednesday.

DeSantis said she sees communities coming together to help one another. “We just couldn’t be prouder of what you’ve done to support your country folk in Florida,” she said. Both the governor and his wife expressed how impressed they have been with the recovery efforts and the resilience of hurricane-affected residents so far.

The Red Cross also accepts donations on its website. Red Cross officials said they would provide food, supplies and shelter to those displaced by the storm. Other volunteer opportunities for people who want to help include the Red Cross Disaster Response Team and the Red Cross Mental Health Disaster Response Team.

According to the Red Cross website, ninety percent of the organization’s workforce are volunteers. Click this link to find Red Cross volunteer opportunities by zip code.

The Red Cross is also suffering from a blood shortage that worsened after the hurricane. To donate blood, call 1-800-733-2767 or use this link to search for blood donations by zip code.

Feeding Florida is a state affiliate of Feeding America, the nation’s leading organization fighting hunger. The organization works with its nationwide network of food banks to provide food to hurricane victims. People can donate to a local charity or make a monetary donation at this link.

Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, reminded residents of hurricane-hit areas to remain vigilant about storm safety. He spoke about indirect deaths from incidents involving chainsaws, ladders and power lines. “We have significantly more indirect deaths from 100% preventable disasters than the disaster itself,” Guthrie said.

He urged people to leave big and risky projects to the professionals. “Please stay away from the area and let’s do our job,” Guthrie said. He said people going out after the storm to inspect the damage are putting themselves in danger and getting in the way of rescue or repair crews.

In an update Thursday at 7:30 p.m., the governor reported what he saw while surveying the damage in Charlotte County. He said the Sanibel Causeway was damaged in several areas. He described a house that had been washed up in the middle of Estero Bay. “We absolutely believe this hurricane will be fatal,” DeSantis said.

The most pressing issues to address in the first 72 hours after a storm are life safety and restoring services like communications, power and fuel, DeSantis said. Rescue teams, first responders and members of the National Guard are going into devastated communities to help people access these resources.

DeSantis said those affected are recovering, but everyone needs to come together to pave the way for them.

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This is breaking news. Check back for more developments. Contact WUFT News by phone at 352-392-6397 or email [email protected].