Emergency Response to Hurricane Florence

Trevor, our Domestic Emergency Specialist here at International Medical Corps, says that, “We’ve been able to provide critical gap coverage in medical services to those displaced by Hurricane Florence or isolated from their normal access to medical care when they needed it most.” Our work, which began on September 14, when Hurricane Florence made landfall as a Category 1 storm over North Carolina, was critical to the affected populations given the extensive flooding and disruptions to normal activities which resulted from the four days of heavy rainfall.

We deployed our teams ahead of the storm so that we could be on the ground to help coordinate our response along with volunteer teams and local partners. Our activities reached seven communities with 160 patient consultations and the distribution of 6,298 hygiene and wound-care kits.

Those community health centers, long-term care facilities and local health departments impacted by Hurricane Florence still need support to build back better. Our teams are not only providing cash grants to assist these health centers, but also trainings through county health departments and regional healthcare coalitions to build resilience ahead of the 2019 hurricane season.

We believe “in the power of training, both the transfer of knowledge and the experience of mentored practice, as the cornerstone of sustainable humanitarian aid,” explains Trevor. Two of these trainings, on infectious disease prevention and control, will enroll nearly 100 health professionals from the regions most heavily impacted by Hurricane Florence.

International Medical Corps remains committed to supporting the long path to resiliency for healthcare facilities impacted by Hurricane Florence. We thank you and all the GlobalGiving donors for your support of our work helping health centers in North Caroline prepare for the next hurricane season.