Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 storm with winds reaching 155 miles per hour, making Michael the strongest hurricane to hit the Panhandle on record, and the strongest storm to hit the continental U.S. in nearly 50 years. At the request of the Florida Department of Health, International Medical Corps has deployed medical personnel to provide support at health facilities and shelters as they deal with this devastating storm.
On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 storm with winds reaching 155 miles per hour, making Michael the strongest hurricane to hit the Panhandle on record. Hundreds of thousands lost power across Florida and the rest of the states along the storm's path, and damage to infrastructure caused by flash flooding as well as storm surge remains a significant concern for the state.
International Medical Corps is deploying some 50 medical personnel, and with multiple hospitals damaged, we've also made our emergency mobile field hospital available should it be needed. Wind, flooding and power outages from hurricanes create a range of emergency needs, including lack of medications for chronic conditions, infection of wounds, limited access to clean water and the possibility for transmission of waterborne diseases. We are prepared to address these range of potential needs.
International Medical Corps' approach is to help people help themselves to the extent possible, ensuring a sustained impact in the communities we serve. A first responder for over three decades, we maintain extensive experience building back better, providing medical care and other lifesaving relief in the aftermath of disasters. Most recent hurricane responses include Hurricane Florence hitting the Carolinas in 2018, as well as Hurricanes Maria and Irma hitting the U.S. and Caribbean in 2017.
