As the hurricane season end, I want to focus on those who we lost & those who survived and what they're going through to this day.
At least 75 people died in Texas as a result of Harvey. Some directly, some because of the circumstances: A woman recovering from surgery who couldn't be evacuated to a hospital in time, a lineman restoring power electrocuted... houstonchronicle.com/local/hc-inves…
In something of a post-disaster rarity, a Houston hospital that has flooded 3 times decided to close. When urgent medical care is needed, minutes matter. Losing a hospital can be tough on a community. chron.com/business/medic…
In South Texas, over 47,000 people are still not living in their homes. Many are staying in hotels, with family or situations that are far from ideal: houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-t…
Over 900,000 Texans have applied for FEMA assistance ahead of today's headline: chron.com/news/houston-t…
Libraries are critical in many ways for neighborhoods and a critical lifeline for some. In Houston alone, 7 libraries will not open for at least a year. Some school libraries also are getting help: chron.com/news/houston-t…
Over 10,000 K-12 students were displaced by Harvey's waters. It's not easy having your life uprooted, losing everything and still keep your focus on school. chron.com/news/education…
One woman's diary captured the many frustrations those who experience a disaster go through: chron.com/neighborhood/b…
Small businesses are often lifebloods of many towns. They also tend to shutter in higher amounts than other businesses after floods. In devastated Dickinson, many business owners trying to open again: chron.com/news/texas/art…
Rockport, Fulton and Aransas Pass, where winds approached 130 mph, are forgotten by most. Debris still lingers, recovery is slow. A recent heavy equipment donation may finally help with debris clearing. caller.com/story/news/201…
Tourists are so important to these small coastal towns. Hotels were damaged in Harvey - the few in the area remaining are mostly housing victims. The return of tourists is needed in these areas to help the economy. victoriaadvocate.com/news/2017/nov/…
In these small towns, plans are already being made to improve sheltering, response and resilience should disaster visit again. While the calendar moves, there is no off season for planning for disaster. caller.com/story/news/201…
Some people not only lost their homes, but their jobs as well. This brings immense financial stress to people. In smaller towns, it's not as easy to find a new job. Grants are trying to help: caller.com/story/news/201…
Hurricane Irma might not have been as devastating in Florida as Harvey was in Texas, but nearly 700,000 homeowner claims have been filed due to damage. Challenges & Lessons abound. insurancejournal.com/news/southeast…
In the Middle Keys, were the magnitude of damage was strongest, there remains no hospital options. Their hospital will eventually be rebuilt, although no time table has been set. miamiherald.com/news/local/com…
For those suddenly with a damaged home and a job loss, or those who are elderly and cannot work, food stamps are a lifeline. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands needed food stamps in Florida post-Irma. miamiherald.com/news/local/com…
Boating is big in the Keys - especially in a tourist-based economy. Nearly 2000 damaged boats have been pulled from the waters there. miamiherald.com/news/local/com…
Haiti was mostly spared by Irma, but even a glancing blow dealt a brutal hand to farmers still reeling from Hurricane Matthew last year. miamiherald.com/news/nation-wo…
The Virgin Islands were devastated this year and have been mostly forgotten in the shadow of the awful devastation of Puerto Rico. Two hospitals laid off workers due to damage, patients are going to PR & US Mainland for treatment. virginislandsdailynews.com/news/hospitals…
A prison in the Virgin Islands is running off of generator provided by FEMA just to keep food from spoiling. virginislandsdailynews.com/news/fema-gene…
Many roads in the Virgin Islands are in bad shape due to hurricanes. They are likened to an obstacle course. virginislandsdailynews.com/opinion/v-i-is…
Another tourist-based economy, the Virgin Islands celebrated the first return of a cruise ship last week: virginislandsdailynews.com/news/world-s-l…
Maria devastated Puerto Rico, and thankfully, the US media continues to shine a light on it. A recent estimate says more than 1000 people died in Puerto Rico. Another says it may be near 500. miaminewtimes.com/news/more-than…
Some Puerto Ricans were already moving to the mainland. Maria has accelerated that. Over 200,000 Puerto Ricans are now in Florida after Maria. Estimates say 500k-750k will arrive in the next 4 years. nbcnews.com/news/latino/ov…
Those who remain are without work as most businesses have shuttered due to lack of power. Unemployment claims are soaring as the burden gets heavy. miamiherald.com/news/nation-wo…
Every time a person leaves, the debt burden increases for the island. One economist believes the economic hit Puerto Rico is taking won't be restored for decades. latimes.com/nation/la-na-p…
The economy is expected to shrink by 8% next year despite restoration efforts, making it the worst economy in the world. Even Venezuela, which is being crippled by its president, isn't expected to be that bad. qz.com/1137351/hurric…
I really only scratched the surface of the impacts from this season. People are going to need help for a long time. We need to keep shining a light on them. Increased awareness means increased help. We can't stop now.
There are lots of stats floating around, but behind those are real people with real problems. They need help. Take some time to consider to help them. You never know if you may be the next person needing help after a disaster. you'd want help.
Charity Navigator is a great tool. For Harvey: charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=…, For Irma: charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=…, For Puerto Rico & the Caribbean Islands: charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=…
