Hurricane Relief Resources for Health Care Professionals

In the wake of a hurricane, it can feel like the true damage has just begun. Evacuation orders and destruction can last for weeks, if not months. Health care providers must stay attentive and vigilant in the wake of disaster to support their patients, coworkers, and community.

The best hurricane preparedness resources are community based. Check with your local community resource centers and government agencies for the best available local resources. Below are some essential resources that can help once a storm passes.

1. The US Department of Health and Human Services

The US Department of Health and Human Services provides a Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Information Gateway with general hurricane relief resources and topics directed toward health care providers. See their information portal for resource information.

2. The Red Cross

The Red Cross is often one of the first responders to arrive to help with hurricane relief. This page provides information on disaster relief and is constantly updated to reflect communities most recently affected by a hurricane. According to their website, they respond to over 65,000 disasters worldwide each year.

3. The Emergency Nurses Association

According to The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) resource hub, they “dedicated this page to collect the most relevant, up-to-date news as well as valuable resources related to hurricanes. This page will be updated as frequently as possible in the midst of a hurricane or tropical storm.” Although it is directed toward nurses, all health care workers can benefit from the relief information and resources the ENA shares.

4. The American College of Emergency Physicians

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) “is not a disaster relief organization and does not coordinate physician relief efforts,” their website states. However, it was important to include them in this resource hub as they offer a lot of guidance to “health care professionals interested in assisting disaster medical response for hurricanes and other disasters.” Check out their page for information related to disaster news, guidance for providers, and more.

5. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The CDC offers a range of resource information for health care providers across the care continuum. Their focus areas include clinicians, communicators, laboratorians, emergency planners and responders, disaster relief volunteers, and health alert networks. View tailored information and relief resources here.

Sources:

https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/hurricane-resources

The Red Cross

The Emergency Nurses Association

The American College of Emergency Physicians

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention