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Florida News Connection
October 10, 2022
By: Trimmel Gomes
For some in hurricane-ravaged southwest Florida,
recovery has been relatively quick. However, as of the weekend, there were
still some 69,000 reported power outages and thousands more displaced people.
Businesses are opening back up, and families are slowly continuing to make
their way back to their homes or what remains when they arrive. Along with
power restoration, access to clean water and basic needs are still issues state
emergency managers hope to fix quickly.
Groups such as the Florida AFL-CIO have banded together with other unions
across the state to help out.
Hellen Parker, director of operations for the Florida AFL-CIO, said they used
to provide financial support but quickly realized after one storm to the next,
financial gifts are only nice if you can use them.
"So instead of giving out financial gift cards of small value, we are now
transporting, ice, we have semi-trucks of ice coming down, stuff hat people
could use on the ground now: food, water, toiletries," Parker outlined.
Parker pointed out the public can still help to keep those trucks full in
support of working families affected by the storm by sending donations to actionnetwork.org.
According to the governor's office, the
state has provided more than 13 million meals, 47 million bottles of water and
2.2 million gallons of fuel to those in need. As of Saturday, FloridaDisasterFund.org has raised more
than $40 million dollars to help those impacted by the storm.
Parker added unions from across the state will continue to chip in for as long
as the need remains.
"The labor movement itself, like unions, you know, we don't have the
resources to rebuild houses and things like that," Parker noted. "But
we are doing everything that we can to assist the individuals, families
communities, that have been affected by, in this case, another Cat-4 hurricane,
Ian. "
The state has listed tips to help those affected, including resources for mental health and
the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program.
So far, the state has cleared debris from more than 2,800 miles of roadways. It
also brought in around 375 Starlink satellite devices to provide internet.
Other essentials such as portable restrooms are being shipped into areas still
in need.
For those interested in donating to any relief organizations, the National
Center for Disaster Fraud is urging the public to be on the alert for
fraudsters. They recommend donating to known charities and to use credit cards
instead of cash to keep a record of the transaction.
Content for this Post is provided by Florida News
Connection, a Bureau of Public News Service.
Public News Service is a member of the The Trust Project.
IN SPANISH
Continúan los esfuerzos de ayuda tras huracán Ian
By: Trimmel Gomes
Para algunos de los
damnificados por el huracan al suroeste de Florida, la recuperacion ha sido
relativamente rapida. Sin embargo, hasta el sabado todavia se habian registrado
unos 69 mil cortes de electricidad y miles de personas desplazadas.
Los negocios estan abriendo de nuevo, y las familias continuan lentamente el
camino de vuelta a sus hogares o lo que quedo de estos cuando los encuentran.
El restablecimiento del suministro electrico, el acceso al agua potable y las
necesidades basicas siguen siendo problemas que los gestores de emergencias del
estado esperan solucionar rapidamente.
Grupos como Florida AFL-CIO se han unido a otros sindicatos de todo el
estado para ayudar.
La directora de operaciones, Helen Parker, dice que solian proporcionar ayuda
financiera, pero rapidamente se dieron cuenta que de una tormenta a la otra, la
financiacion solo es buena si se puede utilizar.
"Asi que en lugar de repartir tarjetas de apoyo financiero de poco valor,
ahora estamos transportando, hielo, tenemos semicamiones de hielo, y cosas que
la gente podria usar en el terreno ahora: comida, agua, y articulos de
aseo," informa Parker.
Parker dice que el publico todavia puede ayudar a mantener esos camiones llenos
de apoyo para las familias trabajadoras afectadas por la tormenta enviando
donaciones a actionnetwork.org.
Segun la oficina del gobernador,
el estado ha proporcionado mas de 13 millones de comidas, 47 millones de
botellas de agua y 2.2 millones de galones de combustible para los necesitados.
Hasta el sabado, FloridaDisasterFund.org ha
recaudado mas de 40 millones de dolares para ayudar a los afectados por la
tormenta.
Parker afirma que los sindicatos de todo el estado seguiran aportando su
contribucion mientras siga siendo necesaria.
"El movimiento obrero en si, como los sindicatos, no tenemos los recursos
para reconstruir casas y cosas por el estilo, pero estamos haciendo todo lo que
podemos para ayudar a las personas, comunidades y familias, que han sido
afectadas en este caso, por otro huracan Categoria-4, huracan Ian,"
informa Parker.
El estado ha enumerado consejos para ayudar a los afectados, incluyendo
recursos para la salud mental y el
Programa de Prestamos Puente de Emergencia para Pequenas Empresas de Florida.
Hasta ahora, el estado ha limpiado los escombros de mas de 28 millas de
carreteras. Tambien ha traido unos 375 dispositivos de satelite Starlink para
proporcionar Internet.
Otros elementos esenciales, como banos portatiles, se estan enviando a zonas
que aun los necesitan.
Para aquellos interesados en donar a cualquier organizacion de ayuda, el Centro
Nacional para el Fraude de Desastres insta al publico a estar atento a
estafadores.
Recomiendan donar a organizaciones beneficas conocidas y utilizar tarjetas de
credito en lugar de dinero en efectivo para mantener un registro de la
transaccion.
Content for this Post is
provided by Florida News Connection, a Bureau of Public News Service. Public News Service is a member of the The Trust Project.
