“How to Save Your Family, Friends, and Community During a Crisis”

In disasters like the 2024 Helene and Milton events, one of the most critical actions is ensuring not just your own safety but the safety of your family, friends, and community. Often, people fail to realize the impact they can have on those around them, especially in moments of crisis. This blog will explore how to save your loved ones and support your community in the aftermath of a disaster.

1. The Importance of a Family Emergency Plan

• Reference the Helene and Milton disasters, where families were separated during evacuations.
• Have designated meeting spots, clear evacuation routes, and maintain a family communication strategy.
• Tools like Life360 can help track family members’ locations.

2. Helping Your Community: A Coordinated Effort

• For Hurricane Helene: Coastal communities were better prepared because of coordinated disaster planning. You can help organize neighborhood preparedness groups.
• For Earthquake Milton: In the Midwest, some communities were left isolated. Encourage forming neighborhood response teams that check on each other after a disaster.
• Distribute emergency supplies and make sure vulnerable people (elderly, disabled) are accounted for.

3. Evacuation Help: Ensuring No One is Left Behind

• In Hurricane Helene, thousands without transportation relied on neighbors to evacuate. Organize community carpool groups.
• For earthquakes like Milton, many were trapped under debris—know basic first aid and rescue techniques to assist in the aftermath.

4. Post-Disaster Recovery: Rebuilding Together

• After the Helene and Milton disaster, the recovery process took months. Community-driven rebuilding efforts—volunteers rebuilding homes and distributing aid—helped many get back on their feet.
• Encourage organizing food drives or fundraising to support community members who lost their homes.

5. Essential Tools for Community Resilience

• Generators, bulk water storage, and backup power stations were lifesavers in Helene’s aftermath (suggest products like the Jackery Portable Power Station).
• Highlight first-aid training courses and the importance of knowing CPR.

Donation Links:

Samaritans Purse 

Aerial Recovery 

Save our Allies