FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The American Red Cross and the City of Fort Lauderdale announced the opening of an emergency shelter Thursday to assist those affected by the recent flooding in South Florida.
According to the Red Cross, workers will “provide warm meals, a safe place to sleep and emotional support for those with immediate, disaster-caused needs.”
Recommended Videos
“The Red Cross is working closely with the entire response community to coordinate relief and support efforts,” said Paula Prendergast, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Broward County Chapter in a news release on Thursday. “The Red Cross is committed to helping all those affected and providing services until we are no longer needed.”
The Red Cross shelter is located at Holiday Park at 1150 G. Martin Drive in Fort Lauderdale.
According to organizers, the shelters offer residents assistance with essentials, such as temporary lodging, food, and personal care/health items.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis declared a state of emergency for all of Broward County overnight “in light of the extreme flooding.”
The Red Cross is urging others to prepare for the flooding by taking four simple actions:
GET A KIT. Your emergency kit should contain supplies for at least three days, including a gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight, and extra batteries, a first aid kit, medications and copies of important documents. Don’t forget to grab items, such as diapers, for young children, and any supplies for family members with special medical needs. Learn more: redcross.org/kit.
MAKE A PLAN. Make sure to plan what to do in case you are separated from your family during an emergency and what to do if you must evacuate. Coordinate your plan with your child’s school, your work and your community’s emergency plan. Include your pets in your emergency plans. Remember, if you and your family need to evacuate, so does your pet. It’s important to plan to know which pet-friendly hotels are in your area, and where your pets can stay in an emergency situation. Find full details and easy-to-use plan templates here.
BE INFORMED. Be informed about what disasters or emergencies may occur where you live, work and play, and how to respond as safely as possible. Find out how local officials will contact you during a disaster and how you will get important information. Take a first aid, CPR and AED course, so you’ll know what to do in case help is delayed. Learn how to get fully informed about emergencies here.
DOWNLOAD RED CROSS EMERGENCY APP. Have safety and first aid information at your fingertips. The emergency app features weather alerts, information on open Red Cross shelters, a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and alarm, and a one-touch “I’m Safe” button that lets you use social media outlets to let family and friends know you are okay. The apps include a Spanish language toggle switch and can be downloaded by visiting redcross.org/apps.
FRIDAY UPDATE
Fort Lauderdale Commissioner John C. Herbst said in a news release Friday that 57 people are currently receiving assistance at the Red Cross Holiday Park site.
Officials are advising that people should not bring anymore donations to the site as the staff does not have the ability to store and process donations at this time.
However, if you would like to volunteer to assist those affected by the flooding, please email VolunteerFortLauderdale@gmail.com.
For more information and safety tips, click here.
U-HAUL HELPS
U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self-storage at its Coconut Creek location to residents impacted by the record-breaking rainstorms that brought substantial flooding to parts of Broward County this week, according to a news release.
After a record-breaking storm dropped over 25 inches of rain in the Fort Lauderdale area within 24 hours, Fort Lauderdale’s airport was underwater for a time as flooding disrupted travel.
“U-Haul is a member of these communities, and we are available to help,” said Davina Bean, U-Haul Company of Fort Lauderdale president in a news release Friday. “Our neighbors in and around Broward County are still assessing the flood damage, but we know many homes have sustained water damage. We are on standby to help with recovery by providing self-storage units to keep people’s possessions safe at no cost for one month.”
According to a U-Haul spokesperson, the U-Haul disaster relief program applies to new self-storage unit rentals and is based on availability.
People seeking more information or needing to arrange 30 days of free self-storage should contact: U-Haul Moving & Storage of Coconut Creek or call 954-428-7369.