DAN News
A Statement from DAN Regarding Hurricane Relief Efforts
Last Updated: 10/1/2009 11:02:01 AM

UPDATED Oct. 12, 2004, 10:30 a.m. EDT

The aftermath of the effects of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne in Florida and the Caribbean over the last month have been devastating for many DAN Members, Instructors, Instructor Trainers and Business Members. In our efforts to support them, we present this list of national and international agencies and businesses offering hurricane relief efforts for people wanting to assist those affected. This information includes Florida and the Caribbean islands.

Hurricane Ivan was associated with 25 deaths in the United States and 60 in the Caribbean. Analysts have given preliminary damage estimates ranging from $2 billion to $10 billion. By the National Hurricane Center's tally, counting deaths directly caused by a storm as it hits, Ivan was the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Floyd killed 56 people in 1999.

As of Oct. 4, Hurricane Jeanne killed nearly 2,000 people in Haiti in massive flooding and mudslides, and 884 others have been declared missing. Not one house in Gonaives, Haiti's third-largest city with some 250,000 people, escaped without some damage, and power is off throughout the city, with no potable water. Many residents have not eaten for days. Some 300,000 people remain homeless from the storm as of Sept. 29, with about 200,000 of them in Gonaives, according to the government's civil defense agency. The United Nations has rushed more peacekeepers to the island in an effort to assist the many sick and needy there.

Jeanne also left considerable damage to the Bahama islands but no deaths or serious injuries to report. However, at least 10 people in Florida died as a result of Jeanne, which roared ashore in the state just before midnight Sept. 25 with 120-mph winds near the southern end of Hutchinson Island, 5 miles southeast of Stuart on Florida's east coast. Two deaths in South Carolina were blamed on the storm, as well as considerable wind and flood damage through Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. The last remnants of Jeanne left southeastern New England Sept. 29.

On Oct. 11, Congress approved $11.6 billion in relief for areas of the United States including Florida affected by the four hurricanes.

Insurance claims for damage caused in the United States this year by the four major hurricanes may reach $23 billion, according to the Insurance Information Institute Oct. 5. At least 83 deaths in Florida have been related to the hurricanes the state has received in August and September. To help out, on Oct. 7 President George Bush ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to pay for 90 percent of costs that local agencies rack up because of the four hurricanes. FEMA previously paid 75 percent of costs not covered by insurance. The directive covers repairs to public infrastructure such as buildings, roads and schools, as well as overtime for fire and police departments, FEMA officials said. FEMA has received 1 million applications for assistance and paid out more than $1 billion in aid to individuals in need of assistance.

The Caribbean Hotel Association has compiled a list for all of its islands on what their status is currently from all the hurricanes. The following have not been affected or had little damage and are open for business: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Puerto Rico, St. Barthélemy, St. Martin and Turks & Caicos.

The Dominican Republic's international airports are fully operational and 90 percent of its hotel rooms are accepting international guests. Hotels needing renovations should have them fixed within 45 days. Some roads have been affected by flooding.

Jamaica reported recently only minimal damages and that a majority of its hotels have remained fully operational. Several private homes and farmland did get affected by the storms, however.

For the Bahamas, most islands in the 700 island nation sustained minimal property damage, and businesses are operational.

Ivan devastated Grenada. As of Sept. 30, 39 people there died in storm-related events, at least 90 percent of the buildings were damaged, and several thousand people are homeless. Drinking water, food, electricity and phone service remain scarce. Hotel owners were some of the hardest hit. The Spicy Island Beach Resort sustained major damage and will be closed for a year to be rebuilt. Efforts to overcome transportation challenges to parishes outside of St Georges continue. The airport remains closed to commercial flights. The damage toll for the island from the hurricane is expected to be $7 billion.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell toured Grenada Oct. 4-6 and announced that the Bush administration is asking Congress for another $50 million in Caribbean relief aid, tied to a larger supplemental request for U.S. domestic hurricane assistance. That will raise the total amount of aid sought or already allocated to the Caribbean for the storms to more than $110 million. The largest-single portion is to go to Haiti, but nearly $5 million is earmarked for Grenada. Mr. Powell said the damage in Grenada will take years to repair.

As for the Cayman Islands, the Associated Press reported the following on Sept. 30: It will cost about $2 billion to rebuild the wealthy British territory, government leader McKeeva Bush said. An estimated 70 percent of buildings on Grand Cayman suffered damage. Many areas remain without power. For more information, check here.

The DAN Medical Services Department has contacted hyperbaric chambers in the region to check on their status as well and what their needs may be. All are now operational.

For more information on what each organization listed below provides in terms of relief, contact them at the given websites or phone numbers. Please realize that except where noted, all parties are requesting MONEY, not donations of food or clothing.

For Florida and U.S.:

1) The American Red Cross: 1-800-HELP-NOW, http://www.redcross.org; send contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013

2) Florida Hurricane Relief Fund (set up by state of Florida): 1-800-825-3786; http://www.flahurricanefund.org; send checks payable to Florida Hurricane Relief Fund to Volunteer Florida Foundation, 401 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32301

3) The Salvation Army: 1-800-725-2769 (SAL-ARMY); http://www.salvationarmyflorida.org; send checks to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief Effort, P.O. Box 270848, Tampa, FL 33688

4) The United Way: http://national.unitedway.org/; send check or money order to the United Way Hurricane Response Fund, P.O. Box 11084, Tallahassee, FL 32302

5) Lend-A-Hand: Send checks payable to Lend-A-Hand to Lend-A-Hand, c/o FLORIDA TODAY, P.O. Box 410488, Melbourne, FL 32941-0488, or make a secure online donation at https://secure1.infi.net/floridatoday/forms/reachingout/lendahand.htm

6) SSI: http://www.divessi.com; Send checks payable to the Hurricane Charley and Frances Relief Fund to Scuba Schools International, 2619 Canton Court, Fort Collins, CO 80525; or First National Bank, PO Box 578, Fort Collins, CO 80522.

For Jamaica, Grenada and Florida:

1) AmeriCares: 1-800-486-HELP (4357); http://www.americares.org

2) Center for International Disaster Information: http://www.cidi.org/datain.htm

For Grenada and Caribbean:

1) International Federation of Red Cross: donate at http://www.ifrc.org/helpnow/donate/donate_response.asp and select category "Caribbean: Hurricane Ivan"

2) UNICEF: United States citizens can contribute through 1-800-4-UNICEF, http://www.unicefusa.org/donate/emergencies, or send a check to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Attn. ERLZN, P.O. Box 98006, Washington, DC 20090; Canadians can contribute through 1-877-955-3111, http://www.unicef.ca, or mail to UNICEF Canada, 2200 Yonge St., Suite 1100, Toronto, Ont. M4S 2C6.

3) Cross International: Tax-deductible contributions. Call 1-888-803-5437 to make a credit card donation, or send checks to Cross International, Dept.: Hurricane, 370 W. Camino Gardens Blvd., Boca Raton FL 33432

4) Cayman Islands Hurricane Relief Fund: Send checks payable to the Cayman Islands Hurricane Relief Fund; Wire funds to: Cayman Islands Hurricane Relief Fund, Account #: 621506296065, JP Morgan Chase Bank, 60 East 42nd St., New York, NY 10165. ABA routing number is 021000021.

5) The Consulate General of Jamaica: Checks should be payable to the Jamaica Consulate General Hurricane Relief Fund, based at Wachovia Bank.Monetary donations can be deposited at any Wachovia Bank (account # 2000023606489). For more information, call +1-305-374-8431, extensions 106, 110 or 112.

6) The Grenada Cultural and Civic Association: These should be sent to Bank of America, Account # 005-492370974. ABA code for all wires and transfers is: 063100277. The Account name is the Grenada Cultural and Civic Association (GCCA) Disaster Relief Fund. Checks can be mailed to the Grenada Consulate General, 201 S. Biscayne Blvd., Suite 2800, Miami FL 33131.

7) The Consulate General of Grenada (requests the following: flashlights, batteries, DC power sources; cots, tents, tarps, beds and mattresses; non-perishable foods; water, water treatment and purification equipment; money; transportation of goods to Grenada; power tools; medical supplies, equipment and personnel; security assistance and communications equipment; and generators): Ship to either Grenada Relief, AMCAR Freight Inc., 7850 NW 80th St., Suite #2, Medley, FL 33166 OR Grenada Relief, AMCAR Freight, Choice Container Line, 445 Wilson Ave., Newark, NJ 07105. All shipments must be boxed in accordance with shipping standards and include an inventory with quantities of items and values. An email or fax with your contact information and the inventory must be sent to Bob Diamond at bob@amcarfreight.com. For additional information, contact Diamond at +1-305-599-8866. Monetary donations can be sent to the Bank of America, Account #005-472370974. ABA code for all wires and transfers is 063100277. The Account name is the Grenada Cultural and Civic Association (GCCA) Disaster Relief Fund. More info, call Honorable Consul-General Richard Nixon at +1-954-383-1971 or email ivanrelief@grenadagov.org.

8) Food for the Poor (accepting donations for relief efforts in the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Containers loaded with kerosene stoves, lanterns, blankets, coolers, water and food are being sent directly to the islands. Construction materials for rebuilding after Hurricane Ivan will be shipped when the port in Grenada is reopened): 1-800-487-1158; http://www.foodforthepoor.org; Food For The Poor, Dept. 39512, 550 SW 12th Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

9) Tortuga Imports (seeking canned foods including soup, can openers, water, bread, baby formula, diapers, tissue, napkins, plastic utensils / plates / cups / buckets, medical supplies, generators, satellite phones, non-perishable milk, stove top ranges & sterno, drinks, candles, lighters / matches, BBQ grills & coal, cleaning supplies (garbage bags, broom, etc.), tarps & tents, and pens & paper): +1-305-378-6668 or 1-877-486-7884 toll-free; Cayman Islands Hurricane Relief Efforts, C/O Tortuga Imports, Inc., 14202 SW 142 Ave., Miami, FL 33186

10) Cayman Airways Cargo Ltd. of Miami (seeking generators - all sizes, chain saws, refuse / garbage bags, shovels, heavy rakes, water pumps to help get water out of houses, adult cots, baby bassinets / smaller cots, bedding / linens, pillows, food, water, basic cleaning supplies): +1-305-526-3190; 6025 NW 18th Street, Building 716 East Suite 2E, Miami International Airport, FL 33152

11) HH Advertising: This company is seeking in-kind contributions to be delivered by Air Jamaica. Items most in need are water, D-size batteries, canned and non-perishable food items, diapers and other disposable goods, linens (pillows, sheets, blankets, towels), clothing (adults, children, and infants). Deliver contributions to HH Advertising, "Hurricane Relief Effort," 725 NE 135th St., North Miami, FL 33161 (phone +1-305-895-8430)

If you are a Member, Instructor, Instructor Trainer, Business Member or hyperbaric chamber worker in one of the areas affected by the hurricane and want to update us on your status or that of your business, you may do so by emailing us here. Please contact us if you have an official, confirmed relief effort for Florida and / or the Caribbean nations for us to add as well.

Keep visiting this page for future updates to see how DAN is assisting our neighbors in Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean. Our hearts and prayers go out to all who have been coping with the aftermath of these storms. We will do our best to help in you in whatever ways we can.