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Situation Report
Hurricane Response Update
December 14, 2004
In what was the most active hurricane season in a decade, residents of Florida, Alabama, Puerto Rico, and at least seven other states in the eastern third of the country struggle to recover from the devastation wrought by four major hurricanes — Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. The two-month barrage of storms triggered the nation’s largest natural disaster response effort. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has received more than 1.5 million registrations for federal assistance; Florida accounts for two-thirds of total registrations.
Florida, directly hit by all four storms, sustained the most damage — 117 lives were lost, more than 25,000 homes were destroyed, and another 4,600 were heavily damaged. Damage has been estimated at $42 billion, surpassing the $34.9 billion from the nation’s single most costly storm, Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Florida’s citrus crop was severely damaged, forcing hundreds of small growers out of business.
Immediately after the storms, members of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) were on-site to care for our presbyteries, churches, and the disaster survivors. In representing Christ’s hands and feet, they have:
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Give now!
DR000015
(Relief and recovery for U.S. disaster survivors)
DR000163
(U.S. Church Property Damage)
Rick Ufford-Chase, moderator of the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), helped churches in the Peace River Presbytery clean up hurricane damage. (Photo: Peace River Presbytery/DNN)
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- provided spiritual care to pastors and church leaders
- assessed damage in affected presbyteries
- staffed presbytery offices
- helped organize the Presbyterian response
- linked the Presbyterian response to the broader community response
- coordinated volunteer work teams.
To date, twenty members of the team have volunteered a total of 160 days, valued at approximately $25,000. Team members who reside in Florida will continue to be involved in the response during the long-term recovery stage of the disaster.
The long-term recovery stage of a disaster of this magnitude will be measured in years, not months. Many disaster survivors will need the help of others to restore and rebuild their homes and their lives. Opportunities to serve those in need abound from southern Florida all the way north to Pennsylvania. Please visit the work team page for more information on volunteer workteams.
The financial response to the appeal issued by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has been most generous. Gifts from individuals and congregations have enabled PDA to provide more than $620,000 to thirty churches and sixteen presbyteries. (See detailed expenditures from the relief and church rebuilding accounts.) Additional funds will be provided to enable our middle governing bodies and churches to continue to bear witness to the healing love of Jesus Christ.
Rick Ufford-Chase, moderator of the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), helped churches in the Peace River Presbytery clean up hurricane damage and has written a letter to the presbyteries and congregations affected by the hurricanes. [read letter]
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