Our robust labor force of compassionate volunteers arrives early and stays late, throughout the long life cycle of disaster recovery. In the wake of Dorian we will first be doing the labor-intensive, gritty jobs that are needed to stabilize affected communities: debris management and mucking and gutting homes and other properties. In doing so, we listen to the families we serve and work alongside local groups, targeting unmet needs. In later months we will transition to making resilient repairs.
Hurricane Dorian is the strongest hurricane to hit the Bahamas, blasting the islands with 185 mph winds and then proceeding to linger while heavy winds and rain continued to land blows for 24 hours. An 18-23 foot storm surge is predicted, which will only add to the current flooding crisis. The death toll as of 9/2 was 5, and 13,000 homes are thought to have been severely damaged. The storm now threatens the southeastern US states; full damage data is not yet available.
Beginning with the Bahamas, AHAH will be performing work to clear and clean up the wreckage through activities that require many willing hands, such as: demolition of unsafe structures; chainsawing downed/tangled vegetation; mucking and gutting homes, schools, and other structures; performing mold sanitizing; and managing the accumulated debris. By coordinating with local agencies and groups, and listening to survivors, we build hope and resilience in affected communities.
During a 2-6 month "response" phase in which communities are stabilized, we expect to be able to serve 50 to 75 households per month in addition to clearing public spaces that serve entire communities. Our goal is to stay as long as our skills are needed. We have extensive experience in making resilient repairs to homes, schools and other structures; therefore, if local capacity is not enough to serve these needs, we will turn to GlobalGiving supporters to help us stay on and rebuild.
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