Hurricane Irma Psychotrauma Support for Victims

Background

Category 5 Hurricane Irma devastated communities across the Caribbean and southern United States with sustained wind speeds of up to 185 mph. Disasters such as Hurricane Irma devastate young and old, partners and families, immigrants, refugees, and native residents alike. These people have lost their homes and businesses or are first responders who experience their own trauma. Real Medicine Foundation is working to expand our Hurricane Harvey response to communities affected by Hurricane Irma. Services include counseling and psychosocial support.

RMF’s Presence

Real Medicine Foundation is an international NGO with an excellent track record in psychological trauma support. We believe that “real medicine” focuses on treating the person as a whole, providing medical/physical, emotional, social, and economic support. To care for victims of Hurricane Harvey, we have collaborated with Organizational Resilience International (a partner since Hurricane Katrina) to implement a 3-phase psychological support project for Hurricane Harvey victims in the Houston area.

Since December 2017, our team has been speaking with clergy members from across the Greater Houston area to identify and assess their needs regarding how to support both church and community members in the wake of the September disaster. From January to February 2018, we provided over 70 clergy members and lay leaders with training designed to assist in understanding the impact of traumatic events and to promote the identification of strategies for self-care among caregivers. These clergy members and lay leaders are now passing their learning on to their congregations and communities through sermons, individual pastoral counseling, and ministry, thereby broadening the program’s overall impact to thousands of people.

Situation Update

One year after Hurricane Irma caused widespread destruction in the Caribbean and southern United States, significant progress has been made in recovery efforts. On September 10, 2018, Miami’s NBC 6 reported that tourism in the Florida Keys, the US mainland’s most severely affected area, was recovering well, with over 90% of lodging facilities reopened and the rest scheduled to reopen before Christmas. Tourists are also returning to the US and British Virgin Islands, with The New York Times observing in a September 24, 2018 article that on Tortola, “Roads are clear of debris. Coastlines are clean…. Disney Cruise Line returned earlier this month and Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to follow later this year.”

Despite significant progress, however, recovery is far from complete in many areas. On St. John, USA Today reports encouraging public-private rebuilding efforts, but also states that “the only clinic operates out of a mobile trailer, the main public school hasn't been rebuilt, and the island's two biggest employers – The Westin St. John Resort and Caneel Bay Resort – remain closed” as of September 3, 2018. Workers in the Florida Keys report increased difficulty finding affordable housing after the hurricane. In the British Virgin Islands, The New York Times also reported that some structures, including many homes and the islands’ largest public high school, have not been repaired yet, and a few residents are still living in tents. The same September 24^th article quotes a 74-year-old woman, living under a tarpaulin in her damaged home near Road Town, Tortola: “‘I try my best to not get stressed about it,’ Ms. Penn said. ‘I need to keep strong for my children.’” 1,280 students, whose high school has not been repaired, will be on a half-day schedule, attending classes in a building that was previously a home supplies store. Although much progress has been achieved, many residents’ homes and lives have not returned to normal.

While communities are still recovering from the physical effects of Hurricane Irma, the psychological effects of the disaster are often overlooked. Whether families stay in their damaged homes or relocate, feelings of anxiety, depression, or disorientation often persist. Real Medicine Foundation hopes to address this psychological trauma by expanding our Hurricane Harvey response to communities affected by Hurricane Irma.