Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated vast swaths of the south-eastern United States, Hurricane Milton barreled into the state of Florida. Communities and emergency recovery crews in the area have struggled to cope with the rapid succession of disasters, a phenomenon that’s only likely to become more common due to global heating.
“It’s not just about a natural disaster, it’s about a series of natural disasters,” says Dr Tia Dole, chief 988 lifeline officer for Vibrant Emotional Health. Dole says survivors and their loved ones are feeling despair, shock, grief and sadness – as well as helplessness because their suffering has been politicized.
As the region begins to recover and rebuild, many want to help those affected in any way they can. We spoke to experts about how to most effectively support individuals and communities affected by these recent storms.
Check in
“Social support is a critical resource to people coping with natural disasters,” says Dr Priscilla Dass-Brailsford, professor and trauma psychologist at Georgetown University.
There is no one way to be emotionally supportive. Individuals have different preferences – some people like phone calls, others don’t. Dole recommends sending your loved ones a message that lets them know you’re thinking about them but doesn’t ask anything of them in return.
“I’m a big fan of saying: ‘Hey, I’m thinking about you. You don’t need to respond, but you’re on my mind,’” she says.
And don’t only check in right after a storm. Often, in the immediate aftermath, survivors’ focus is on basic physical needs like safety, food and shelter. They may not be able to talk about the impact of a storm until later.
As time goes on, survivors will continue processing and trying to rebuild their lives. Dole suggests checking in two weeks after an event, and “not putting a timeline on the support that you’re willing to offer”.
Listen
When someone affected by a disaster wants to talk about their experience, experts say it’s important to listen without making the conversation about you.
“People have a tendency to use tragedy as an opportunity to talk about their own past experience,” says Dole. Instead, she says, ask questions like: “Do you want to talk about what that was like?”
And whatever you do, don’t say things like: “Well, it could be worse.” While this may seem like a way of helping someone look on the bright side or keep things in perspective, Dole says it only hurts people by minimizing their experience. “I can’t think of anything that enrages people [more],” she says.
Keep in mind that people may need to talk about trauma multiple times in order to work through it.
“Being available, listening attentively and having the patience to hear stories of survivorship repeatedly while offering comfort and nurturance is helpful,” says Dass-Brailsford.
Be mindful about what you share online
Sharing information after a natural disaster can be helpful. But it’s important to make sure that the information is accurate and that stories and images don’t further traumatize those affected by the storm or by similar events.
“Viewers may have difficulty shaking off the images of death and destruction and it [can be] profoundly distressing, especially for individuals who were survivors of similar disasters in the past,” says Dass-Brailsford.
Donate money
What people and communities need most after a storm is money, says Dr Tim Frazier, professor and faculty director of the emergency and disaster management program at Georgetown University.
“The best way to help, from my perspective, is to provide economic resources to the community,” says Frazier.
Given that each community’s needs are different, Frazier recommends donating to local charities or relief organizations that are on the ground and familiar with each area’s needs. He also suggests donating to large groups with lots of resources, like the Red Cross. “They’re masters at going in and sheltering and feeding people that are displaced,” he says. “And they will be there as long as they need to be.”
Donate blood
Blood drives across the south-east were canceled as a result of Hurricane Helene, says Stephanie Fox, media relations lead for the American Red Cross. This caused “thousands of blood donations to go uncollected”, and as a result, Hurricane Milton is likely to further deplete the regional blood supply.
“Those outside the affected areas are encouraged to schedule a blood donation now,” Fox says.
Volunteer through official channels
In the wake of a natural disaster, many well-intentioned people decide to take matters into their own hands, travel to the affected area and try to help. Frazier calls this “spontaneous volunteerism”, and says it “tends to be more problematic than it is helpful”.
Too many spontaneous volunteers in an area can make relief efforts dangerous and inefficient. They can also use up much-needed resources. For example, Frazier says, if a group of 30 people come to help and they take up 30 hotel rooms in an area, that’s 30 hotel rooms that can’t be used for people in the community or trained responders.
That being said, relief efforts are always short of people, Frazier says. “If you’re trying to help volunteer in communities that are going through a crisis event, please do that through official channels,” he says. This includes large organizations such as the Red Cross and United Way, or smaller but well-connected local organizations like church groups or local aid groups.
