Hurricane Ida has recently left a path of flooding and destruction stretching for miles in East Louisiana. Clocking in at a Category 4 upon landfall, Ida was devastating. Coinciding with the 16th anniversary of hurricane Katrina, Ida was one of the strongest to ever hit the gulf coast. Gradually, the people of neighboring states and all around the globe pitched in support towards those affected.
Firefighters from Fort Worth and all of Northern Texas were mobilized to help the cleanup and rescue efforts in Louisiana. Firefighters report being shocked by the extent of the devastation. Lieutenant Brant Fraizer from Fort Worth Fire Department rated the damage as “100%.” Wind gusts of up to 180 mph battered New Orleans and outside towns, wiping houses from the ground. Residents are extremely grateful for the assistance of neighboring states in the recovery phase after Ida.
Restoring electricity and water to the almost 1 million affected people is no easy task. Providers estimate it will take weeks or months at least to get the grid back up. Fort Worth firefighters were deployed for 14 days. Ida’s wrath has been felt as far north as New York, so it has become crucial to support each other as a community.
Civilians have also taken charge of sending aid to ruined communities. Operation Blessing and the Home Depot Foundation have assembled around 700 disaster relief kits to send to people in need. Volunteers from North Texas hand-assembled buckets filled with masks, gloves, bags, paper towels, and cleaning supplies. Many North Texas residents sympathize with those who lost homes.
If you are interested in donating to support those displaced, World-Vision is a great local option. The Christian Texas-based humanitarian group has already sent aid by the truckload to Louisiana and beyond. Visit www.worldvision.org to learn more.