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Tropical Storm Bonnie Hurricane Charley A Capital Area Citizen Corps Response August 2004 A Community Partnering In Disaster Response When Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley threatened the Capital Area, the Affiliate Organizations of the Capital Area Citizen Corps came together to help residents throughout North Florida prepare for and response to these storms. By working together under the Capital Area Citizen Corps umbrella, these organizations were able to provide a coordinated disaster response. August 10 2004 Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross Putting Disaster Mitigation first, the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross prepares its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) by installing the building's hurricane shutters. One of the most important mission of any disaster response is to make sure that the responders are prepared for the storm so they can provide the needed assistance to individuals and families after the storm. August 11 2004 Volunteer Leon Volunteer Leon responded to staff the rumor control hotline at the Leon County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). By bringing volunteers into the EOC Volunteer Leon was able to free up county employees to undertake other important disaster response activities. August 11 2004 Capital Area District of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services With a mission to provide vital communications during disaster, the Capital Area District of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services set up in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of the Capital Area Chapter to support communications activities between the EOC and shelters scattered throughout the Capital Area Chapter's eight (8) county jurisdiction. August 11 2004 2-1-1 Big Bend Inc To support the need to share information to individuals and families living in North Florida 2-1-1 Big Bend Inc set up a date collection unit in the Capital Area Chapter's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). By being located in the Capital Area Chapter's EOC, 2-1-1 Big Bend was able to collect shelter and other human services information related to the Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley response throughout North Florida and then share this important information with area residents. August 11 2004 Big Bend Disaster Animal Response Team When individuals and families evacuate their homes they often bring their pets with them. To support the need to care for these pets, the Big Bend Disaster Animal Response Team and the Capital Area Chapter partnered to establish a Pet Friendly Shelter as part of the response to Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley. By working together in the Capital Area Chapter's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), these two (2) organizations were able to take care of the needs of the entire family to include their pets. August 11 2005 Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross As Tropical Storm Bonnie approached North Florida the Capital Area Chapter began to open shelters throughout the chapter's eight county jurisdiction. During the first several hours of the chapter's response to Tropical Storm Bonnie 121 Disaster Services Volunteers were assigned to manage shelters and support response activities. August 11 2004 Community Crisis Response Team An important part of any response to any disaster is the need for proper mental health counseling. Working out of the Capital Area Chapter's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) the Community Crisis Response Team coordinated its volunteers to provided needed counseling. August 12 2004 Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross As Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall in North Florida, the storm broke apart and did very little damage to neighborhoods and communities. As the heavy rain passed George Baragona, a Disaster Services Volunteer with the Capital Area Chapter relaxes to eat lunch and wait to see what would happen with Hurricane Charley. August 13 2004 Capital Area Citizen Corps As Hurricane Charley began to threaten the Gulf Coast of Florida, the Capital Area Citizen Corps Affiliated Organizations once again came together to prepare to help North Floridians who may be affected by this new threat. The Capital Area Chapter's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) once again served as the nerve center for these organizations. August 13 2004 Neighborhood Community Emergency Response Teams By late Friday August 13 it was apparent that Hurricane Charley would not affect North Florida. However, at this time the partnerships built under the Capital Area Citizen Corps umbrella began to pull together to help the Capital Area Chapter establish a Staging Area for 84 Emergency Response Vehicles (Feeding Trucks) heading to Tallahassee. By mobilizing members of Neighborhood Community Emergency Response Teams the Capital Area Chapter was able to use these volunteers to staff the Staging Area set up under tents in the parking lot of a local Winn-Dixie Supermarket. Over the next four (4) days an almost endless amount of bottled water and snacks were loaded onto these vehicles before they set out for Southwest Florida. August 14 2004 America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend To help in supporting the activities of Staging Area set up by the Capital Area Chapter, the America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend provided all three (3) of their trucks along with drivers to transport a mountain of bottled water and snacks that would be needed to conduct activities at the Staging Area being run in the Winn-Dixie Supermarket parking lot. August 14 2004 Domestic Preparedness and Response Corps Members of the Domestic Preparedness and Response Corps an AmeriCorps program sponsored by the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross and the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs worked long into the night to at the Staging Area to stock Southwest Florida bound Emergency Response Vehicles. August 14 2004 Youth Disaster Corps Throughout both Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charles members of the Youth Disaster Corps provided a variety of services from helping answer phones to working in shelters. These young men and women provided a vital role during both storms. This unique youth program is sponsored by Volunteer Leon and the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. August 15 2004 Disaster Mobile Kitchen On Sunday Disaster Services Volunteers from the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, members of Neighborhood Community Emergency Response Teams and the Domestic Preparedness and Response Corps along with a truck and two (2) drivers from the America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend departed Tallahassee with the Capital Area Chapter's Mobile Kitchen heading to Osceola County to set up and prepare hot meals for individuals and families suffering from the ravages of Hurricane Charley. During the Mobile Kitchens deployment to Osceola County the volunteers prepared a average of 6,000 hot meals each day. Back to Top Last Update: