Florida Hurricane Recovery - Can You Help?

[FloridaEOC]

Hi there,

I am writing from the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee Florida. We are experiencing significant problems due to the lack of transportation we have available to move the donations we are receiving. Therefore, we have been forced to turn away greatly needed supplies. I urgently request you to contact me if you can help by donating use of a truck or volunteer as a CDL driver. Please spread the word to anyone you know who could help or please share any ideas you may have about how we might find help. We WILL cover fuel/lodging/meals if necessary. Thank you so much for any assistance you can offer, and for more info OR to register donations online, visit volunteerflorida.org.

Bridget Boudreau
Emergency Operations Center
Donations Matching
Ph: 850.410.3345
800.FL.HELP.1
Fax: 850.410.3474
[email protected]
volunteerflorida.org

 

[Glen Rice]

How ironic? I have a freind who is sitting with a tractor trailer with 45000 lbs. of water on board sitting at Eglin Air Force base. He is working for Landstar and is under direct order of FEMA. Talk about a mis-managed organization! I hope your group gets the help it needs as I also live in Florida and know the urgency that supplys that you are discussing are needed so very badly. Hopefully your group can cut through the red tape and get these supplys to the Floridians that need help NOW! God bless you and your efforts. So bottom line expeditors, please help these fine folks!

 

[mcbride]

>Hi there,
>
>I am writing from the State Emergency Operations Center in
>Tallahassee Florida. We are experiencing significant
>problems due to the lack of transportation we have available
>to move the donations we are receiving. Therefore, we have
>been forced to turn away greatly needed supplies. I urgently
>request you to contact me if you can help by donating use of
>a truck or volunteer as a CDL driver. Please spread the word
>to anyone you know who could help or please share any ideas
>you may have about how we might find help. We WILL cover
>fuel/lodging/meals if necessary. Thank you so much for any
>assistance you can offer, and for more info OR to register
>donations online, visit volunteerflorida.org.
>
>Bridget Boudreau
>Emergency Operations Center
>Donations Matching
>Ph: 850.410.3345
> 800.FL.HELP.1
>Fax: 850.410.3474
>[email protected]
>volunteerflorida.org

This post is amazing...we have personally contacted FEMA, Salvation Army, and several Florida agencies since Charley hit. We registered and have heard nothing. We have even posted on this forum before regarding the lack of responses-see thread here: "How can we help.."

Thanks for posting the info though and hopefully drivers will volunteer their services.


mcbride-
--What goes around comes around--

 

[RichM]

I hate to sound cynical but I would be careful about this post,looks like she really wants donations to her website.I have been operating with FEMA for the last 2 weeks and have seen many Landstar and US Express trucks running supplies to these areas, while I have been sitting,although getting paid a decent rate to sit. While on the surface they appear to be disorganized they are trying their best to get relief supplies to where they are needed. It's one thing to volunteer your truck and labor but be careful about donations especially credit card donations.

 

[FloridaEOC]

I posted the website for those who feel more comfortable registering their donation (of trucks/drivers, not money) online than through me, though ultimately the information will come to me either way. I have taken on the role of seeking transportation help because I see that there is a problem connecting willing drivers to loads awaiting movement. I am an AmeriCorps volunteer from St. Louis who was called to help and was placed in the Emergency Operations Center. Any willing driver with a tractor/trailer truck will be matched with a donation and dropoff site as quickly as I can personally arrange it, and I have been doing little else but that since I've been in Florida.

I understand your skepticism, but please believe me when I say that I am doing my best to get those who can help connected with those who need help, and nothing more.

Bridget Boudreau
Florida EOC
850.410.3345
[email protected]
volunteerflorida.org

 

[FloridaEOC]

Update: We are looking for anyone who can provide the use of a tractor/trailer truck in addition to their own driving abilities if at all possible. Matching up drivers and trucks from various regions is just not happening quickly or ideally for anyone. If you can offer a truck and a driver to come to Florida, we will find a donation to fill that truck no matter what area you are coming from. We need deliveries made to a central warehouse and from there we have individuals and vehicles to transport goods where they're needed. In the state, we simply need tractors to pull pre-loaded trailers to various destinations. If you can help with either, please let me know!

Thanks for considering helping us out. We have no funds to cover your expenses, as all resources are being stretched to their limits right now all over the state in recovery efforts, so we ask you to help out of the kindness of your hearts. Any and all help makes a profound difference to those who have had to suffer the results of these tragic storms.

Bridget Boudreau
Florida EOC
850.410.3345
[email protected]
volunteerflorida.org