10/05/2024
For over a decade board members of ASA have undertaken actions to aid in storm recovery. We have traveled from Florida to Texas and as far north as Virginia to assist with rescue, road clearing, cutting access to homes and businesses, and delivering tons of supplies by land, sea, and air.
As you know these efforts are not only time consuming, but also costly. The average cost per day for our Strom Response Team (SRT) to be on the ground with equipment has exceeded $1000 per day. Add in boats or planes and the cost nearly doubles.
We have participated in all hurricanes and many tornado recoveries since 2011. All expenses are covered by two board members and generous small donations from the public and our supporters.
Our initial contact is always with the Emergency Operational Centers mainly headed by local law enforcement. With several of our board members being former law enforcement and veterans, we feel this contact is essential to our success in rapid recovery.
If you haven't been to a storm site, just imagine the worst tragedy you can. Then multiply it by 10. We have gained expertise over the years which has become our formula for successful recoveries. We like to hit the ground just behind the eye which is usually in the early morning times often in the dark. This begins the process of clearing roads so power crews can access the lines for repairs to restore power. Every storm we have worked on has suffered a loss of power. Power is the key to recovery.
Once roads are open we begin the search and rescue operations, as well as getting people back into their homes or what is left of their homes.
We understand the general population believes these efforts are short but I assure you they are not. Recoveries can take months and sometimes years.
The recent storm was the 3rd in 13 months to hit the same area. This is going to extend recovery efforts beyond normal timelines.
We have concluded due to the current Hurricane Helene recovery efforts we need to increase our presence on the ground. We are now establishing a perpitertous fundraiser to be able to meet the demands of those impacted by these storms. This is an activity we should have initiated years ago to remove the pressure off our volunteers and put their focus on the task at hand which is saving lives and protecting natural resources.
Our goal is to build an emergency fund so we can hit the ground running without the necessity of fundraising for each storm. All donations are 100% tax deductible due to our 501(c)3 status we have had since 2012.
Any amount small or large will keep our crews on the ground and our equipment ready for the work it will face.
We are currently outfitting a 16-foot trailer with emergency lighting, equipment racks, a generator, medical trauma supplies, ropes and rigging, and fuel tanks to extend our range or carry needed fuel into areas where it isn't available. This will mean we can mobilize and leave for any location within 30 minutes.
Our goal is to provide assistance post-storm through the cleanup of the fragile areas but our priority will always be the protection of life.
We hope you can join our efforts on the ground or behind the scenes during events when dispatch is just as important as the boots on the ground. If not we hope you will consider donating to the cause to help us continue to expand our capabilities and crew numbers.
