By Israel21C
On September 30, IsraAID: The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid sent a six-member emergency response team to North Carolina, where Hurricane Florence caused large-scale damage.
A second team of about six will fly out this week to help the local community in home recovery and debris removal, and assessing long-term needs as the area recovers.
According to IsraAID Co-Chief Executive Officer Yotam Polizer, IsraAID volunteers are working in collaboration with California-based Team Rubicon, which forms emergency response teams of military veterans paired with first-responders.
IsraAID also plans to coordinate additional volunteers from the Jewish communities across North America.
“We are focused on helping people go back to their homes ASAP through professional debris removal and minor resconstructions,” Polizer tells ISRAEL21c. “We will stay there as long as we’re needed during the relief phase. My estimation is three months but it could be more.”
At the same time, IsraAID has sent a team to the Philippines to aid victims of the typhoon and is planning to deploy to Indonesia in the next couple of days following the tsunami that has so far claimed 1,200 lives.