As Hurricane Milton heads toward Florida today as a Category 4 hurricane, communities brace for record high storm surge whilst recovering from Hurricane Helene less than two weeks prior. The storm poses a significant danger to all residents of west and central Florida, as Milton is expected to bring destructive winds and flooding.

Project HOPE and SAMU First Response have a team of emergency response experts and paramedics from North Macedonia, Spain, and the United States positioning in the Jacksonville, Florida area ready to assist search and rescue efforts and provide critical medicine and humanitarian relief supplies to affected areas.

Arlan Fuller, Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response for Project HOPE, said:
“Milton is a deadly and catastrophic climate disaster headed straight toward communities reeling from Hurricane Helene’s devastation. As Milton barrels towards west and central Florida, we’re bracing for the worst possible outcome – loss of life and significant barriers to access lifesaving health care. We expect the need for medical personnel will be dire and immediate as well as significant mental health needs in the days and weeks to come. Project HOPE and SAMU are coordinating with local officials and stand ready to help however possible.”

Project HOPE and SAMU both have long histories of responding to emergencies around the globe. Project HOPE has responded to nearly every major disaster since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, including Hurricanes Ian and Idalia in Florida. SAMU is a leading organization in emergency response with more than 40 years of experience. Together, they responded to the earthquakes in Syria/ Türkiye and Morocco last year, aiding searching and rescue efforts and providing immediate medical care to those injured.

We have team members available for interviews. Please contact Bria Justus at +1 503-764-7864 or email media@projecthope.org for more information.

Source: Project Hope