December Tornadoes Update
By now you’ve probably seen the drone footage of the terrible destruction in Mayfield, KY, or heard reports of the deaths at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, IL. The last two days have been filled with tragic reports from areas affected by at least 30 tornadoes, including a long track tornado that crossed four states. We mourn alongside those who’ve lost friends, family, and co-workers to these events.
In response, ALAN has activated to support these communities via our network of non-profit partners.
As the non-profits assess what is needed in the affected areas, we expect them to request various forms of logistics assistance from ALAN, including transportation, warehousing, and material handling. So please, stay in touch with us often over the next few days and weeks. Your supply chain help may be urgently needed.
Meanwhile, here are a few quick updates.
What ALAN Is Doing For Tornado Response
We’re currently coordinating with our non-profit partners via daily conference calls that are being hosted by state VOADs (Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster). During these calls, we’re getting key updates about which humanitarian services are most needed – and what kinds of specific challenges that first responders, rescuers and area non-profits are facing. We are sharing information from those calls with our partners in the non-profit, government, and business community so that they, too, can be working with the latest, most accurate information.
We have updated the “Tornado/Hurricane Information” portion of our Disaster Micro-site to include some resources for businesses or individuals who have been affected by these tornadoes – and who might be in need of assistance. We’ve also included them at the end of this e-mail. Feel free to pass these links along to anyone you think might find them useful.
And of course, we are preparing to fill logistics requests. There are no active requests for our services yet, which is not unusual, because things are still very much in the search and rescue phase and most non-profits are still assessing what’s most needed. However we expect that situation to change rapidly in the next 48 – 72 hours – which is where you come in.
How You Can Help
If you have warehouse space, trucks, equipment, or supplies you’d be willing to donate to this cause go ahead and offer it now. The more advance information we have about available resources, the more quickly we’ll be able to fulfill requests for assistance and get survivors the help they need.
In a similar vein, make plans to visit the “Current Needs” section of our Disaster Micro-site often in the weeks ahead. That’s where we’ll be posting any unfilled needs we have, and we’d be grateful to have you help us fill one or more of them.
Just as important, please make a donation to support our response activities. We rely on your financial support. And your gift allows us to provide the logistics assistance that is so critical to helping these communities recover.
What Not To Do
On a final note please don’t self deploy.
We have already begun hearing about collection drives and “trucks driving around with no place to deliver their donations.” Although the intention behind these efforts is good, they often create more challenges than they solve, including getting in the way of rescue efforts. So please don’t add to an already difficult situation. If you truly wish to help, send funds. Cash donations allow non-profits to buy what they need, when and where they need it, and that will help survivors faster.
On behalf of all of us at ALAN, thank you for being part of our support system.
Kathy
RESOURCES TO ASSIST SURVIVORS OF DECEMBER 11, 2021 TORNADOES
Survivors who need assistance cleaning their homes – Crisis Cleanup
Locating family in friends in affected areas – Red Cross Safe And Well Site
