Direct Relief preps clinics in Central Florida as hurricane season nears
ONE MONTH AWAY. THAT’S HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO THE START OF HURRICANE SEASON. AND YOU KNOW, IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START PREPARING BECAUSE WHEN A STORM HITS, IT IMPACTS MORE THAN JUST OUR HOMES AND PROPERTY. IT COULD POSE A THREAT TO CRITICAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS. ONE ORGANIZATION WORKS AHEAD OF THE STORMS TO REINFORCE CLINICS ACROSS HURRICANE PRONE REGIONS, INCLUDING SOME RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. JOINING ME THIS MORNING TO EXPLAIN THE WORK UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW IS DIRECT RELIEF. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CRAIG REDMOND. CRAIG, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING TO YOU, ELLEN. OKAY, SO CRAIG, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR HIGH RISK STATES AND THE CARIBBEAN TO START PREPARING NOW RATHER THAN REALLY WAITING FOR THE OFFICIAL START OF THE SEASON IN JUNE? YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. IT’S ALL ABOUT PREPAREDNESS. IT’S ALL ABOUT THINKING AHEAD ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED, WHAT COULD HAPPEN, ALL THE EVENTUALITIES. AND IF WE WAIT TOO LONG, THAT MEANS THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROCURE THE THINGS WE NEED, OR OTHERS MAY HAVE GRABBED THEM, OR WE JUST NEED TO BE AS PREPARED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. AND YOU KNOW, CRAIG, SO MANY NEW PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE TO FLORIDA. THIS COULD BE THEIR FIRST HURRICANE SEASON OR EVEN GOING THROUGH WHAT IS THE BIGGEST HEALTH RISK DURING AND AFTER A WEATHER DISASTER. IT’S INTERESTING. YOU KNOW, ALL THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IT’S ACTUALLY, IN MOST CASES, NOT THE HURRICANE ITSELF, BUT IT’S WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS THAT IS MOST DANGEROUS IN MANY CASES. POWER LINES ARE DOWN, ROADS ARE SHUT OFF, AND SO PEOPLE DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR REGULAR SYSTEMS, WHETHER IT BE HEALTH CARE OR OTHERWISE. AND IN THOSE CASES, IT’S AFTER THE HURRICANE THAT PEOPLE OFTEN SUFFER THE MOST. AND THAT’S A GOOD POINT TOO, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE COULD BE WITHOUT POWER, MAYBE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, PERHAPS EVEN WEEKS. SO ALSO, TOO, IF SOMEONE REALLY RELIES ON DAILY MEDICATION OR EVEN A MEDICAL DEVICE THAT REQUIRES ELECTRICITY, WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT THEY SHOULD DO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? WELL, A FEW THINGS. THEY SHOULD THINK THROUGH ALL OF THOSE SYSTEMS. WHAT PRESCRIPTIONS DO THEY NEED TO HAVE IN HAND? WHAT ARE THOSE MEDICATIONS THEY ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HAVE IN CASE THE PHARMACY IS NOT OPERATIONAL OR YOUR LOCAL CLINIC IS NOT OPERATIONAL, AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THOSE THINGS IN A GO BAG AND THAT YOU’RE READY TO GO AND PLAYING OUT THIS IDEA THAT IT MAY BE A FEW DAYS BEFORE YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THAT CLINIC AGAIN. AND THEN WHAT ABOUT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY, SAY, THE ELDERLY? WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PREPARED AS WELL? YEAH, THEY REALLY NEED TO THINK THROUGH THOSE PRESCRIPTIONS. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR, TALK TO YOUR PHARMACIST OR A MONTH AWAY NOW FROM HURRICANE SEASON. MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THOSE PRESCRIPTIONS AND ALL THE MEDICINE YOU NEED IN HAND AND READY TO GO. AND YOU KNOW WHAT DIRECT RELIEF WE’RE DOING OUR PART BY PUTTING TOGETHER THESE HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS PACKETS, WE CALL THEM. THEY’RE JUST BIG TUBS OF EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, MEDICAL SUPPLIES THAT PEOPLE MAY NEED. AND WE’RE WORKING THROUGH 11 CLINICS ACROSS YOUR VIEWING AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THESE TUBS. IT’S BASICALLY THE KIND OF THING YOU PUT IN YOUR GARAGE WHERE YOU PUT BASEBALL MITTS AND SPORTS EQUIPMENT FROM YOUR KIDS. EXCEPT IN OUR CASE, IT’S FULL OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, ENOUGH FOR 350 PEOPLE FOR 30 DAYS. SO WE’RE PRE-POSITIONING THOSE AROUND YOUR VIEWING AREA. YEAH, THAT’S SUCH A GREAT IDEA. ALSO, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PREPARING, HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD THEY PREPARE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR MEDICATIONS AFTER A STORM HITS, THEY SHOULD PLAN FOR SEVERAL WEEKS JUST IN CASE. OUR THINKING IS ALWAYS 30 DAYS. OF COURSE, THAT’S CONSERVATIVE, BUT ONE SHOULD BE CONSERVATIVE WHEN YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS. SO THINK ABOUT SEVERAL WEEKS IN ADVANCE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOUR CLINIC WAS CLOSED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BECAUSE OF POWER OR ROAD CLOSURES? CLOSURES. YEAH, SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION THERE THIS MORNING. FINALLY, CRAIG, WHERE CAN EVERYONE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION? WELL, THEY CAN GO, OF COURSE, TO OUR WEBSITE, DIRECT RELEASE WEBSITE AND AND CHECK OUT WHAT WE’RE DOING THERE, BOTH AROUND MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND RESILIENT POWER SYSTEMS. AND THEN STAY IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND MAKE SURE LIKE YOUR STATION AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE TUNED IN TO WATCH TO SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THESE WEATHER PATTERNS. CRAIG, THANK YOU S
Direct Relief preps clinics in Central Florida as hurricane season nears
Updated: 10:34 AM EDT May 1, 2026
Hurricane season is just over 30 days away, and preparations are underway to protect healthcare systems in areas vulnerable to storms. Direct Relief, a humanitarian organization, is working ahead of the season to reinforce clinics across hurricane-prone regions, including some in Central Florida. Craig Redmond, chief operating officer of Direct Relief, explained how Direct Relief is preparing. >> Watch the full interview in the video player above.
Hurricane season is just over 30 days away, and preparations are underway to protect healthcare systems in areas vulnerable to storms.
Direct Relief, a humanitarian organization, is working ahead of the season to reinforce clinics across hurricane-prone regions, including some in Central Florida.
Craig Redmond, chief operating officer of Direct Relief, explained how Direct Relief is preparing.
>> Watch the full interview in the video player above.