As Tampa Bay endured the historic impact of two major hurricanes in quick succession,
volunteers from across USF and USF Health came together to provide essential services
and support to the region through the
Activating on Sept. 23 in anticipation of Hurricane Helene and remaining mobilized
throughout Hurricane Milton, USF CERT partnered with local government and philanthropic
organizations to aid recovery operations and provide critical relief before, after
and during the storms.
All told, more than 123 USF volunteers dedicated over 1,306 hours to disaster relief
through CERT, with USF Health students, faculty and staff taking on a leading role
in the effort, whether coordinating shelter transportation or distributing meals and
clothing.
鈥淲e have seen a remarkable response by our USF community and witnessed a real surge
in people wanting to contribute,鈥� said Elizabeth Dunn, MPH, CPH, director of CERT
and instructor at the USF Health College of Public Health.
USF CERT volunteers at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Before the Hurricanes struck, USF CERT volunteers began essential preparations at
the, coordinating shelter transportation, assisting with local government requests and
working with the Hillsborough County communications department to provide public updates.
As the storms approached, CERT volunteers collaborated with Hillsborough County Social
Services to compile and communicate hurricane preparedness strategies.
鈥淎 lot of the people in our community are living alone, are elderly or do not have
family in the area,鈥� said Katelyn Pike, a USF College of Public Health undergraduate
student volunteering with CERT. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 have anyone there for them, so we did
our best to make sure they could get somewhere safe.鈥�
During the storms, student volunteers helped develop damage assessment plans and managed
post-storm transportation coordination. Once the evacuation orders were lifted, the
students worked to close local shelters, coordinate transport to state shelters at
the Hard Rock Casino and provide ongoing support by addressing residents鈥� reported
damage. The team is now focused on post-storm outreach, making calls to assess community
needs, developing resource lists and maintaining a dashboard for distributing aid
across the country.
Presently, USF Health Students remain instrumental in providing support for those
affected. At , students continue to distribute meals and clothing, assemble hygiene kits and provide
drinking supplies. USF CERT is also partnering with the Salvation Army and to deliver daily meals and other essential supplies to people in need.
鈥淲e are just trying to do anything we can to give back to this wonderful community
we call Tampa Bay,鈥� said Hari-Krishna, a graduate student in the USF Health College
of Public Health. 鈥淚t is nice to see people unite over such a cause with no other
motivation except to help others.鈥�
For students, faculty and staff interested in contributing to the disaster relief
efforts, volunteer opportunities are still available at the Hillsborough County Comfort
and Hygiene Support Stations, managed by the county鈥檚 Office of Emergency Management
鈥淚t doesn't matter how big or small your effort is,鈥� said Pike. 鈥淚t truly does have
an impact.鈥�
Story, photos, and video by Ryan Rossy, USF Health Communications & Marketing.