Overview

Hurricane Dean's forceful winds and rain swept across the Caribbean during Aug. 17-22, intensifying on its westward path. The storm caused damage in St. Lucia, Dominica, Martinique, Haiti, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica before hitting Mexico and Belize as a Category 5 hurricane. It traversed the Yucatan Peninsula, returned to the Gulf of Mexico, and struck Mexico for a second time on the East coast. Over land, Dean's power lessened, and it subsequently was downgraded to a tropical storm. During its voyage, Dean claimed an estimated 19 lives and destroyed the homes and livelihoods of thousands of families throughout the region.

	American Red Cross Response
	Finding Missing Loved Ones
	How to Support the Relief Efforts
	Inquiries Media or Public
	Additional Resources

International Red Cross Response

The American Red Cross is closely monitoring Hurricane Dean through a disaster management delegate in the Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) in Panama. American Red Cross delegates based in Haiti are supporting the Haitian Red Cross and International Red Cross Movement response activities. If assistance is requested, the American Red Cross is prepared to mobilize relief supplies, delegates and/or financial assistance in response to Hurricane Dean.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation) has allocated an initial $125,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to immediately start relief operations in the region. The International Federation deployed disaster management delegates to Haiti, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, continues to monitor the progress of Hurricane Dean, and is expected to launch a regional emergency appeal.

Red Cross national societies throughout the Caribbean are responding to the affected areas. The St. Lucia Red Cross, Haitian Red Cross and Jamaican Red Cross mobilized all pre-positioned stocks of disaster relief supplies. The Mexican Red Cross has pre-positioned food parcels and relief supplies for 2,000 families and mobilized operational IT/telecommunications vehicles to the Yucatan Peninsula. Two local branches, Quintana Roo and Yucatan, are on high alert. The Mexican Red Cross activated and pre-deployed a national rapid intervention team composed of 150 volunteers specialized in search and rescue, emergency medical care, psychosocial support, damage assessment team, and mass scale distribution, and more than 250 volunteers are ready to be deployed, if needed. The Belize Red Cross has activated its Emergency Operations Center and remains in constant contact with the National Emergency Management Organization. Hundreds of disaster-trained volunteers are on standby, and the Belize Red Cross has deployed volunteers to shelters to provide first aid.

Finding Missing Loved Ones

The Red Cross Societies in countries affected by Hurricane Dean are still fully engaged in emergency relief operations and have not indicated their capacity to accept disaster welfare inquiries. For inquiries about relatives living in hurricane-affected areas who are not U.S. citizens, encourage the members of your community to keep calling or try contacting other family members who live nearby. Inquiries concerning U.S. citizens living or traveling in the Caribbean should be referred to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Service, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.

Before disaster strikes, take time to create a family communications plan and complete an emergency contact card for all family members. Planning ahead is the best way to stay connected when disaster strikes. However, if you are separated from or cannot locate loved ones in the aftermath of a disaster, the Safe and Well List Web site also can be used as a resource when normal communications are disrupted.

	Visit Safe and Well List Web site to:
	Report your own status   Search for a loved one
	Visit the "Get Prepared Family Disaster Planning" section to learn how to make a Family Communications plan
	Download an American Red Cross Emergency Contact Card

How to Support the Relief Efforts

Become A Volunteer
Contact your local Red Cross chapter regarding local opportunities to help at home, or visit VolunteerMatch to become a Red Cross volunteer. Well-meaning individuals are urged not to report directly to the affected areas.
	Visit VolunteerMatch.org

Inquiries Media or Public

Additional Resources

	CruzRojaAmericana.org: Spanish-Language Web site for the American Red Cross
	National Weather Service