Columbus-area organizations look for ways to assist Hurricane Ida victims
When natural disaster strikes those outside of Ohio, local groups stand ready to assist.
Whether called for wildfires, earthquakes or power outages — and now Hurricane Ida, which was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday — teams from central Ohio have plans to respond.
Ohio Task Force 1 already has deployed 45 people to Louisiana as a Type III Urban Search & Rescue team.
A 16-person water rescue team and K-9 search crews have been sent, as well as water rescue equipment. The roster includes safety personnel from several central Ohio agencies.
The Salvation Army also stands ready, but has no plans to leave immediately, said Maj. Tricia Brennan, area coordinator. Typically, army staff nearest to the stricken area will respond first.
“We anticipate in the next few weeks having some of our teams to relieve those already there,” Brennan said.
The agency provides mobile kitchens and laundry services, along with tarps, personal supplies and emotional and counseling support, she said.
Scott Blake, spokesman for American Electric Power, said a meeting Monday afternoon would determine how much assistance, if any, is needed. They will also discuss keeping people closer to home for any storm or flooding issues coming this way.
“We do have meteorologists on staff, and they’ll give us their assessment of the storm’s path,” he said. “We keep enough people here that we’re able to service the area.”
Blake said that line workers and trucks could be headed to the Gulf Coast area.
But he added that until flood waters recede, restoring power can be challenging, if not impossible.
Some local agencies wait for larger national or international affiliates to request help before responding.
The Mid-ohio Food Collective works with Feeding America, a spokesman said. And churches such as Vineyard Columbus, are waiting for instructions on how to help from Convoy of Hope, an international humanitarian agency that already has trucks from elsewhere en route.
“We don’t know exactly,” said Amanda Maglish, church spokeswoman. “We want to do whatever we can.”
The Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Brook Endale contributed to this report dnarciso@dispatch.com @Deannarciso