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Goleta nonprofit also sends aid to South Carolina as Hurricane Ian heads north BREA BURKHOLZ/DIRECT RELIEF PHOTOSShipments of medical aid depart Wednesday for multiple health facilities across Florida from Direct Relief in Goleta.
More FedEx trucks came Thursday to Direct Relief in Goleta to pick up urgent medical aid for Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
The nonprofit has sent 14 shipments this week to Florida, Tony Morain, Direct Relief’s vice president for communications, told the News-Press.
“We pre-positioned medical aid in 12 sites around Florida. As the hurricane was making its approach, we were reaching out to our contacts — pharmacies and health centers — to offer additional assistance,” Mr. Morain said.
Hurricane Ian is expected to make its second U.S. landfall tonight near Charleston, S.C.
And Direct Relief is lending a hand again.
Medical aid, which includes everything from insulin to antibiotics, is stacked inside the Direct Relief warehouse in Goleta.“We have pre-positioned medicine in South Carolina,” Mr. Morain said. “We are in touch with health care centers and clinics throughout the state.”
In addition, Direct Relief sent one shipment this week to South Carolina, Mr. Morain said.
He explained the medical aid for Florida and South Carolina includes antibiotics, insulin, hygiene products, hypertension medication and naloxone, which is used to treat opioid overdoses.
He added that Direct Relief is prepared to send battery- and solar-powered power generators to health centers that request them.
“Obviously the needs are vast,” Mr. Morain said. “I think the medicines we’re providing will help hundreds of patients potentially and certain help facilities maintain their operations throughout this emergency.
“Health centers and clinics are relied upon by the people most vulnerable to emergencies like this,” he said. “Making sure they have what they need is critical.”
Mr. Morain said the emergency shipments benefitted from Direct Relief’s experience with its regular, non-emergency shipments to Florida.
For more information, go to www.directrelief.org.
email: dmason@newspress.com
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