Posts Tagged ‘hurricane’

From the Road – Galveston Visit – Part 1

Posted on August 28th, 2009 by Niki M.
Niki2

Niki M. is a VSP Mobile Clinic Operations Manager.

With just a few weeks short of the one year anniversary to our nation’s 3rd most destructive hurricane, I had the honor to return to Galveston, TX  this week.  Hurricane Ike is estimated to have caused $24 billion in damage and devastated a majority of the city and all of our Galveston VSP doctor’s offices.

Last year, SeeZar, our first mobile clinic, responded within one week  when Ike touched down on September 13 as a category 2 hurricane. We sent a great group of VSP mobile response team members to staff the mobile clinic for a little over 6 weeks of disaster relief.  I was one of those staff members and spent over 4 weeks there.  There were many amazing, heartbreaking, emotional stories we heard from people in the community of how they lost their homes, pets, and even sometimes family members.  I had never been a part of a natural disaster, so not only was it an experience that I will never forget, but it also gave me a whole new appreciation for life and those I love.

Galveston 1

A VSP doctor's office devastated from Hurricane Ike.

We made many good friends during that period of time, including our VSP doctors in the area, all of whom our hearts still go out to.  There were 4 VSP doctor’s offices that were either flooded (some with 6 feet of water!) or had trees fall into their buildings, caved-in roofs, or other major damage that left them unable to work until repaired.  Most offices had to be completely gutted and rebuilt from scratch.  One of the great things that VSP does with our community outreach program is pay the doctors to work on the mobile clinics during disasters, so they are able to make money while the work to get back to business as usual.

During natural disasters,  it is important to VSP, not only give out free exams and glasses, but also help our doctors in need.

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Niki with Drs. Matocha and Ullman and staff.

We had the honor of working side by side with many of these great doctors in Galveston.  Dr. Ngala, Dr. Juarez, Dr. Matocha, Dr. Ullman, and Dr. Zein-Eldin were a few of the doctors that we were able to work with.  Naturally, working with these doctors 6 days a week, for 8 – 12 hours a day, seeing up to 65 patients per day, we created a bond.

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File under: Disaster Relief | Tagged: , , , , , , ,
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Mobile Clinic Sees Final Hurricane Ike Patient

Posted on November 7th, 2008 by Rob L.

After nearly two months of providing disaster relief to survivors of Hurricane Ike in Texas, VSP’s mobile clinic saw its final patient in Galveston, Texas on October 28th. Serving Houston and Galveston, the mobile clinic and the 12 doctors who worked aboard it saw 1,198 patients in total. The crew on the ground has informed us that while some portions of the island remain badly damaged, improvements are beginning to take place. However, a massive recovery and rebuilding effort will be necessary before anything in Galveston can return to some sort of normal. The American Red Cross and other charitable organizations have left Galveston as well, and now government agencies remain to continue helping those still in need.

Although our mobile clinic has left the area, VSP is continuing to provide assistance. We are working with charitable organizations in Galveston to provide vouchers for eyecare and eyewear as well as lists of VSP provider locations to those in need. Many of our doctors still face the challenge of fixing their damaged homes and practices, or in some instances, rebuilding their entire practice from the ground up. We will continue to monitor the needs of our doctors, and all of those affected by Hurricane Ike.

I would like to thank the selfless and tireless efforts of our doctors in the devastated areas, as well as VSP employees who worked with our dedicated mobile clinics team in Texas. It is my hope that our involvement in the hurricane relief efforts has helped provide some level comfort and reprieve to those affected by this storm.

- Rob

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Hurricane Ike Relief: VSP in Galveston, TX

Posted on October 15th, 2008 by Rob L.

After getting into Galveston Island to provide relief services, our mobile clinics team and the Red Cross determined that only one of our clinics would be needed there. The other mobile clinic is currently having some much-needed repair work done and will then proceed with various events that were planned before Hurricane Ike hit.

On another note, many of the doctors we have been able to reach expect to be back in their offices by the end of October or early November. Our doctors and staff have seen over 500 patients aboard the mobile clinic since arriving in Texas and will remain stationed in Galveston through the end of this month.

-Rob

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VSP to Provide Relief to Ike Victims Through October

Posted on October 2nd, 2008 by Rob L.

Here’s a quick update from the front lines of the Hurricane Ike relief efforts:

Galveston Island, one of the areas most severely battered by Hurricane Ike, will soon open up to relief efforts. Currently, our mobile clinic is still serving those in the Houston area, but will join up with the second clinic in Galveston and begin seeing patients there around October 10th.

The population of Galveston is around 57,000 and officials expect 40,000 of them to return next week. The need is so great in the affected areas, that we expect the mobile clinics team to be deployed until at least the end of October and possibly longer.

VSP has been in touch with 3 of the 4 doctors in Galveston and unfortunately all of them have suffered significant damage, but are looking forward to joining us aboard both mobile clinics once they arrive.

To date, we have been over 300 patients and we have shipped 20 boxes of supplies for the team to take to Galveston.

- Rob

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Hurricane Ike: VSP’s Relief Efforts Continue

Posted on September 26th, 2008 by Rob L.

VSP’s mobile clinics team continues to help those in need at the disaster recovery center in Houston. The center holds about 1600 evacuees, many of them now homeless. In addition to receiving a hot meal and a place to rest for a night, evacuees are also able to access the medical services offered, including their eyecare needs that we are happy to provide. 

So far, our doctors and staff have seen nearly 180 patients, and the need continues to grow. VSP will also be sending our second and newest mobile clinic to Houston to join the team as conditions permit. We will then work with our friends at the Red Cross and other relief organizations to determine if both clinics will be moving on to Galveston, or splitting up to serve two different locations.

 - Rob

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Update on VSP Response to Hurricane Ike

Posted on September 23rd, 2008 by Rob L.

The mobile clinic team finished their first day of exams yesterday, seeing as many patients as they could before learning their location was changing. Today the clinic is moving to the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Houston, and will begin seeing patients there tomorrow. The plan is to stay in the greater Houston area for the next couple of weeks and work with the Red Cross to determine which shelters and recovery centers we can best serve. Dana Rainosek of VSP Legends Lab spent yesterday visiting doctors in the surrounding areas to check on their needs and also inform them of mobile clinic activities.

Here’s a quick recap of the mobile clinic team’s efforts:

  • 21 patients were given exams on Monday
  • 50 vouchers were also given to those in need
  • After Houston, the mobile clinic team will move to Galveston as soon as conditions permit

More updates to come Friday.

- Rob

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VSP Mobilizing to Provide Relief to Hurricane Ike Victims

Posted on September 19th, 2008 by Rob L.

One of VSP’s mobile clinics has arrived in Houston, Texas to provide much needed vision services to those affected by Hurricane Ike. Three VSP doctors who have practices that were damaged will be working with our volunteers aboard the mobile clinic to provide eye exams, glasses and materials, and assist in treating eye injuries caused by the storm. Our disaster relief team is currently working to secure locations with the American Red Cross and will be seeing patients by Monday. The University of Houston College of Optometry will also be working with us in their mobile clinic to help accommodate those in need.

After Houston, the mobile clinic will establish a presence in Galveston and Beaumont.

We are also still reaching out to VSP doctors in the surrounding areas to monitor the status of their practices and assess any damages they have sustained.

Here is some additional information on VSP’s relief efforts:

  • Our mobile clinic will remain in Texas for at least 14 -17 days, at which point we will determine if we need to provide support beyond that time frame.
  • VSP employees are donating supplies such as diapers, infant formula, baby wipes, sunscreen and insect repellant to be distributed to evacuees.
  • We have reached out to 602 VSP doctors in the affected areas and have learned that 10 practices have sustained significant damage.

More updates to come next week.

Rob

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VSP Responds to Hurricane Ike

Posted on September 15th, 2008 by Rob L.

We want to do everything we can to help those affected by Hurricane Ike.

We’re working directly with our network of eye doctors and business partners to assess the situation and meet the eyecare needs of all those directly affected by the hurricane.

Any VSP member who loses or breaks eyewear, needs contact lens replacements or an eye exam due to the hurricane, can get them replaced at a minimal cost. Please call 800.877.7195 for more information. Non-VSP members can request a VSP eyecare voucher from the American Red Cross.

We have reached out to 392 VSP doctors in 229 offices to get a better assessment of the damage.  I’ll provide another update later in the week.

 

Rob

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VSP Assists Those Affected by the Southern Tornadoes

Posted on February 11th, 2008 by Rob L.

VSP’s Disaster Relief Team is responding to help those affected by the recent wave of tornadoes in the South. Similar to our work for the Southern California fires, we are working directly with our network of eye doctors and business partners to assess the situation and meet the eyecare needs of all those affected by the tornadoes.

Here’s what we are doing:

  • Any VSP member who loses or breaks eyewear, needs contact lens replacements or an eye exam due to the tornadoes, can get them replaced at a minimal cost. Please call 800.877.7195 for more information.  Non-VSP members can request a VSP eyecare voucher from the American Red Cross.
  • We’ve shipped needed eyecare supplies including eyeglass repair kits, lens cleaning cloths, and backpacks directly to the evacuated areas. We’ll distribute at evacuation centers and in various neighborhoods to families that are staying with their belongings.
  • Our mobile response team will be distributing items in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky.
  • To ensure that those most in need continue to have access to eyecare during this crisis, we’re continuing to work closely with more than 1,000 VSP doctors in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and related state optometric associations.

As thousands of Americans are putting the pieces back together, we’re here to help.

Related Links:

American Red Cross

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