outcomes (Kovaleski, 2017). Many potentially dangerous situations that arise before, during, and after a hurricane, and thankfully there are many organizations that seek to help. One of the largest relief efforts for hurricane Irma was the carried out by the federal government.
The military has a wide variety of responsibilities throughout the world, to include defense, projection of power, and disaster relief. The Army had made available 16,700 soldiers, 150 boats, 3,400 trucks, 680 generators, helicopters for rescue operations, as well as water resupply in the wake of hurricane Irma (Rempfer, 2017). Since there is a water sanitation issue and water restrictions following a hurricane, military personnel are often at community centers giving out water to help combat infectious diseases (Perez,
2017).
While similar to the Army, the National Guard is run on a state level versus the federal. The National Guard has many responsibilities to include serving as a militia for defense of their home state, deploying alongside regular Army units to defend federal interests overseas, and disaster relief. In the case of Irma, the Florida National Guard helped organize and expedite distribution of supplies (Buchannan, 2017). The expeditious delivery of water means those impacted have a reduced risk of coming in contact with contaminated water. The National Guard has a large impact on recovery from natural disasters, however they do not work alone.
The Red Cross is a large non-governmental organization that provides aid in the case of a disaster. They often work in tandem with federal, state, and local organizations to get aid to people who need it the most (Red Cross Response, 2017). For hurricane Irma, the Red Cross provided shelter for those displaced, provided food, distributed relief items, and provided healthcare for those affected (Red Cross Response, 2017). The Red Cross also provided water for those in need, which helps maintain the health of those negatively impacted by hurricane Irma. Federal level, state level, and non-governmental agencies work together in order to help those in need of disaster relief. Each level works together to bring the best level of care for the people negatively impacted. As described, each level seeks to get water to the people, since it is a necessity of life and a way to avoid infectious diseases spreading. If the disaster is bad enough, the national guard will have control under the governor, and will direct goods to where they see fit.