In the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, service members and their families living in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have been impacted and may be displaced from their homes. Access to emergency response resources can make a critical difference for those impacted by the hurricanes and providers should encourage service members, veterans and military families to leverage all available resources.

General Hurricane Assistance and Information

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Registration: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or 1-800-621-3362 (en espanol)

  • FEMA App: https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app

• Red Cross (en espanol)

• National Hurricane Center (en español)

• USA.gov Hurricane Recovery Resources

• Department of Homeland Security Twitter

Military-specific Information and Resources

• Tricare
  • Information regarding emergency prescription refills and the process for getting a referral requirement waived

• Military One Source

• Defense Department News Special Reports

  • Hurricane Maria Disaster Relief

  • Hurricane Irma Disaster Relief

  • Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief

  • National Preparedness Month Information

  • DoD Twitter

• Red Cross for Military Families (en español)

  • Financial Assistance

• The American Legion's Family Support Network

• American Bar Association Military Pro Bono Center

• Ready Military Family Preparedness

• How to Locate Loved Ones Impacted by Hurricane Maria

Air Force Resources

• Ready Air Force

• Air Force Aid Society

• Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System

Army Resources

• Army OneSource online

• Army Emergency Relief

• Army Reserve - Fort Family Outreach and Support

• Army Disaster Personnel Accountability and Assessment System (ADPAAS)

  • Army Info Hotline: 1-800-833-6622

Navy / Marine Corps Resources

• Ready Navy

• Ready Marines

• Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

  • Facebook page

• Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS)

Coast Guard Resources

• Coast Guard Mutual Assistance

Veteran-specific Resources

• Department of Veterans Affairs Facebook Page

• Department of Veterans Affairs Twitter Page

• VA Blog: “Hurricane Irma and Maria Updates”

• VA Blog: “VA Continues to Provide Benefits and Services in the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey”

For updates for the following VA facilities visit their websites:

• VA Caribbean Health System

• Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center – Houston, Texas

• VA Texas Valley Coastal Blend Health Care System

• South Texas Veterans Health Care System

• Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System

Child-focused Resources

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Resources for Hurricane Harvey

• American Psychological Association: Tornados, Hurricanes, and Children

• Sesame Street Emergency Toolkit (en espanol)

• American Academy of Pediatrics: Responding to Children's Emotional Needs During Times of Crisis

Information for Psychological Health Providers

Following natural disasters of this magnitude, it is common (and normal) to experience a whirlwind of emotions. People may report feeling emotionally overwhelmed, shocked, helpless or “numb.” Others will report that they are easily distracted, very fatigued or experience intrusive or repeated images of what they have seen. These responses are to be expected and for many, the symptoms will fade with time. If symptoms do not fade within several weeks or begin to contribute to unhealthy coping responses, professional help may be needed.

For now, providers should focus on immediate assistance, which may take the form of psychological first aid. Consult these resources for more information on post-disaster psychological health support:

• National Center for PTSD Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide

• American Red Cross: Recovering Emotionally

• American Psychology Association: Managing Stress After Hurricanes

• Disaster Behavioral Health Resources

Dr. Holly N. O’Reilly is a clinical psychologist and evidence-based practice subject matter expert at the Deployment Health Clinical Center. Her specialties include the consequences of traumatic exposure as well as gender studies