Hurricane Ian Recovery

Hurricane Ian passed through Florida three weeks ago, but the lengthy recovery task will continue in the days, weeks and months ahead.

It has been nearly two weeks since Hurricane Ian made its devastating landfall in southwest Florida, and volunteers with Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and 16 other state conventions, alongside local churches and pastors, have committed to serving for as long as there is a need.

As Hurricane Ian rolled in Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 28, Wade Harmon was on the fifth floor of the Larsen Health Center Nursing in Fort Myers where his wife was working.

Ron Tipton answers the ring on his cell phone. It’s a familiar sound that beckons his attention every 10 minutes or so. On the other end of the line is a woman in need.

As Hurricane Ian’s storm surge is receding and the winds are subsiding, First Baptist Church Naples is just getting started.

The Western Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief team along with Send Relief, Florida Baptists and other partners are responding to the devastation left as the eye of Hurricane Ian passed over Cuba Sept. 27.

A week ago, Marta Ramirez was settling into her new home in Port Charlotte, a harborside town in southwest Florida. Friday, she was picking up the pieces of what was left after the wrath of Hurricane Ian tore through the community Sept. 28.

As Florida residents begin the arduous and heartbreaking task of recovery from Hurricane Ian, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, representing eight Baptist state conventions, has established nine feeding and clean-up sites in five Florida counties.