UofL steps up to help Hurricane Harvey victims

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, a number of UofL representatives have stepped up to help those affected the most. 

A blood drive, hosted by the Kentucky Blood Center, was set up at the Red Barn to help victims of the storm. 

[caption id="attachment_38121" align="alignleft" width="300"] The UofL Athletic Department tweeted out this photo of the shipment it is sending to Houston victims.[/caption]

UofL Athletics sent a large shipment of clothes, shoes, etc., after a call to action was sent via Twitter from University of Houston Basketball Coach Kelvin Sampson. Sampson asked the basketball community -- men's and women's teams from all over the country in every division -- to send school t-shirts and shoes. 

Also, the Southern Police Institute’s 138th Administrative Officers Course participants launched a personal collection for Texas first responders and purchased $500 worth of men and women’s underwear, t-shirts and socks. The Jeffersonville (Indiana) Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 100 added $1,000 dollars in gift cards to be used by those first responders in need of other items. 

Class members will ship these items to a Texas State Trooper, who lives in an unaffected area, and he will deliver the items to the command center in one of the devastated areas most in need.

The UofL Alumni Association sent more than three boxes of clothes and shoes to the University of Houston. 

[caption id="attachment_38133" align="alignleft" width="225"] Dr. Nash helps rehydrate a dog that has come into the shelter.[/caption]

Also, nursing faculty Dr. Whitney Hall Nash and Dr. Beverly Williams-Coleman headed to Houston a few days after the storm hit and are working in an ER alongside a local fire department and a shelter to provide some relief for medical staff. 

Finally, additional university assistance was provided to both Hurricanes Harvey and Irma by the KY Emergency Preparedness for Aging & Long Term Care Program at the Kent School of Social Work. This program is funded by a contract with the Kentucky Department for Public Health under funding from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (DHHS). The Kentucky Emergency Preparedness for Aging & Long Term Care Program is a first responder to the Preparedness Branch of the Kentucky Department for Public Health and, as such, compiles available nursing home and other long-term care bed counts as Kentucky has been on standby to receive evacuated patients airlifted by the National Disaster Medical System from hospitals in the impacted areas. Less acute patients in hospitals could be discharged to LTC or rehab beds to make room for hospitals to receive more acute evacuee patients. The KYEPA program operates  on a 24/7 readiness basis during emergency events in local, statewide and national events.