Late on Wednesday night, Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton hit land near Siesta Key, Florida, causing catastrophic damage to many gulf and inland towns across Florida and affecting families across the country. 

While Concordia University may be separated by thousands of miles from the dangers of Hurricane Milton, some students are still affected by the storm’s aftermath. The family of junior, Rebekah Michel, is currently living in Palm Coast, Florida and they were impacted by Hurricane Milton. Days before the hurricane reached landfall, local and national weather stations announced storm warnings and various counties began issuing evacuation notices to Floridian residents.

“Thankfully, my family did not have to evacuate. However, many other neighborhoods in my family's county did have to evacuate as they were closer to the ocean and were in danger of storm surge,” Michel said. 

Warnings were sent out to prepare Floridians for potential property damage, power outages and health and safety concerns. In a report by CBS News, Hurricane Milton was initially forecasted as a Category 5 storm, but was later downgraded to a Category 3 storm by the time it hit land. This downgrade did not lessen the danger of Hurricane Milton however; according to the National Hurricane Center, Category 3 hurricanes are still considered life-threatening and can cause a substantial amount of damage due to the massive flooding and intense wind speeds the storms can produce. 

Aside from the concerns about life and property, other reasons for evacuation included a limited supply of necessities like food, drinking water and gasoline as well as the chance of long-term loss of power. “Living in Florida required my parents to invest in a generator that would help to recover power and electricity due to a hurricane,” Michel said. In preparation for a hurricane, Michel said “it’s also important to stock up on bottled water and non-perishable food items.”

To aid the communities affected by Hurricane Milton, students at Concordia can offer support in many ways. There are various disaster relief charity organizations to donate to, including American Red Cross, Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Global Giving. For Michel, donating to animal relief funds is an important and often overlooked aspect of a hurricane’s aftermath. “Oftentimes, animals can be subject to being left behind during hurricanes. Giving a donation or providing supplies to a Florida animal shelter is a great way to aid animals who are at risk of being left behind,” said Michel.

To support on-campus individuals who have been affected by Hurricane Milton, students can offer care by reaching out to let them know they can talk about their current stress levels and mental well-being. Vincent Nunez, Clinical Supervisor of the Wellness Center Counseling & Psychological Services, suggests simply being present for others during difficult times. “Don’t feel like you have to find a magic phrase that will make it all better. Simple words such as ‘I am here for you’ can mean the world to someone struggling,” Nunez said. 

Knowing about available resources can help mitigate feelings of distress. By finding student support groups or by visiting the Counseling Center, external stressors can become less overwhelming or upsetting. “Any amount of love or support that we can give to Milton victims from across the country means the world to people in Florida,” Michel said.

For help managing natural disaster-related stress levels, or to find or begin a support group, contact the Wellness Center’s counseling services. For more information on how to offer aid in Hurricane Milton relief, go to charitynavigator.org  for a list of charity and volunteer organizations. 

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