The residents of Broward County are still recovering after a historic amount of rain flooded roads and homes, stranded drivers, closed schools, and shut down the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport about two weeks ago. The massive storm brought over 25 inches of rain and provided conditions for two short-lived tornadoes. The Red Cross responded by opening a shelter to house displaced residents, setting up comfort stations, and feeding the affected communities.

As of April 25, the Red Cross had provided 574 overnight stays for more than 133 residents, served over 20,620 meals and snacks, and distributed 5,520 relief items, including comfort kits and other supplies, to people in need. Over 110 trained Red Cross disaster workers, including ten volunteers trained to support health and mental health services, raised their hand to help and showed up to care for displaced residents who had nowhere else to go. I spoke with shelter residents about what it means for the Red Cross to provide a safe place to stay after experiencing this historic event.

Sean and Anne-Lise Phillips and their dog, Chanel

Sean Phillips and his 83-year-old mother, Anne-Lise, have lived in the Edgewood neighborhood for over twenty years. They’ve experienced some flooding, as is customary during the rainy season in South Florida but have never experienced flooding to this magnitude.

On the evening on April 12, Sean was sitting in a chair with his legs propped up and suddenly started to feel his pants get wet. When he looked around, water had begun to seep into his room through the door and didn’t stop. “I knew it was bad at 11 o’clock at night. At 11 p.m., I said Oh, this is not good. It was to a point where it was getting scary,” he said. He moved Anne-Lise to higher ground in the living room, but even the makeshift bed had started floating. At one point, he noticed that the water was about three inches from the bottom of the windows in the house. With nowhere to go, they spent the night in their living room.

In the morning, Sean ventured outside for help. “The water was higher in the house,” he said. He eventually found a Broward Fire Rescue team in a swamp buggy and gave them his address. The rescue team was on their way to retrieve a family with kids and promised to pick up Anne-Lise after. By the time Sean waded back to the house, the rescue team was there and helping Anne-Lise to evacuate. They were both taken to a nearby Winn-Dixie before being transported to the Red Cross shelter at Holiday Park.

“Everyone here has been as nice as can be,” said Anne-Lise. Sean and Anne-Lise were some of the first people to arrive at the shelter. They appreciate having a place to stay since their home is now unlivable. Sean recently went back to check on the house, and there was still about four inches of standing water left, and he told us the stench was horrible. “This was a learning experience for me… I took for granted the Red Cross. I thought it was more of a government thing. I had no idea this is actually good people out there getting donations from other good people. I didn’t realize this is how it worked until I saw it here,” he said.

In their rush to leave the house, Sean grabbed Anne-Lise’s purse, some important documents, and a leash for their nine-year-old dog, Chanel. Sean said there has been “no shortage of dog food. They have doggie bowls. That was important. I never even thought about that. All these little things you don’t think you need; the Red Cross has been on point with it. We appreciate it.”

“I was overwhelmed with the interest they took in people. How caring these people are. It’s amazing and wonderful to see,” said Anne-Lise of the volunteers who have been staffing the shelter.

Nicholas Bonfanti and his macaw, Mr. Hemingway

“The Red Cross saved my life,” said Nicholas Bonfanti. After a harrowing experience escaping the flood waters that rushed into his home, Nicholas is grateful to have a safe, dry place for himself and his 23-year-old Harlequin macaw, Mr. Hemingway. Nicholas is originally from New York and recently relocated to the Edgewood neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale for a “simpler, warmer life.”

“Giving back is the only logical thing to do,” said Nicholas. Grateful for the help and support he has received at the Red Cross shelter, Nicolas said he would like to volunteer his time and give back to the Red Cross in appreciation for everything they have done for him and his best friend, Mr. Hemingway.

Maxine Davis

“They are the glue holding me together,” said Maxine Davis. Maxine told us of the volunteers at the Holiday Park shelter who have gone above and beyond for her, some going so far as to bring her meals and snacks to her cot each day.

Maxine has been staying at the Red Cross since the day after the historic floods in Broward County. She recalls stepping onto her bedroom floor and feeling water under her feet. She thought an open water bottle must have fallen and spilled. She was shocked when she realized that water from the rainstorm was pouring into her home.

Maxine stayed in her home as the storm raged overnight. When she emerged in the morning, she flagged down a Fire Rescue vehicle which brought her to the Red Cross shelter. Water was up to her ankles in the house, but she grabbed photo albums, important documents, paperwork to show she had just replaced her roof, and some clothes she had bought the previous day that were still on hangars.

Maxine is originally from New York and moved to her home in River Bend in December 1992. Having never experienced a disaster of this nature, she was unsure what to expect at the shelter, but “it’s been paradise. The Red Cross gave me a dry bed, clothes, and shoes.”

In New York, Maxine was a fashion designer and created hand-knit and crotched garments for stars of her generation, like Bette Davis and Eartha Kitt. With no formal training or education, Maxine is a self-taught knitter who used her skills to become the first Black designer hired by Sears, Roebuck, and Co. and had her clothing featured on runways and in magazines such as Essence. Long retired, Maxine continues to crotchet and design for her family, friends, and present-day celebrities. On her own accord, she crotched an American flag throw sent to then-President Barack Obama as a parting gift before leaving office and created a one-of-a-kind holiday stocking for Oprah. She hopes that once her home is repaired, she can continue to do what she loves. “Once I get back on my feet, I want to give back to all the charities who have helped me. To all the people who came to my rescue,” Maxine said.

The flooding in Broward County is an important reminder to be prepared for disasters big and small. Anyone can prepare by taking three simple actions:

GET A KIT. Your emergency kit should contain supplies for at least three days, including a gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit, medications, and copies of important documents. Don’t forget to grab items like diapers for young children and any supplies for family members with special medical needs. Learn more: redcross.org/kit.

MAKE A PLAN. Make sure to plan what to do in case you are separated from your family during an emergency and what to do if you must evacuate. Coordinate your plan with your child’s school, your work and your community’s emergency plan. Include your pets in your emergency plans. Remember, if you and your family need to evacuate, so does your pet. It’s important to plan to know which pet-friendly hotels are in your area, and where your pets can stay in an emergency situation. Find full details and easy-to-use plan templates here.

BE INFORMED.  Be informed about what disasters or emergencies may occur where you live, work and play, and how to respond as safely as possible. Find out how local officials will contact you during a disaster and how you will get important information. Take a first aid, CPR and AED course, so you’ll know what to do in case help is delayed. Learn how to get fully informed about emergencies here.

For more information and preparedness tips, visit redcross.org/prepare. 

Written by Stephanie Wesseling, American Red Cross Public Affairs