Speeches Shim
Caribbean Hurricanes
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As the world's humanitarian leader, the United States remains committed to providing life- saving assistance when a disaster strikes. In response to three back-to-back major hurricanes – Irma, Jose, and Maria – that struck the Caribbean region during the catastrophic 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to provide immediate humanitarian assistance in close coordination with local authorities and humanitarian organizations on the ground.
How You Can Help
The best way to help those affected by a disaster overseas is to make a monetary donation to a reputable humanitarian organization working in the disaster zone.
As a U.S. government agency, USAID does not accept donations for its crisis response effort. If you wish to donate, you can contribute to the Hurricane Irma Relief Fund at GlobalGiving or to one of the organizations listed below:
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U.S. Response to Caribbean Hurricanes Infographic 
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USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to respond to three back-to-back major hurricanes – Irma, Jose, and Maria – that struck the Caribbean region during the catastrophic 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The DART – which at its height comprised 54 people – remained flexible and nimble to respond to changing humanitarian needs, with disaster experts deployed to 11 countries over the course of the month-long response. In addition, USAID airlifted more than 185 metric tons of relief supplies, which helped an estimated 83,800 people.
On September 12, USAID/OFDA supported the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (GoCB) National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to transport emergency relief supplies from The Bahamas’ capital city of Nassau to the southern Bahamas’ hurricane-affected Acklins, Crooked, and Inagua islands.
On September 13, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green spoke by phone with the Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ronald Plasterk, to offer condolences and reiterate the United States' support for the people of Sint Maarten as they face the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
On September 12, nine USAID regional Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) staff arrived on the island of St. Martin—comprising Saint-Martin, a French overseas collectivity, and Sint Maarten, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands—to assess hurricane-related damages and coordinate U.S. Government (USG) response efforts. Initial DART reports confirmed extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure on the island. Approximately 91 percent of buildings in Sint Maarten sustained damage due to the effects of Hurricane Irma, according to a September 12 assessment by the Netherlands and Sint Maarten Red Cross Societies.
On September 11, three members of the USAID regional Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) arrived on the island of Antigua to conduct damage and needs assessments in Antigua and Barbuda and lead the U.S. Government (USG) response, in coordination with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda (GoAB), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), and other relief stakeholders.
The below is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Clayton M. McCleskey:
On September 11, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green spoke on the phone with the UK Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel. Administrator Green reiterated U.S. support for the people of the Caribbean, and he extended his thoughts and prayers to the people of the Caribbean British overseas territories.
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