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Tag: Disaster Recovery

  • 28 Floridians rescued from Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa’s devastation

    TOPSHOT - An aerial view seen October 29, 2025 shows the destroyed Black River Market and surrounding buildings following the passage the previous day of Hurricane Melissa in Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa bore down on the Bahamas October 29 after cutting a path of destruction through the Caribbean, leaving 30 people dead or missing in Haiti and parts of Jamaica and Cuba in ruins. Somewhat weakened but still threatening, Melissa will bring damaging winds and flooding rains to the Bahamas Wednesday before moving on to Bermuda late Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images)

    TOPSHOT – An aerial view seen October 29, 2025 shows the destroyed Black River Market and surrounding buildings following the passage the previous day of Hurricane Melissa in Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa bore down on the Bahamas October 29 after cutting a path of destruction through the Caribbean, leaving 30 people dead or missing in Haiti and parts of Jamaica and Cuba in ruins. Somewhat weakened but still threatening, Melissa will bring damaging winds and flooding rains to the Bahamas Wednesday before moving on to Bermuda late Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images)


    RICARDO MAKYN

    AFP via Getty Images

    As Jamaica slowly recovers from the most catastrophic hurricane to hit the country, more than two dozen Floridians stranded there have been rescued and returned home Saturday afternoon, officials said.

    Hurricane Melissa killed at least 19 people in Jamaica and left thousands in the country without power, water or internet. It leveled entire neighborhoods, including multiple hospitals. Amongst the wreckage, 28 Floridians were caught in the storm and left stranded.

    READ MORE: Jamaica death toll at least 19 but expected to rise. U.S. sending helicopters to help

    Around 3 p.m. Saturday, Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X that a rescue flight had landed in Tampa with those Floridians who had been in Jamaica. The Florida Division of Emergency Management and other officials have been devising a plan to rescue the 28 since they learned of their presence in Jamaica on Thursday.

    Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the town of New Hope on the southwestern tip of Jamaica.

    READ MORE: Hurricane Melissa aftermath: Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti facing economic losses, more hardship

    The hurricane also ravished Haiti and Cuba. The death toll in Haiti climbed to at least 30 people with 20 more still missing. Melissa doused the region with rain, submerging farms and triggering fatal floods.

    While no deaths have been reported in Cuba, 735,000 people were evacuated before Melissa hit five provinces that exposed more than 3 million people to deadly conditions.

    READ MORE: Hurricane Melissa’s death toll in Haiti climbs to 30; another 20 are missing

    Devoun Cetoute

    Miami Herald

    Miami Herald Cops and Breaking News Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers a plethora of Florida topics, from breaking news to crime patterns. He was on the breaking news team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. He’s a graduate of the University of Florida, born and raised in Miami-Dade. Theme parks, movies and cars are on his mind in and out of the office.

    Devoun Cetoute

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  • RENFROE CEO Appointed to Disaster Recovery Coalition of America Board of Directors

    Appointment of major claims management and technology solutions company chief executive will help increase collaboration between the insurance claims industry and the emergency management community.


    BIRMINGHAM, Ala., October 30, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    RENFROE, a leading claims solutions and technology company, today announced that CEO Austin Renfroe has been appointed to the board of directors of the Disaster Recovery Coalition of America (DRCA). The appointment was confirmed earlier this month at the DRCA’s annual board meeting.

    DRCA, a national coalition dedicated to strengthening disaster response, recovery, and resilience, welcomed Austin Renfroe as its newest board member following a unanimous vote. The addition fills the sole vacancy on the board, reflecting the coalition’s commitment to expanding collaboration between the claims industry and emergency management professionals.

    “I’m honored to join the DRCA board and look forward to leveraging RENFROE’s technology and deep experience in the insurance industry to strengthen disaster response, recovery, and resilience,” said Renfroe. “I’m excited to collaborate with fellow board members and partners nationwide to advance our shared mission.”

    The DRCA board includes leaders from across the disaster recovery and emergency management sectors. Austin Renfroe’s appointment is expected to foster new partnerships and drive innovation in disaster recovery practices.

    For more information about DRCA, visit https://www.thedrca.org.

    About RENFROE

    RENFROE is a full-service claims management and workforce solutions company with over 28,000 seasonal and full-time employees focused on providing turnkey staffing and technology solutions to the insurance industry. RENFROE is an industry leader and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Inc. 5000 (2023 – #34 in Insurance), America’s Greatest Workplaces (2025, 2023), Newsweek America’s Most Admired Workplaces (2026, 2025), and Newsweek America’s Greatest Workplaces for Gen Z (2025), among others. RENFROE has responded to more than 30 major hurricanes, thousands of severe weather events, dozens of wildfires, and several manmade disasters such as oil spills, explosions, and product recalls. Founded in 1994, RENFROE is proud to be family-owned, privately held, and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, with a nationwide workforce.

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    Source: RENFROE

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  • Discovery Senior Living Rallies & Hand Delivers Crucial Supplies for Hurricane Ida Victims

    Discovery Senior Living Rallies & Hand Delivers Crucial Supplies for Hurricane Ida Victims

    Team members from across the senior living provider organization quickly amassed thousands in donated items, and volunteers personally drove two truckloads of food, water, portable air conditioners and emergency supplies to one of the hardest-hit parts of Louisiana.

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Oct 1, 2021


    BONITA SPRINGS, Fla., October 1, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    The Discovery Senior Living organization has collected and team members personally delivered two truckloads full of much-needed food and personal care items, water and emergency supplies for those affected by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana.

    Led by New Orleans native Cassidy Kramer, who serves as Business Development Specialist at Discovery Commons At Bradenton (FL), the company’s relief efforts produced in just a few days stockpiles of essentials like food and water, blankets and baby items, tools, tarps and emergency supplies. Kramer was also able to secure a sizable donation of clothing, cleaning supplies and portable air conditioning units from her community’s local partner, the Manatee County School District.

    The senior living provider’s Discovery Makes a Difference charitable arm then covered 100% of the truck rental and transportation costs, and over the Labor Day weekend, Kramer and her husband, Steve, drove the two, supply-filled trucks from the Discovery corporate headquarters in Bonita Springs to The Cross Church in Terrebonne Parrish, Louisiana, where they distributed food and supplies to area residents. The trip later concluded with a stop at The Trace Assisted Living and Memory Care community in Covington, where team members in need were given food, water and other necessities. The Trace is now hosting several of its own team members whose homes were destroyed by Ida.  

    “This whole thing started off as just filling up my SUV with emergency supplies, but that quickly changed,” said Kramer, who expressed gratitude and satisfaction for being able to help struggling families, but also emphasized the need for more generators, air conditioners, gas, bottled water, cleaning supplies and toiletries to help those impacted.

    “Pictures don’t do justice to the devastation,” she said. “The town, like many others, is completely destroyed and unrecognizable, and electrical service is not expected to be restored until early October, at best.”

    Generous monetary contributions from Discovery team members and their families have already exceeded $7,000, with CEO Richard Hutchinson personally matching that amount. Kramer is leading ongoing efforts to allocate thousands in remaining, new funds to procure and deliver additional relief items to the area. 

    Headquartered in Florida, Discovery Senior Living currently owns and operates a portfolio of more than 70 communities in 15 states.

    About Discovery Senior Living

    Discovery Senior Living is a family of companies that includes Discovery Management Group, Morada Senior Living, Discovery Development Group, Discovery Design Concepts, Discovery Marketing Group, and Discovery At Home, a Medicare-certified home healthcare company. With almost three decades of experience, the award-winning management group has been developing, building, marketing, and operating upscale senior-living communities across the United States. By leveraging its innovative “Experiential Living” philosophy across a growing portfolio of almost 12,000 existing homes or homes under development, Discovery Senior Living is a recognized industry leader for lifestyle customization and, today, ranks among the 10 largest U.S. senior living operators and providers.

    Media Inquiries:

    Heidi LaVanway, Vice President of Marketing

    HLaVanway@DiscoveryMGT.com | 239.301.5330

    Source: Discovery Senior Living

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