Have you been affected by a hurricane, flood or wildfire? Tell us your story
This story was produced in partnership with Columbia Journalism Investigations, the Center for Public Integrity, The State, The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. Read the Spanish version here. Lea la versión en español aquí.
Every year, weather-related disasters ravage communities across the United States, creating scenes traumatic and, increasingly, familiar.
In recent years in South Carolina, catastrophic hurricanes have dumped record rainfall, caused billions of dollars in damage and prompted hundreds of thousands to evacuate.
Similar weather-related disasters ravage communities across the United States, creating scenes traumatic and, increasingly, familiar. Deadly firestorms throughout the West. Historic floods in the Farm Belt.
Since 2010, the U.S. has had 37 wildfires, hurricanes and floods, each causing at least a billion dollars in damage. That’s more than any previous decade since 1980, when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration started tallying the events.
These disasters take a toll on mental health. Scientists say rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, skyrocket following disasters. One survey of Hurricane Katrina survivors found that a third had mood disorders, and suicidal thoughts more than doubled. Six months after Hurricane Maria, 40 percent of Puerto Ricans showed signs of PTSD, another survey estimated. Many scientific studies suggest similar outcomes after individual wildfires and floods.
Still, little is known about how widespread these issues may be, or how effectively federal, state and local agencies respond to the mental health needs of disaster survivors. There’s even less information about how the spread of the new coronavirus affects people who’ve lived through previous disasters.
That’s why we want to hear your story.
The State, The Island Packet, Beaufort Gazette and local newsrooms across the country are partnering with the Center for Public Integrity and Columbia Journalism Investigations to look at the mental health needs of disaster survivors and how the government is responding.
Did you weather Hurricane Matthew or Tropical Storm Irma or face flooding during Hurricane Florence? Are you still trying to rebuild your life after a natural disaster? How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your efforts?
If you have been affected by a wildfire, hurricane or flood in the last 10 years, or if you are a mental health professional studying disasters or working with survivors in that period, you can help by filling out the form below. A better understanding of disaster impacts could assist public and private entities preparing for and responding to future emergencies.
• This survey will take about 15 minutes.
• You can choose to allow a reporter to contact you.
• We will not publish what you tell us in this survey without your permission. All personal information is confidential.
If you have been emotionally affected by a disaster and wish to seek confidential support, you can call the federal Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 and speak with a professional trained in crisis counseling.
Dean Russell is a reporting fellow for Columbia Journalism Investigations, one of the The State, Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette’s partners for this project.
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 9:13 AM.
