Global Support and Development

Disaster response to hurricane beryl:in july 2024, hurricane beryl struck the windward islands as a category 4 storm, causing catastrophic damage across the region and heavily impacting union island, where an estimated 98% of homes were damaged. Within 24 hours of landfall, GSD deployed its disaster response team aboard mv dawn at the request of the Caribbean disaster emergency management agency (cdema), in direct response efforts to Support union island and the wider Southern Caribbean. With this response, GSD helped accelerate the initial transition from relief to recovery on union island and across st. vincent. These efforts enabled local and regional actors to continue leading the long and ongoing recovery process, which remains significant more than a year after the storm.over the course of the response, GSD provided more than 400,000 liters of clean water using its onboard desalination system and towable bladders, transported 25 pallets of relief supplies from antigua, and delivered fuel to maintain hospital and shelter operations. The team distributed hundreds of shelter kits, tarps, hygiene kits, and mosquito nets to affected households. Facilitated aerial deliveries of food and medical supplies, supported rapid needs assessments, and enabled medical evacuations.working alongside the st. vincent and the grenadines port authority, the maritime access team conducted bathymetric surveys of the kingstown cruise terminal and campden park cargo port, processed sonar data, and cleared debris. GSD also operationalized its onboard hyperbaric chamber with dive medicine oversight, enhancing the safety of complex underwater operations. These efforts allowed the port authority to reopen facilities to deep-draft vessel traffic, accelerating the flow of humanitarian aid.GSD also repaired desalination units and generators, installed solar power systems in shelters, and provided technical Support to restore critical community services. Staff embedded in the national emergency operations center supported coordination and ensured accurate dissemination of response data.disaster response to tropical storm sara:in november 2024, tropical storm sara caused extensive flooding in Central America, particularly in panama and honduras, where more than 38,000 households were affected. Responding to requests from sinaproc and copeco, GSD provided direct relief and technical Support for national authorities in their response efforts and enabled them to reach vulnerable communities quickly and efficiently, helping stabilize affected populations and laying the groundwork for continued recovery.in panama, GSD procured and delivered non-food items including hygiene kits, water filters, and purification tablets to meet the immediate needs of displaced households. In honduras, widespread flooding disrupted access to critical areas. GSD funded aerial assessments to Support government coordination and procured essential non-food items, including hygiene and water purification supplies, to Support affected populations.