Officials from the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) have joined forces with Antigua and Barbuda’s National Office of Disaster Services, to assist persons who have been displaced following the horrific passage of Hurricane Irma.

A five-person Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has been deployed to the storm-ravaged twin-island state to allow closer collaboration, assess needs on the ground, and assist with response coordination. Since their September 11, 2017 deployment, team members have helped to facilitate a U.S. $100,000 award donated by the United States Government to the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross for assistance to those affected by Hurricane Irma.

In addition to partnering with Antigua and Barbuda’s National Office of Disaster Services, the USAID/OFDA team is also collaborating with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), U.N. Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations and other donors to assess immediate disaster response needs. The DART team will explore potential for future assistance based on emerging needs.