Before Hurricane Katrina entered the history books and the national conscience, Hurricane Ivan was one of the most destructive storms to slam into the Gulf states. Causing an estimated $13 billion in damage – the fifth costliest hurricane ever to strike the nation – Ivan’s rampage took the lives of fourteen people in Florida and damaged or destroyed entire communities, including widespread damage throughout more than a hundred square miles. The permanent impact on individuals and families could have been much worse, but for the heroic efforts of volunteers and concerned citizens in managing the recovery efforts in the hurricane’s aftermath. Of these individuals, Jackie Bell stands out.

Jackie distinguished herself during the disaster through her work in the Emergency Operation Center for Escambia County. Her experience there instilled in her a passion for better preparing for disaster response and recovery. She quickly learned that critical players were missing in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane and that many services were not coordinated – resulting in unnecessary duplication of services to some or no services for others. She also realized that mass care is exactly that – providing disaster relief that is diminished at best and fails to take into account individual needs, particuarly those of the elderly and disabled who do not have access to lifesaving resources. As the damage assessments of Ivan were made, it became clear that the community would need a coordinated recovery program. Nine thousand homes were totally destroyed, one hundred and forty thousand homes were damaged, and fifty thousand people were displaced. As chair of the Escambia County Long Term Recovery Committee, Jackie helped coordinate thirty-eight social service and faith-based organizations to address the unmet needs of more than eleven thousand individuals and families, providing critical assistance after FEMA, insurance, and personal resources were no longer an option.

In the aftermath of the historic hurricane, Jackie and her team recorded over one hundred new lessons learned in disaster management. From these lessons came the genesis for a new, comprehensive disaster management program: Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE). The organization aims for the Pensacola region to become the most disaster-prepared community in America by engaging the entire community in all four phases of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation (house hardening). One of the best examples of BRACE in action is Mission Homeward Bound. When FEMA ended its temporary housing mission in this area on October 31, 2006, almost 215 families faced immediate eviction. BRACE stepped in, creating a partnership with various organizations, and eventually saw to the remaining vocational, credit, and housing needs of the families, including transfer of ownership of over fifty mobile homes to families that would never have considered home ownership a possibility.

Jackie Bell exemplifies public service at its best. She has provided leadership in bringing together the entire community: businesses, relief agencies, government, and the faith-based community. She has helped to restore families left homeless in the wake of natural disaster. Her work has affected the affluent and the impoverished alike, providing hope, help, and a sense of community in the most dire times.

To learn more about Jackie Bell and her cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit: www.bereadyalliance.org.

Read More Hero Stories >