Direct Relief’s Hurricane Prep Packs stand ready to help at 17 locations in the southeastern U.S., where Hurricane Irene is projected to strike as a Category 3 hurricane. The emergency response team has also contacted partners in Hurricane Irene’s path and is carefully monitoring the storm, which is expected to carry winds of 111 mph Tuesday and up to 131 mph as it increases in strength.

Hurricane Prep Packs are positioned at nine locations in Florida, four in Georgia, three in North Carolina, and one in South Carolina. The packs were delivered in June as part of Direct Relief’s Emergency Preparedness program in the U.S. and contain enough material to treat 100 patients for up to five days following an emergency. Waterproof and easy to transport, the packs enable clinics to treat patients for a variety of needs, from chronic conditions to trauma injuries.

Direct Relief designed the packs following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, based on needs identified during the response. The program has grown each year since its inception in 2007, with a total of 39 partners in the U.S. receiving packs for the 2011 storm season. If not used for an emergency, the packs’ contents can be assimilated into clinic inventories for regular patient care. Direct Relief partners in the Caribbean receive larger preparedness modules suited to their needs, with nine locations stocked this year.

Direct Relief has also reached out to its 208 partners in the states Irene is expected to hit to offer additional assistance as needed, and is carefully monitoring the situation.