Direct Relief today released its interactive map depicting the both real-time data about Hurricane Irene and the organization’s network of partner clinics where hurricane aid has been pre-positioned. The map also includes the locations of additional partners in the Direct Relief safety net support network who can receive aid for people affected by the hurricane. See the map here

Direct Relief icons on the map pinpoint partner locations where Hurricane Prep Packs have been delivered before hurricane season as part of the organization’s emergency preparedness initiative. Among the 39 locations receiving Hurricane Prep Packs in 2011, 17 of them stand ready to help in states Irene is expected to hit over the next few days, including Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Evacuations started yesterday in North Carolina.

Storm position and estimated effects are updated continually based on resources from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Background layers, including social vulnerability estimates (how many people could be heavily affected by the storm) are available by clicking on the “Additional Layers” tab.

Currently a Category 2 storm, Hurricane Irene is expected to affect an estimated 55 million people as it moves up the U.S. East Coast, most of which is under hurricane watch, according to news reports. Direct Relief’s Hurricane Prep Packs contain enough material to treat 100 patients for up to five days for a variety of health issues, from trauma injuries to chronic conditions.

Direct Relief’s emergency response team is closely monitoring the situation and is in frequent contact with its more than 250 partners in 15 states, as well as state Primary Care Associations and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and the National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) to offer assistance and meet needs as they are identified. Additional aid from Direct Relief’s standing inventory stands ready to help, with several donor companies supporting hurricane response efforts.