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Phoenix chaplin heads to Guam to help handle the aftermath of typhoon devastation

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Published  May 26, 2023 6:37pm MST
Natural Disasters
FOX 10 Phoenix

Ariz. man flies to Guam for Typhoon relief

As an American island in the Pacific begins to clean up after a typhoon ravaged the area, people from the U.S. are headed to the island to aid in the recovery efforts, including a man in Arizona. FOX 10's Lauren Clark reports.

PHOENIX - Cleanup efforts are underway in the Pacific island of Guam, after a vicious typhoon pummeled the American territory.

According to reports, the island was lashed by destructive winds on May 24, which caused major structural damage to buildings and brought down trees and power lines, leaving 98% of the island without power.

Leaders of the American territory say the news is promising, however, as roadways remained passable, and there appears to be no serious injuries of death as of the afternoon of May 26.

Still, cleanup efforts are expected to take weeks.

Read More: Typhoon Mawar leaves Guam with widespread damage after raking US territory with 100+ mph winds

Meteorologists say Typhoon Mawar was the strongest typhoon to hit the island in over two decades, and in the storm's aftermath, Red Cross volunteers from the Phoenix area are there to help the island recover.

Among the volunteers is Fred Breedlove, who has volunteered with the Red Cross since 2009, and has been sent on 25 deployments across the U.S., including 14 mass casualty disasters.

"I am expecting the worst," said Breedlove.

Breedlove's journey to Guam began on the morning of May 26, and his work is all about the unseen damages a storm like this can leave. Breedlove, who is a Chaplin, is a Spiritual Care Manager for the Red Cross.

As others repair the physical damage left behind by Mawar, Breedlove will work on repairing the invisible ones - the damage of people’s souls and hearts.

"It’s usually their worst day, possibly in their life, so the Red Cross is there to come alongside them, give them hope," said Breedlove.

Breedlove himself is no stranger to disaster relief, and he says he is ready to provide love, comfort, and spiritual guidance for people of all faiths, including other volunteers. He says he will be deployed to Guam for at least three weeks.

Besides the Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is also responding with resources to help the rebuilding effort.