Red Cross deployed emergency response vehicle from Columbia to help with Hurricane Ian recovery
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The American Red Cross is sending people and equipment from Columbia to help with Hurricane Ian recovery efforts.
Team members and their emergency response vehicle left the Central and Northern Missouri chapter at 7:30 a.m. The organization said the team consists of two drivers as nearly 100 people have volunteered to help.
Jolene Davis, who's been a volunteer with the Red Cross for 10 years, says although she is nervous about the drive, she was happy to provide her services.
"I'm coming from a nice warm house, my house is all intact. These people have lost some of them have lost everything. And it may take years in some cases to recover." said Davis. "So I guess they don't really look at it as I'm putting my life on the line. I'm going to hopefully improve their life in some way"
Three other emergency response vehicles were deployed from St. Louis and Little Rock on Thursday.
Hundreds of trained disaster responders from the organization are in the area helping with relief. Crews are supporting local officials in Florida and working to open dozens of shelters.
“Our teams are there to help as Hurricane Ian makes landfall,” said Chris Harmon, regional disaster officer for the American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas. “We rely on our volunteers to help in times like these and encourage anyone who is interested in joining us to consider signing up to help with future disaster response efforts. Ninety percent of our Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers.”
The Red Cross said those looking to sign up can visit the organization's website to volunteer.
Harmon said, “We rely on our volunteers to help in times like these and encourage anyone who is interested in joining us to consider signing up to help with future disaster response efforts. 90% of our Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers.”
Those looking to donate can visit the organization's website. Donations can also be made by calling 800-RED-CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999.
