Mid-MO Sandy Relief Efforts

***UPDATE THURSDAY 3 P.M.***The American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter announced Thursday two additional volunteers are deploying to New Jersey to assist with relief efforts. The volunteers will head to Newark, N.J. by the end of the week. One volunteer from Jefferson City will work as an emergency response vehicle driver, while another volunteer from Columbia will be handle client case work.There are now 11 volunteers from Mid-Missouri working in the Northeast.***UPDATE 2:30 P.M.***All 80 members of Missouri Task Force 1 have returned safely to Boone County.Randy Sanders, the leader of the task force, says the team knocked on more than 4,000 doors and made contact with more than 3,500 people.”We knocked on doors, saw if people were okay, shaking hands, making sure they were getting any special needs they needed,” said Sanders. “We encountered people that when we gave them water, they actually gave us hugs and started crying so its tough.”Sanders say many of those people had no power, water or food and in most cases, they were the first rescuers to get in contact with those people.***ORIGINAL STORY***Missouri Task Force 1, based at Boone County Fire Protection District, is expected to return home around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.The group has been in New York and New Jersey for the past week, aiding in search and rescue missions. ABC 17 News will have a crew at BCFPD headquarters as the team returns to Mid-Missouri.The American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter announced Wednesday another volunteer is deploying to the East Coast to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.The volunteer from Fulton is headed to White Plains, NY. The volunteer is specialized in disaster mental health.Currently, there are nine volunteers and two emergency response vehicles from Mid-Missouri in the Northeast to help with relief efforts.The Red Cross is still seeking monetary donations as well as blood donations. More information if available on their website, www.redcross.org.