Mid-MO Volunteers Help in Storm

***UPDATE MONDAY 11:30 A.M.***The Red Cross’ Carl Nappier of Moniteau County is driving to New Jersey. Ameren Missouri crews also confirm another 50 personnel will be heading to south New England. That brings the total number to about 100, some of which are from mid-Missouri. ***ORIGINAL STORY***Mid-Missourians are helping those in the path of Hurricane Sandy. Crews from Ameren and the Red Cross are on their way to the East Coast. A lot of how the volunteers will help depends on what happens during this storm. As of Sunday night, four of our five local Red Cross volunteers were still on their way to New York with their emergency response vehicles. Around 200 Ameren volunteers are heading to the East Coast. During the storm, they will be laying low, but after Sandy hits, they will be there ready to help.One person from the Mid-Missouri Red Cross flew to Pennsylvania and the other four travelled to New York.Ameren volunteers are working to prevent building damage during the storm and the Red Cross volunteers will have to wait until the storm subsides.”They could be doing mass feeding where they would load up with food… And possibly go to an area where folks need food,” said Mike Flanagan with the Red Cross.The four in New York will do whatever tasks are necessary, including passing out comfort kits and helping those on the streets. The woman in Pennsylvania will be working logistics.Fifty of Ameren’s employees will be doing the same thing. All volunteers will be there for around two weeks, but for them, keeping people safe is worth it.”That’s just what we do, when somebody needs help we help,” said Flanagan.Many of Ameren’s volunteers are engineers and contractors who will assess the damage and help restore the area to a safe condition after sandy hits. ABC 17 News reached out to Task Force One in Mid-Missouri; they are not planning to send out any volunteers.