They’re working in shelters, providing food, water and other services.
Baltimore, Md (KM) The American Red Cross has been busy in the southeastern United States since Hurricanes Helene and Milton came through. “Red Cross deployed approximately 2,000 trained disaster workers to the southeast states, including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas following Hurricane Helene,” says Scott Marder, Regional Communications Manager for the National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region of the Red Cross. Frederick County is part of this Red Cross chapter.
Prior to the arrival of Hurricane Milton, Marder says there were 800 Red Cross workers in Florida. “After the aftermath of Milton, we’ve had people providing shelter, food, water, all the necessary resources that these families need to recover,” he said. “At its peak, we had about 82,000 people in shelters last week throughout the southeast.”
He says between 80 to100 volunteers in the southeast come from Maryland.
Many of these Red Cross volunteers have been working at shelters to help those who lost their homes to the bad weather by providing food, water, a place to sleep and other needs. “We have had people on the ground since late September. We will have people on the ground for as long as necessary,” says Marder. “The typical deployment is two weeks, and that can be extended. Some people are going down for three or four weeks. It just depends on the need,” he says.
In addition to food, water and shelter, Marder says the Red Cross provides other services, such as psychological first aid, noting that many of these victims of the two hurricanes lost their homes, and their many possession; some such as old photos and other heirlooms which are irreplaceable. “One of the things that the America Red Cross tries to offer people is hope. Hope that they will recover, they will get through this and they are not alone. We’re going to stand by them, and we want to make sure that they know that,” Marder says.
He also says there are ways citizens can help out. They can go on line to redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and make a financial donation. Marder says any amount will be welcome. Residents who want to be Red Cross volunteers and help the victims of the hurricanes can go to the same website, redcross.org, and click on the volunteer tab. They will undergo training before heading out to their assignments. Marder says they can also donate blood by going to redcrossblood.org, or calling 1-900-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and sign up. He says the process takes about an hour, with only eight to ten minutes sitting in a chair. and having some blood removed.
By Kevin McManus