Hurricane Ida in Louisiana.
Flooding in Tennessee.
Wildfires in Minnesota, California, and Oregon.
Pick just about any region in the U.S. and there is natural disaster the American Red Cross is responding to.
“We are responding to all of those events. We are pressed for resources there,” said Wendy Savage, Executive Director of the North Central Red Cross Chapter of Wisconsin.
For Hurricane Ida, the American Red Cross is helping assess the damage left by Hurricane Ida.
The storm hit Louisiana as one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever reach mainland U.S.
Videos and photos of the Ida show roofs being blown off buildings, business and homes collapsed, and debris covering streets.
Savage said the Red Cross has been monitoring this storm for days now.
“It’s time to go outside and see what the damage is and assess what’s happening. That’s what’s really happening right now. We have hundreds of people on the ground assisting. We’re working side by side with our partners,” said Savage.
The Red Cross is trying to figure out where they can be most helpful.
That could include setting emergency shelters, handing out food, and helping people with cleanup efforts.
On top of the natural disasters, Savage said the Red Cross has also been called to assist with the Afghan refugees at Fort McCoy.
“We’re providing the comforts, the mask care, the sheltering and the comforting of people. That’s what we do. That’s what our congressional charter is. We’re there to assist with that as well,” said Savage.
Even with getting pulled to all these major emergencies, the Red Cross is still doing its day-to-day work of responding to house fires, teaching people how to swim, how to do first aid & CPR, and it provides 40% of the nation’s blood supply.
Savage said there are ways to for people to support the Red Cross’s work.
She said there’s always a need for blood and platelet donors.
If you’re looking to support victims of the natural disasters, Savage says financial donations are most helpful. And if you’ve been thinking about becoming a volunteer, now’s the time.
“In the past we’ve deployed over 400 people, but I can tell you, due to COVID, those ranks are a lot slimmer than they used to be,” said Savage.
You can learn more about each of these opportunities on the American Red Cross website.
