The American Red Cross is seeking volunteers to staff emergency shelters for individuals displaced by the wildfires in southern California, as announced on Wednesday morning.
According to Christy Peters, Regional Communications Manager, Fox 8 News has reported that the Northern Ohio Region is currently assessing the availability of their volunteers.
”Here in northern Ohio, we are fortunate that we don’t experience many huge natural disasters like wildfires or hurricanes. So, often our volunteers are willing to go because they realize those people need help,” she said.
If you are able to commit to a minimum of two weeks, you will be added to a roster of volunteers who are available to assist. Peter mentioned that there is a high probability that you will be deployed to California due to the extensive devastation that has already occurred.
The priority lies in determining which emergency shelters require the most assistance.
According to Peters, a significant number of individuals may have been forced to evacuate hastily, leaving them without essential items such as food, clothing, toiletries, or medication. In some cases, they may have even had to abandon their vehicles.
“Many of them, probably, didn’t have time to grab much of anything before they left,” Peters explained. “In our shelters, we make sure that those needs are being met for all of our residents. We’re providing them, not only, with food but with care items. We have specialized volunteers who help with health needs.”
Peters also mentioned that the Red Cross Northern Ohio Region is constantly in need of volunteers. Even if individuals are unable to travel for natural disasters, they still respond to about three house fires on a daily basis, offering the same support and resources as those provided to the residents of southern California.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, you can find more information on the Red Cross website.
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