The American Red Cross of Wisconsin is issuing an urgent appeal for volunteers who are willing to travel this fall to support emergency shelters for major national disaster relief efforts. Interested volunteers are urged to sign up today at redcross.org/volunteer. All candidates must complete the necessary training and be able to commit to a two-week deployment. Applicants who don’t have disaster experience, but have supervision, management or organization skills; a strong desire to help others; and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, are encouraged to apply. “When disasters upend lives, Red Cross volunteers are on the frontlines providing refuge and comfort to people in their darkest hours,” said Mark Thomas, CEO and Regional Executive for the Red Cross of Wisconsin. “They truly are the heart and soul of the Red Cross — comprising 90% of our workforce — to help ensure families never face a crisis alone.” ‘THIS IS SAFE’: HELENE FAMILY SHARES WHAT SHELTER MEANS TO THEM In emergency shelters, Red Cross disaster volunteers provide people with a safe place to stay, necessities like food and water, and critical services like mental health support and basic health services such as replacing lost medications or medical equipment. Over the weekend in Perry, Florida, Amber Barteau and her family sought refuge at a Red Cross shelter after discovering that Hurricane Helene devastated their home — which marked the third time they’ve survived a hurricane in just over a year. “As soon as I pulled up to the shelter, it made me feel good,” Amber said. “I thought to myself, this is safe, and I’m going to be OK.” RED CROSS MOBILIZES MASSIVE RESPONSE TO HELENE As of Monday, more than 900 Red Cross disasters responders are on the ground across 10 states devastated by Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, including hard-hit North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. On Sunday night, more than 2,600 people stayed in 69 emergency shelters supported by the Red Cross and other community organizations. That overnight total jumped by some 600 people in just one day — and as storm-ravaged communities like those in North Carolina become more accessible, the Red Cross expects the need will continue to grow. While disaster assessments are still underway in hard-to-reach areas, emergency officials are planning for shelter operations to last at least several weeks, based on the storm’s initial widespread destruction. EXTREME WEATHER THREATS CONTINUE Hurricane season is far from over — and the threat of more storms looms now in the Gulf and Atlantic oceans. What’s more, the Southwest and California are forecast to have above-normal wildfire risk this fall. As extreme weather worsens, disasters are becoming more intense and frequent — leading the Red Cross to respond on a nearly continuous basis.
