Connecticut National Guard unit, American Red Cross volunteers respond to help those impacted by Helene

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Organizations and volunteers from Connecticut are responding to those affected by Hurricane Helene .

Joe Apicelli, a volunteer with the American Red Cross, will board a plane from Connecticut to Georgia on Saturday.

“I’m going to be driving our emergency response vehicles,” he said. “Those vehicles are capable of going through the neighborhoods that have been affected by the disaster. I’m going to be able to go house to house, door to door with hot meals, food, snacks, water, information.”

This mission marks his 60th national deployment with the organization.

“I’m honored,” Apicelli said. “I’m blessed to have that much time in. You don’t have to go out for two to three weeks like I’m about to do. You can do locals, respond to fires, you can find a niche in your life that will change your life.”

Stamford-based Americares is sending a response team to Florida and will be on the ground this weekend.

“Once our team gets on the ground, they will start immediately connecting with our network of partners across the state to determine what their needs are – so we can ensure survivors of this massive storm can still access their healthcare afterward,” said Mariel Fonteyn, the director for U.S. Emergency Repsonde for Americares.

On Friday, Gov. Ned Lamont (D-Conn.) approved a request for the Connecticut National Guard to respond to North Carolina to assist with disaster response and relief efforts.

Lamont’s office said a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and five-solider flight crew with the 1-169 ^th Aviation Regiment left Windsor Locks Friday morning. They will be in North Carolina for about a week.

“The soldiers were assigned primarily to aid in transporting personnel and commodities such as food, water, equipment, and things of that nature,” said Maj. Mike Wilcoxson, director of public affairs with the Connecticut National Guard. “We love as Connecticut’s home team to support our community here in Connecticut within our borders, whenever we can, but that extends to 50 states during times like this.”

The Salvation Army in Connecticut said it is ready to respond.

Later Friday, Lamont also announced that the state will send a search and rescue team to North Carolina. It plans to stay there for seven days.

To assist in the response to Helene, our parent company, Nexstar Media, is partnering with The American Red Cross to help with relief efforts. Donations to the Red Cross are critical for relief efforts from this storm and future disasters.

People looking to donate to the American Red Cross as they assist those affected by Hurricane Helene can do so by clicking here .

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