Ore. Red Cross volunteers go to threatened region

Nearly two dozen Oregon Red Cross disaster volunteers have been deployed to the Gulf Coast region as part of a nationwide American Red Cross response to help the millions of people whose communities are under warnings from Tropical Storm Isaac.

Volunteers will help set up shelters in Florida prepare to open evacuation shelters in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The Willamette (Salem) Chapter of the Oregon Red Cross has sent the largest contingent of workers as of Sunday, with 10 volunteers situated in Florida and one in Alabama.

Other volunteers are dispersed throughout the southeastern states:

Oregon Mountain River Chapter (Bend)
4 volunteers deployed to Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana

Oregon Trail Chapter (Portland)
3 volunteers deployed to Louisiana, Alabama

Southern Oregon Chapter (Medford)
3 volunteers deployed to Alabama, Florida

Oregon Pacific Chapter (Eugene)
2 volunteers deployed to Mississippi, Alabama

As of Monday morning, the Red Cross nationally:

* Deployed more than 1,500 disaster workers across the Gulf Coast to help with Red Cross efforts.

* Sheltered hundreds of people Sunday night in Florida. More than 560 people spent Sunday night in Red Cross and community shelters after Isaac brought heavy rain, power outages and flooding. Overall, the Red Cross opened 22 shelters and supported 20 community shelters overnight.

* Put dozens of shelters on stand-by along the Gulf, where evacuations have already been ordered in some area. Shelters are likely to open in the area throughout the day.

* Sent mobile kitchens and truckloads of relief supplies to Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. More than 50 pre-positioned support trailers are ready with supplies.

* Activated more than 150 emergency response vehicles (ERVs) in those states and from around the country to help.

* Continued to help in Florida where flooding continues. Red Cross disaster workers will continue to help those affected by opening shelters, providing meals and distributing relief supplies like personal hygiene and clean-up items.

How the public can help: Tropical Storm Isaac is predicted to trigger a large and prolonged disaster response with major flooding across several states. People can call, click or text to donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.