NW Red Cross sends 15 volunteers to fire-ravaged California
As several wildfires continue to rage in California, the Red Cross Cascades Region (serving Oregon and Southwest Washington) has deployed 15 volunteers to assist in the massive response effort, the organization said Monday.
With nearly a quarter million people displaced, the Red Cross is working to provide shelter, food and comfort for those forced to leave their homes with little notice.
Overnight, more than 2,100 people were cared for in 18 Red Cross and community evacuation centers across the state of California.
In addition, the Red Cross has provided shelter supplies for over 7,000 people and has begun mobilizing emergency supplies to serve over 15,000 households. Supplies include sifters, personal protective equipment, respiratory masks, rakes, shovels, work gloves, tarps and other resources.
Also, nearly 3,900 people have registered on Safe and Well, a free Red Cross website that allows people to let their loved ones know they are safe.
Fifteen Red Cross disaster responders from Bend (Carrie Sammons, a veteran of disaster relief efforts), Grants Pass, Gresham, Gold Beach, Junction City, Medford, Newberg, Portland, Salem, Summerville, and Wolf Creek, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, are either already on the ground or making their way to California.
In coordination with government and community partners, Red Crossers are preparing strategic shelter and warehouse locations and stocking food, cots, blankets and other relief supplies to help people affected by the fires.
In addition, a dozen Red Cross Cascades Region volunteers continue to assist with the recovery efforts of Hurricane Michael in Florida and Hurricane Yutu in the Mariana Islands.
In order to be ready to assist in the relief efforts related to these disasters, the local Red Cross Cascades Region is always looking for volunteer disaster responders. People interested in volunteering for the Red Cross as a disaster responder are encouraged to visit redcross.org/volunteer for more information.
CONNECT WITH LOVED ONES
The Red Cross has two ways to help you reconnect with loved ones. The free Red Cross Safe and Well website allows people to register and post messages to indicate that they are safe, or to search for loved ones. The site is open to the public and available in Spanish. Registrations and searches can be done on the website or by texting SAFE to 78876.
The Red Cross Emergency App “I’m Safe” button allows users to post a message to their social accounts, letting friends and family know they are out of harm’s way. The Emergency App is in English and Spanish and is available in app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.
MAKE A DONATION Entire communities and families have been left reeling from deadly wildfires. Help people affected by the California wildfires by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS or texting the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.
About the American Red Cross The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Cascades or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossCasc.
