More than 3,200 people spent the night in 112 Red Cross shelters in nine states — New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Massachusetts. The number of people going to shelters is expected to grow as the storm comes ashore.
The Red Cross has deployed more than 1,300 disaster workers to the region from all over the country to help those affected by the storm. As many as 160 emergency vehicles are ready to respond when it is safe to do so, and more than 230,000 ready-to-eat meals have been sent into the area.
“Here in Hawaii, the Red Cross is reaching out to our local volunteers for possible deployment for Hurricane Sandy,” said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, CEO, American Red Cross, Hawaii State Chapter. “They will need to be ready to fly out within 12-24 hours after being called and will serve on a 2-3 week disaster assignment. This past August, 24 local Red Cross volunteers deployed to the mainland to assist with Hurricane Isaac relief efforts. They gained valuable experience to bring back to our State so that we will be better prepared when the next major disaster strikes Hawaii.”
Anyone with friends or relatives in the affected areas, are urged to register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website, a secure and easy-to-use online tool that helps families connect during emergencies. To register, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
