As many people throughout the nation evacuate Hurricane Matthew’s path, some volunteers in Kansas City are headed right into the disaster zone to help.
Friday morning, the Red Cross Disaster Relief team sent four people to Florida in emergency vehicles.
The vehicles were empty when they left because the Red Cross can’t give away supplies from Missouri, in case a disaster would hit our state.
Instead, they will be filled up once the vehicles arrive in Florida.
“The purpose of these vehicles is to go out into the rubble, into the disaster zone and offer the necessary supplies,” Disaster Action Team Coordinator for Greater KC Tom Aston said. “Food, water, sometimes clothing, blankets as well as information to the people directly affected by this disaster.”
Aston says it’s a chance to get out and help people in their time of need, offering them some level of support.
“We have shelters set up already up and down the coast, the Red Cross. Two nights ago, we sheltered 3,000 people,” he said. “We expect those numbers to continue to increase as the situation goes on.”
Orvil Emanuel, a Red Cross volunteer, is headed to Florida and says he’s going because there’s a need for help right now and that’s where he should be.
“My wife and I have been doing this for years and we know there’s a lot of need and that’s what we think we should be doing,” Emanuel said. “I’ve received a lot in my life and it’s time for me to start giving back a little bit of what I received.”
Coordinators with the Red Cross say volunteers will stay in Florida until the need is met.
For more information on the Red Cross and ways to help those affected by Hurricane Matthew, click here.
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Terra Hall can be reached at terra.hall@kshb.com.
