ANCHORAGE, Alaska, August 24, 2020 – The American Red Cross is in California providing help where dozens of dangerous wildfires have forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. Among the hundreds of trained disaster workers mobilized to support relief efforts are four Red Cross of Alaska volunteers who deployed both virtually and to the affected areas over the weekend.
In California, Red Cross disaster workers are focused on helping to make sure evacuees have a safe place to stay, including shelters and emergency hotel lodging where possible. Volunteers are also supporting cooling centers and temporary evacuation points, which are sites dedicated to directing evacuees to the best sheltering option for their individual needs.
Nearly 500 trained Red Cross disaster workers are supporting relief efforts on the ground in California or virtually, with dozens more on the way. Volunteers from Anchorage, Juneau and Ketchikan have answered the call to supervise shelters, provide health services and distribute emergency supplies to Californians impacted by these devastating fires.
The largest fires include the LNU Lightning Complex, SCU Lightning Complex and CZO August Complex which have already consumed more than 765,500 acres in the northern part of the state. The threat of new fires remains high and the Red Cross and partners are preparing to expand relief efforts if needed.
Sunday night, the Red Cross and our partners provided more than 2,300 people in California with refuge from the wildfires in either emergency shelters or emergency hotel lodgings. With the help of partners, to date the Red Cross has also provided nearly 6,000 meals and snacks; distributed over 160 relief items including comfort kits and other supplies to people in need; and provided more than 1,000 individual care contacts to help people with medical or disability needs or provide emotional and spiritual support during this challenging time.
HOW YOU CAN HELP The Red Cross depends on financial donations to be able to provide disaster relief immediately. You can help people affected by disasters like wildfires by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
For those interested in specifically helping people affected by the California wildfires, we ask that they write “California Wildfires” in the memo line of a check and mail it to their local Red Cross chapter with the completed donation form.
About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In Fiscal Year 2020, the American Red Cross of Alaska responded to 401 disasters by offering food, shelter, relief supplies, comfort, hope and recovery services to 1,024 Alaskans in 55 communities statewide. Our preparedness teams installed 1,165 free smoke alarms and educated 775 youth through The Pillowcase Project. Our Training Services department enrolled 13,878 students in first aid/CPR/AED, aquatics and caregiving classes. Our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 682 global emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. In Fiscal Year 2020, our statewide workforce of 582 volunteers logged 40,851 hours in service to our mission and their fellow Alaskans. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Alaska or visit us on Twitter at @redcrossak.
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