Volunteers Sue and Bob Kosick are traveling from Daytona to Mobile, Alabama, in a Red Cross emergency response vehicle in advance of Hurricane Ida. The retired couple has deployed to relief operations for two floods and four hurricanes since 2015.
TAMPA, Fla. – August 28, 2021 – Hurricane Ida continues to strengthen and is expected to make landfall as a major Category 3 or 4 storm along the Gulf Coast on Sunday -- the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating natural disasters to ever strike the United States. The American Red Cross is pre-positioning shelter and relief supplies in advance of landfall and is mobilizing hundreds of volunteers to be ready to provide mass care services.
Today, 20 disaster workers and three emergency response vehicles (ERVs) are traveling from Central Florida to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle. Theresa “Terri” Guetzlaff, a Tampa Bay Chapter volunteer, is one of those, deploying as part of a two-person crew driving an emergency response vehicle to Mobile, Alabama.
When asked why she volunteers, Guetzlaff, a retired teacher, explained, “I just always wanted to be Red Cross, so when I retired, I got into it. I just love it. They help so many people in so many ways, but what really means the most is that Red Cross is there.”
Emergency response vehicles, like the one Guetzlaff and her deployment partner Janice Fields, a Mid-Florida Chapter volunteer, are driving are core to the Red Cross humanitarian mission. This is the signature red and white van that delivers hot meals, water and hope to disaster survivors in devastated communities.
In addition to the Hurricane Ida deployments, nearly 20 other Central Florida responders are supporting disaster relief operations for western wildfires and flooding in Tennessee, as well as providing support services to U.S. military installations receiving evacuees. All volunteers who deploy have completed advanced health screenings and COVID-19 operating protocols.
HOW TO HELP People can help by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief or by becoming a volunteer.
The American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands serves 19 Florida counties through five chapters: Florida’s Space Coast (Daytona Beach), Greater Orlando, Mid-Florida (Winter Haven), Southwest Florida (Sarasota) and Tampa Bay; and the Virgin Islands territories of St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Water Island. For more information, visit redcross.org. Also find us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
# # #