Central Florida disaster volunteers Kathy Burkett and Sammi Conneen depart from Orlando International Airport in route to Texas and Louisiana for Hurricane Laura.
TAMPA, Fla. – August 25, 2020 – Hurricane Laura is expected make landfall Wednesday into Thursday as a major Category Three hurricane along the Texas and Louisiana coasts. Trained Red Cross disaster workers – including nine from Central Florida – have traveled to the area and are ready to provide emergency shelter and help to communities from Texas to Alabama.
The local volunteers who traveled today to Louisiana and Texas will be assigned to mass care services on the ground across the areas forecast to be impacted. They represent all five Central Florida Chapters: Florida’s Space Coast (Daytona Beach), Greater Orlando, Mid-Florida (Winter Haven), Southwest Florida (Sarasota) and Tampa Bay. All volunteers have completed advanced health screenings and COVID-19 operating protocols.
The latest information on the Red Cross response to Hurricane Laura is available at www.redcross.org/news.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER THIS HURRICANE SEASON Prospective volunteers are encouraged to review the CDC guidance for people who are at higher risk for severe illness, consult their health care provider and follow local guidance. Our top priority is the health and safety of our workforce and the people we serve. Individuals interested in helping can get started at www.redcross.org/VolunteerToday.
The Central Florida Region of the American Red Cross serves 19 counties through five chapters: Florida’s Space Coast (Daytona Beach), Greater Orlando, Mid-Florida (Winter Haven), Southwest Florida (Sarasota) and Tampa Bay. For more information, visit redcross.org/centralflorida. Also find us on Facebook and Twitter.
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 or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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