FORT MYERS, FLA. (May 27, 2021) — A team of local Red Cross volunteers from the Florida Gulf Coast to Heartland Chapter were on scene, over the weekend, of a brush fire in Collier County, providing critical hydration and nutrition to the 240 firefighters and first responders battling the flames. Volunteers were dispatched to the location to assist with the response by the fire department.
Additionally, Red Cross volunteers are coordinating emergency aid to the families that were affected, providing emergency financial assistance, health and mental health services, one-on-one support to connect people to available recovery assistance, and will continue to provide additional support to the family to meet their disaster-caused needs.
Red Cross volunteers on the scene are members of the Chapter’s Disaster Action Team, a group of specially trained volunteers who respond to the scene of a local disaster when called upon at any time – day or night.
To make a financial donation to your local Red Cross to help people affected by house fires and other disasters in the United States and around the world, go to redcross.org.
WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO People can visit redcross.org/homefires to find out more about how to protect themselves and their homes from fire. They can become a Red Cross volunteer by applying on redcross.org/SFLVolunteer.
RED CROSS APPS People can download the all-inclusive Red Cross Emergency app which combines more than 35 emergency alerts to help keep the user safe. And there is a special mobile app - Monster Guard - designed for kids, teaching them to prepare for emergencies at home by playing an engaging game. Users can find the apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.
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/southflorida or visit us on Facebook or Twitter at @SFLRedCross.