As Hurricane Helene moved closer to the U.S., the Red Cross assigned some 360 trained disaster workers ahead of landfall, including five volunteers from Kansas. They went ready to help with sheltering, feeding and logistics.

Several Red Cross volunteers from Kansas deployed to the Texas Gulf Coast when Hurricane Beryl struck in July. The storm had a devastating impact, and knocked out electric power to more than 3 million people.

What does preparedness mean for the Red Cross in Kansas? Being able to respond to different weather extremes in one weekend. The South Central and Southeast Kansas Chapter helped as high temperatures and severe storms hit the Frontiers in Flight air show.

Raymond Grier has very simple words of wisdom for other Wichitans: “Go donate! It doesn’t hurt! It takes five minutes!”

Our favorite penguin, Pedro, and the Wichita Fire Department got together to teach kids about preparedness. In all, 55 kids went home knowing how to be safer during emergencies — and they got an up-close look at a fire engine, which is pretty cool.

During his visit to Westmoreland after a tornado, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran took some time to talk about the military with Disaster Program Manager Kyle Lewis, who is a veteran, and presented him with a challenge coin from his office.

Randy Bryans visited Red Cross volunteers Shannon Wilson and Janet Stallard to see if they could help his parents after a fire at their assisted living apartments. As it turned out, the family's ties to the Red Cross go back decades.

From home fires to tornadoes, the American Red Cross responds to a disaster every eight minutes, on average. Kansas chapters acquired and moved a pallet of bottled water 170 miles in a matter of hours to help a Mitchell County community in need.

Our Fire Prevention Month event with Senior Services Inc. of Wichita transformed lives quickly. Multiple requests for fire alarm tests and installations came during our ridealongs with Meals On Wheels.

Tom Gillespie has been an indispensable member of the Red Cross team since 2010. Tom embodies the core values of the American Red Cross, and we were proud to see him recognized with the Terry Brewster Community Volunteer Award.

Tom and Joyce McRae hosted the Junction City Community Blood Drive on their wedding anniversary for 15 years. They're retiring as blood drive hosts but sticking around to donate.

South Central and Southeast Kansas hosted a multiday Regional Disaster Institute to provide advanced training to current disaster workers. The event resulted in 40 volunteers completing the training needed to deploy as supervisors on relief operations.