As Floridians access the damage caused by Hurricane Milton, New Jersey Red Crossers continue to deploy to help. For the second time in two weeks, the American Red Cross raced against the clock to mobilize volunteers, relief supplies and set up shelters as massive evacuations were underway.

With some 14,000 people waking up in emergency shelters this morning in Florida, our priority continues to be making sure people have a safe place to stay with food, water and other support. As conditions improve, dozens of emergency response vehicles will begin to travel through affected neighborhoods, delivering meals and relief supplies.

New Jersey disaster workers are in Florida helping with these relief efforts.

“Our volunteers once again, stepped up to provide critical support as Florida braced for another major hurricane,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “I am in awe of their unwavering commitment. These volunteers dropped everything to help people in Florida, with many who are already suffering from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.”

Riksum Kazi of Essex County is one of those volunteers who deployed to help with sheltering needs in Florida. He is assigned as a shelter manager in the Tampa area and helped set up one of the largest shelters available – able to accommodate more than 500 people looking for a safe haven from the storm. Speaking with Riksum the morning after the destructive hurricane’s landfall, he praised his fellow volunteers, “We have a good team here,” Riksum said. “It was a long night and it was pretty intense at times, but the team worked hard trying to keep everyone safe and calm.”

Just a few months ago, Lynn Paul of Camden County traveled to Texas in a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle and spent two weeks serving meals to those affected by Hurricane Beryl. A frequent helper, Lynn did not hesitate when she learned that another major hurricane was headed for Florida.

Lynn, along with Daniel Kelley of Burlington County, left for Florida just before Hurricane Milton’s arrival. In speaking about her experience as a deploying volunteer, Lynn said, “It’s a wonderful feeling to know that we can help alleviate their pain and help them get through any loss they experience,”

These volunteers join an additional thirty volunteers who are already deployed from New Jersey to help our neighbors in the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida, who are still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

Our volunteers join some 2,000 volunteers – including more than 700 in Florida – who are providing safe shelter, food, emotional support and health services to affected families.

The New Jersey Region has also deployed three Emergency Response Vehicles (ERV), two Mission Response Vehicles (MRV), and a command center trailer to help with the response in the Southeast.

Disaster worker John Loyer has six years of deployment experience with the Red Cross, helping after numerous hurricanes, wildfires and floods. John volunteered to drive one of our MRVs down to Florida this week. After departing Fairfield, John met up with three Southeastern Pennsylvania Region volunteers with an additional MRV in Philadelphia, and all four headed down to Tallahassee to learn where they would be needed next. When asked why he volunteers with the Red Cross, John said, “I’m retired now and this is my way of giving back.”

We expect to deploy additional disaster workers and emergency response vehicles as needed in the days to come.

WE NEED YOUR HELP People need urgent support now, and the Red Cross can’t do this alone. Please help by making a financial donation, an appointment to give blood or platelets, or signing up to become a volunteer by visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). Financial donations to help people affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters. You can also text the word HURRICANES to 90999 to make a donation.