American Red Cross to Send Kentucky Teams to Texas to Help in Preparation of Hurricane Harvey
The American Red Cross is preparing a large response effort as Hurricane Harvey bears down on Texas and Louisiana and urges everyone in the path of the storm to get ready now. The storm makes landfall along the Gulf Coast Friday night – making it the first hurricane to strike Texas in almost nine years.
Seven trained Red Cross disaster workers in Kentucky, two from the Eastern Kentucky area, are headed to Texas today to help prepare shelters and mobilize relief supplies for a for a full Gulf Coast response. More Red Cross workers across Kentucky, in addition to response vehicles, are on stand-by ready to assist if/when called upon.
The Red Cross is mobilizing trained Red Cross disaster relief workers to support this response effort, and has more than 17 shelters ready to open and support thousands of people if needed. Trailers full of shelter and relief supplies have been pre-positioned including cots, blankets, comfort and cleaning supplies.
More than 30 Red Cross emergency response vehicles are activated with about 20 more on alert. The Red Cross is also working in close collaboration with government officials and community partners in both Texas and Louisiana to coordinate potential response efforts.
* Red Cross Kentucky Region CEO, Jennifer Adrio, is available in Louisville to speak with media today on local and statewide support efforts
* Seven Red Cross workers, five of which are volunteers, from the following areas: Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green and Ashland
HOW TO HELP The work of the American Red Cross starts long before a hurricane makes landfall in the United States. For example, we have warehouses stocked with disaster relief supplies, thousands of trained workers, and more than 320 mobile response vehicles on standby year-round to be ready to help people in need. If we didn’t maintain these resources 24/7, we couldn’t get help to people in a timely fashion—we depend on donations from the American public to be ready.
Help people affected by disasters like hurricanes, floods and countless other crises by making a donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small across the United States. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Media Contact: Amber Youngblood
(502) 759-1421 or amber.youngblood@redcross.org
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.
Joanna King
Executive Director
Eastern Kentucky Chapter
American Red Cross
4201 Blackburn Avenue, Ashland, KY 41101
