IDAHO, USA — Hurricane Helene has devastated communities in North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Over 121 people are dead, and 2.1 million customers remain without power.
Volunteers from the Red Cross in Idaho are now stepping in to help. Before the Category 4 hurricane struck, the Red Cross sent volunteers, based on how bad officials said the storm would be.
“When disasters happen, people come from out of the area to support Idaho. When we have disasters, we send people to go support them,” said Scott O’Connell, Red Cross regional disaster officer for Idaho, Montana and Oregon.
The six volunteers will be doing work like reuniting loved ones with their families, spiritual care, handing out emergency supplies and providing shelter. They are there for a two-week deployment.
“There is tons of destruction as we start looking at the amount of the population that was impacted by this,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell says roughly 25% of the United States has been impact by this storm. For volunteers who go to help, O’Connell said it can be emotionally draining.
“You look and see some of the destruction, the devastation, and that can be emotionally challenging and just so overwhelming in itself,” O’Connell said.
If people want to help, O’Connell said they can sign up to be a Red Cross volunteer, or donate by texting HELENE to 90999.