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Missouri volunteers lend a helping hand

The Birkes
/
Flickr

As Hurricane Sandy’s death toll rises, the storm leaves thousands of people homeless and millions without power.

Combined, Missouri Task Force 1 and the American Red Cross of Missouri deployed nearly 90 Missouri volunteers to New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The American Red Cross have deployed five members during the weekend; four went to Middletown, New York in emergency response vehicles and the fifth member is a logistics chief who deployed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  

Mike Flanagan is a spokesman with the American Red Cross of Missouri. He says the volunteers still haven’t received assignments but there are a number of tasks they can take on.

“The volunteer who’s in Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, that person will be responsible for recurring and sending out supplies. And we’re not sure yet what the ERV teams are going to be doing. They could be doing some mass feeding or sending out clean up supplies,” Flanagan says.

Majority of the tasks are expected to be water rescues. Flanagan also says that blood and monetary donations are needed to help hurricane victims. The Red Cross plans to send more volunteers as the storm passes to help with clean up operations.

Missouri Task Force 1 deployed 80 volunteers Monday. They were expected to arrive in Herndon, Virginia Tuesday evening.

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