VERO BEACH — More than 200 Red Cross emergency response vehicles will help in disaster response efforts in Texas and Louisiana following Hurricane Harvey.
One vehicle from the local Red Cross chapter left for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Tuesday morning and will arrive on Wednesday, said executive director Sarah Ruwe. They will be deployed from there. Two volunteers from Indian River County will be stationed in the affected areas for about two weeks.
Volunteers Art Cimini (left) and Mark Milia heading to Hurricane Harvey.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY RED CROSS
The emergency response vehicles are used to give people supplies and are also used as feeding vehicles. One vehicle can hold up to 600 hot meals, Ruwe said.
Eight other volunteers from the local chapter also were deployed and are assisting the agency in staffing, communications and a variety of other jobs.
Hurricane Harvey swept through the Texas Gulf Coast over the weekend, causing massive flooding in the Houston area and claiming at least 14 lives, according to media reports. The hurricane weakened to a tropical storm Saturday and is headed east toward Louisiana.
Ruwe said Red Cross chapters throughout the U.S. have 2,000 volunteers helping with disaster response efforts and that the agency has shelters open throughout Texas and Louisiana. She said there were 17,000 people in the shelters Monday night, which increased to 23,000 as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Those who want to help can donate at redcross.org/donate or stop by the local office at 2506 17th Ave., Vero Beach. Those who want to make a $10 donation can text “Harvey” to 90999.