NORTH TEXAS – On Sunday, August 29, the American Red Cross will send assets, including an emergency response vehicle, and personnel from the Red Cross Arlington warehouse to provide aid and support to residents in Louisiana affected by Hurricane Ida.
The two-person emergency response vehicle crew will be joining the more than 500 Red Cross volunteers in Louisiana supporting shelter operations and ready to support communities affected by Hurricane Ida. The emergency response vehicle will be stocked with items prior to departure to enable the crew to provide immediate aid and relief to areas most impacted. Additional North Texas response vehicle will depart from Abilene, Corsicana and Tyler and additional volunteers are expected to be activated in the coming days.
Before the storm, the Red Cross pre-positioned multiple supplies in Louisiana, including cots, blankets, comfort kits, and some 68,000 ready-to-eat meals. Red Cross response vehicles will be used to distribute meals, water, hygiene items and clean-up kits in disaster-affected communities.
Hurricane Ida is an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm hitting the Gulf Coast bringing life-threatening storm surge, dangerous winds and more than a foot of rain to regions still recovering from last year’s devastating hurricanes. Ida is hitting on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, bringing stark reminders of one of the greatest natural disasters to ever strike the United States.
Those in need of an evacuation shelter are encouraged to call 2-1-1 or text ‘LAShelter’ to 898-211. Additional information and safety tips are available at redcross.org, 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or by downloading the free Red Cross Emergency App from any app store.
The Red Cross works 24/7 to be ready to respond to disasters big and small and our work is powered by the dedication of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Financial gifts enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters. To volunteer, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday or to make a financial gift visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word ‘REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.