Maui Resident Among Red Cross Workers Deployed to Southern Floods

Three Hawaiʻi residents, including a Maui volunteer, are among a list of Red Cross workers deployed to assist with response to the devastating Southern floods on the mainland.

Organization leaders say a Maui volunteer was deployed to Mississippi to assist with Disaster Mental Health Services; and two Oʻahu residents were deployed–one to assist with Information Planning and Development in Louisiana, and the other to assist with Health Services in Texas.

According to the Red Cross Hawaiʻi, floodwaters are still rising in the south and hundreds of American Red Cross disaster workers are working around the clock to help in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi where devastating flooding has forced thousands of people from their homes.

The Red Cross is opening shelters for those affected, providing meals and distributing relief supplies where it is safe to do so. As of Friday, flooding and evacuations were still occurring and people continued to arrive at shelters for refuge. As of Friday, more than 525 people sought help in 23 Red Cross and community shelters in the three flood-stricken states.

“This has been a difficult week for many families and Red Cross disaster mental health workers are helping people cope in the aftermath of many challenging situations,” Red Cross representatives said. Volunteers are also helping to replace needed items like prescription medications and eyeglasses.

According to the organization, nearly 1,000 Red Cross workers have provided 2,500 overnight stays in 55 shelters, served 49,000 meals and snacks, and distributed 18,000 relief items including comfort kits and cleaning supplies since the flooding began.

Floodwaters have inundated several counties along the Gulf Coast in Texas where more than 290 people took refuge in 10 shelters Thursday night. In Mississippi, 38 people spent Thursday night in six Red Cross shelters and hundreds of homes have been damaged by the floodwaters.

In Louisiana, there were seven Red Cross and community shelters open overnight with nearly 200 residents taking refuge in them.  Organization leaders say this is the largest sheltering operation for the Red Cross in Louisiana since Hurricane Gustav and Ike in 2008, and Hurricane Isaac in 2012. As many as 12,000 people have been impacted by the flooding across the state with hundreds of residences either destroyed or receiving major damage, Red Cross representatives said.

How to Help: Those who would like to help people affected by disasters like flooding and other crises can make a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Donations can be made by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.

March 13, 2016. Robinsonville, Mississippi.
American Red Cross client assistance teams canvassed areas of North Mississippi (Tunica County) that were affected by floodwaters.
Paul Strickland and his son Paul Strickland, Jr. share their ordeal and complete paperwork with Red Cross caseworker Mike Peterson in front of his Robinsonville, Mississippi, home now surrounded by floodwaters.
Photo by Bob Wallace/American Red Cross

March 13, 2016. Robinsonville, Mississippi.
American Red Cross client assistance teams canvassed areas of North Mississippi (Tunica County) that were affected by floodwaters.
Robinsonville, Mississippi, resident Elvin Moore heads for his now flooded home with cleanup kits provided by the American Red Cross.
Photo by Bob Wallace/American Red Cross

Wednesday March 16, 2016. McClain, Mississippi.
Red Cross volunteers Lil Doody and Fran Walker console Davrion Hartfield, a resident of McClain, MS as they look out on flooded homes.
Photo by Shannon Toombs/ American Red Cross

Wednesday March 16, 2016. McClain, Mississippi.
Suzy Cooley and Aaron Cooley brave the flood waters on a fishing boat in McClain, MS. Red Cross volunteer, Sarah Basel, notifies them of a nearby Red Cross Point of Contact.
Photo by Shannon Toombs/ American Red Cross

March 14, 2016. West Monroe, Louisiana. Red Cross volunteers from around the country are supporting flood relief efforts in Northeast Louisiana by delivering water, snacks and other supplies to neighborhoods that were affected.
Photo by Daniel CIma/American Red Cross

March 14, 2016. Monroe, Louisiana. After 4-year-old Anthony Cooks, Jr., showed Red Cross worker April Phillips his stuffed dog, she knew just the thing to put a smile on his face – videos of her own dogs. Volunteers pay special attention to children affected by disasters like the Louisiana floods. Special touches, such as sharing videos, playing games and sometimes even making balloon hats, help to make a very difficult experience as comfortable and normal as possible for the children and families.
Photo by Daniel CIma/American Red Cross