Red Cross Braces For Louisiana and Texas Hurricanes

ZANESVILLE, Ohio-As hurricane Laura is preparing to hit the gulf coast the national Red Cross is preparing for their response. 

The bulk of the hurricane is expected to hit Louisiana and Texas. Executive Director of the Eastern Central Ohio Red Cross Rod Cook has information on what exact precautions the Red Cross is taking. 

“We’ve actually been down there in Texas and Louisiana preparing for more than a week. We are helping the local officials set up evacuation shelters and with this COVID 19 it’s complicated things quite a bit for us. Nonetheless we are down there getting supplies ready, setting up these shelters.”

Cook has been a volunteer in Louisiana hurricanes in the past, and says that the Red Cross is looking for all sorts of volunteers. 

“Right now we are looking for what we call seasonal volunteers. These are folks that are willing to be trained and sent out to a disaster. Right now, in our chapter, we currently have two people from Licking County down in Louisiana that are working to set up some of these shelters. Recently, over the last month, we sent a couple of volunteers from here in Muskingum County.”

Any healthy person looking to help others is encouraged to volunteer for the Red Cross.