6 Big Island Red Cross Volunteers Deploy for Dorian

Seventeen Hawaii Red Cross volunteers are deployed to help residents in the path of Hurricane Dorian—six from the Big Island.

Nine volunteers are from O‘ahu, one is from Kaua‘i and one is from Molokai.

The volunteers are in route or already in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and will be helping with Mental Health, Spiritual Care, Sheltering, Logistics, Planning and Staffing.

The American Red Cross is working around the clock to prepare for Hurricane Dorian and help people who have been forced to evacuate.

Tuesday night, more than 9,000 people stayed in 140 Red Cross and community evacuation shelters in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. This included 7,070 people in 111 shelters in Florida, some 1,631 people in 14 Red Cross shelters in Georgia and 603 people in 15 Red Cross shelters in South Carolina.

While the focus of the storm is shifting away from Florida, the Red Cross continues coordinating with partners to support evacuation centers in South Carolina and North Carolina.

More than 1,900 trained Red Cross responders from all over the country are helping to support relief efforts.

Along with partners, the Red Cross has served more than 19,000 meals and snacks.

In advance of Dorian, some 110 emergency response vehicles and 104 tractor-trailer loads full of relief supplies, including cots, blankets and 63,000 ready-to-eat meals were mobilized.

Hurricane Dorian has forced the cancellation of nearly 50 Red Cross blood drives and donation centers in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina resulting in more than 1,200 uncollected blood and platelet donations.

To assist local blood centers in Florida, the Red Cross sent approximately 350 blood products to ensure patients have access to lifesaving blood as hurricane warnings and evacuations keep many from giving.

More than 14 million weather alerts related to Dorian have been sent through Red Cross mobile apps since August 28.

International Relief (Bahamas)

According to national and regional estimates, approximately 76,000 people—the vast majority of residents on the two islands—have been affected by Hurricane Dorian.

More than 13,000 houses are believed to have been damaged or destroyed. That’s equivalent to about 45% of all dwellings on the two islands.

The Red Cross is a non-profit humanitarian organization which provides assistance to meet the immediate emergency needs of those affected by disasters. All Red Cross assistance to disaster victims is free. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it depends on public contributions to help others. Make a secure online donation at redcross.org/hawaii or call (808) 739-8109.