BUFFALO - The American Red Cross has a relief response underway to Sandy, providing people across a number of states with a safe place to stay, food to eat and comfort during this difficult time. Thousands of people have spent the night in hundreds of Red Cross shelters since the storm began its onslaught on the country. The Red Cross has already served more than 100,800 meals and snacks and mobilized more than 2,300 disaster workers and almost 200 emergency vehicles so far and more are being deployed.
The Emergency Response Vehicle based in Niagara County deployed with two volunteers from the Western New York region Wednesday afternoon, and five additional volunteers and a second ERV deployed from the Jamestown office. William Tucker of the Jamestown office responded for mass care/sheltering. The group will be driving to the operational headquarters in White Plains, N.Y., where they will then be assigned to the affected areas.
A total of 25 volunteers from the Western New York region have been deployed to assist in the Red Cross response to Sandy so far.
"This response to Sandy is just getting started. The storm has left devastation in its wake and we will be helping people for weeks to come," said Nancy Blaschak, executive director of the American Red Cross, WNY Region. "This will be very costly and the Red Cross needs help now. We ask everyone to support us as we help people recover from this massive storm."