Disaster Relief - Red Cross prepares to help victims of tropical storms Laura and Marco. Also shares

Natural Disasters can occur at any time.

Right now, the American Red Cross is helping victims of different natural disasters in different parts of the country.

Welcome back everyone.

Natural disasters can happen at anytime throughout the year.

These can include hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, and wildfires to name a few.

Since its founding in 18--81, the american red cross has helped disaster victims get back on their feet.

W-t-v-a's bronson woodruff spoke with the american red cross of north mississippi about its current disaster relief efforts, including for tropical storms laura and marco.

The director for the red cross of north mississippi said relief efforts don't stop just because of a pandemic.

The organization's been helping people in california as they deal with wildfires, people in illinois and iowa as they are recovering from a derecho, and it's at work right now preparing for laura and marco on the gulf coast.

Remember the red cross ."

"the red cross never stops working."

K.

C.

Grist is executive director of the american red cross in north mississippi.

She said right now, the organization has had to bring in new ways to bring relief to disaster victims. "now it may not be someone who shows up at your house, but a phone call."

According to grist, volunteers and staff do most of their training online.

She said the red cross has added modules covering coronavirus safety procedures.

"instead of maybe escorting someone to a hotel or to a shelter of some sort, we are able to just say, you know, there is a room waiting for you at x-y-z hotel that's been taken care of.

In-person relief operations for natural disasters such as the tropical storms blowing in along the coastlines are also different for personal safety during the pandemic.

"instead of having, you know, one massive shelter at a coliseum somewhere, we've been able to partner with different community organizations and do smaller shelters where we can spread people out a little bit better."

Grist said the organization always needs help and volunteers to do its work.

"we encourage people when you're making your charitable contributions to please remember the red cross."

If you'd like to make a donation to help the red cross, you can find the link to their donation page on w-t-v-a's website.

Reporting live in tupelo, i'm bronson woodruff for w-t-v-a nine news.

And with both laura and marco on the way, the mississippi emergency management association is urging folks to have a disaster kit ready to go.

Normally, disaster kits have some food, water, flashlights, batteries, extra clothes and blankets, and copies of of any important documents.

However, with the pandemic, mema also recommends having some form of p-p-e, including masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer.

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