VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Recovery efforts are underway in Texas and Louisiana after then Hurricane Laura ripped through parts of those states. Some American Red Cross volunteers in Virginia are in those states ready to help.
Virginia Beach resident Michelle Ellis Young finally heard from one of her family members who live in Louisiana.
“I just got a text from my cousin and everyone is accounted for. So my aunt's safe and sound and we’re family and we’re excited about that," said Young.
Additionally, Young is the Executive Director for the American Red Cross of Coastal Virginia. Young waits and is ready for her first deployment to help her home state hit by then-Hurricane Laura.
“What’s transpiring in Louisiana is very near and dear to my heart and I went to school in Houston. So even what’s happening in Texas just has frankly pulled on me as I still have family in both of those areas," said Young.
American Red Cross Communications Manager Kristopher Dumschat explained many Virginia Red Cross volunteers are currently in Texas, Louisiana, and California.
"We have 25 volunteers from the Virginia area that have deployed not just to Hurricane Laura and impacted areas of Louisiana and Texas but also to California for the wildfires and now onto the Midwest," said Young.
Dumschat explained COVID-19 also changed how volunteers work and how shelters will look.
"Where now because we are social distancing where cots can go, where different families can be placed in those congregant shelters we are spacing them out more and that causing the need to have more facilities," said Young.
Dumschat explained the Red Cross volunteers could be in those hit areas for weeks. Young hopes Hampton Roads citizens are ready for any kind disaster.
"If there’s anything that can be said out of all of this is really prepare yourselves and make sure you're prepared in the event a storm should pass this way," said Young.