On April 18, two local volunteers from the American Red Cross Wayne County Chapter were deployed to Raleigh, N.C., in the wake of the deadly tornadoes which recently hit the southern east coast. Veteran disaster volunteers Russ Phillips from Wooster and Jim Emerson from Apple Creek were assigned to the relief efforts conducted by the American Red Cross. Both men are trained disaster workers and licensed in their professions and will be working with families involved in the devastation. This is the second operation that Emerson has been deployed on, and Phillips’s fourth national disaster assignment. Both are active with the local Red Cross chapter in Wayne County. Phillips and Emerson will be assigned for at least a three-week tour.

The American Red Cross has seven shelters open in North Carolina. Over 250,000 homes were without power initially. There are numerous fatalities and over 100 injuries in the 10 counties and three major cities involved. Search and rescue operations continue.

Although planning and preparation activities are in place, the cost of responding to disasters of this magnitude are not budgeted for. The American Red Cross relies solely on donations and support from the American public - and receives no direct funding for any of their services from the federal government. If you would like to help those involved in this or any of the other relief efforts in the south, donations can be made through the local chapter.