Volunteers from the Red Cross office in Salina are preparing to head to Texas on Wednesday. An Emergency Response Vehicle team from the agency is scheduled to leave early in the afternoon.

The American Red Cross is mobilizing thousands of volunteers to support hurricane relief oprations in Texas, Louisiana and Florida. As volunteers provide support to those affected by Hurricane Harvey, the Red Cross is already deploying volunteers to prepare for the impact of Hurricane Irma.

The Salina office will be conducting two “boot-camp style” trainings, Just In Time Training to volunteers who need advanced training to be eligible for a two-week deployment. The two sessions will both be on Monday at the Red Cross office, 145 S. Broadway Blvd., Salina.

The first session will be from 12 pm – 3 pm and again from 5 pm – 8 pm.

Volunteers need only to register for one of the sessions. New volunteers will need to create an account at www.volunteerconnection.redcross.org to begin the application and background check process.

According to the Central and Western Kansas Executive Director, Becky LaPolice, the need for volunteer support continues to grow. “We currently have over 3,000 volunteers on the ground in the Gulf Coast region. We expect with Hurricane Irma, we’ll need to put another call out for support. The response from communities across the nation to help our neighbors to the south has been overwhelming. This is the time to put those folks in action.”

HOW TO REGISTER FOR TRAINING:
Anyone interested in the Just In Time Training can register with Disaster Program Specialist, Meaghan Purdy at [email protected]. For more information, call or text 785-447-3687.

HOW ANYONE CAN HELP:
The Red Cross depends on the generous support of the American public to fulfill its crucial mission. Help people affected by disasters like home fires, floods and countless other crises by making a donation to support Red Cross Disaster Relief. These gifts enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Make a donation today by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 gift.

STAY INFORMED
The Red Cross has several smartphone apps available that will alert you to National Weather Service warnings for severe weather and flash flooding and provide you with preparedness and safety information. These free apps are available at redcross.org/apps.