WA volunteers, organizations helping those hit by Helene

Local hurricane relief efforts underway in WA

As of Friday, fifteen people from the Northwest region had been deployed through the American Red Cross, and even more are likely in the coming days.

SEATTLE - As of Friday, 15 people from the Northwest region had been deployed to the Helene's path through the American Red Cross, and even more are likely in the coming days.

The organization told FOX 13, many of them are coming straight from a previous deployment so they’re pulling double duty.

"You are stepping into another world; you leave the comfort of the pacific northwest, and I remember my glasses fogging up due to humidity," Betsy Robertson, Communications Director for the Red Cross Northwest said.

She remembers what it was like being in Florida as a volunteer during a hurricane.

"You are overwhelmed by the sense of need and the scale of the damage and the impact of these storms, the amount of water, the number of people, the amount of care they’re going to need and right now it may just be in the form of a cot and a hug and some comfort and a warm meal," Robertson said.

This is what the volunteers helping those impacted by Helene are seeing right now, she said.

"It’s devastating to go through a disaster and imagine being hit repeatedly by disaster year after year, it starts to wear you down," Robertson said.

For many of these communities, they’re still recovering from Idalia last year. Humanitarian organization World Vision told FOX 13; it is sending two tractor trailers with 48 pallets of relief supplies to its Florida church partners to distribute.

Those supplies include blankets, hygiene kits, socks, flood buckets, and coolers. Much needed items, as many of these people are experiencing some of the worst moments of their lives.

"We’re getting to have one of our best days because someone else is having their absolute worst day, so keeping that in mind," William Palmer, Washington Task Force One program manager said.

He told FOX 13, right now, they have one member helping those impacted by the hurricane, but the rest of the team is standing by and ready to go.

"There are currently 20 out of the 28 task forces that have either been activated or currently on station," Palmer said. "They’re holding a few of us on reserve in case we have to relieve some other teams."

Those task forces are part of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue and are spread out across the nation.

"We’re like the NFL of rescue," Palmer said.

Those teams are helping in water rescues and search efforts, he adds. The last time they were deployed was last year in Maui when the wildfires devastated Lahaina.

The American Red Cross says they are always recruiting and looking for financial donations. You can find out more information at the American Red Cross Northwest webpage.