Update as of Monday, October 30, 2017: An additional Red Cross disaster responder is on his way to the USVI.
Les Orser volunteers with the Red Cross of Western Colorado. Les has been a long-time volunteer and has deployed to large scale disasters across the country on many occasions. He is a licensed mental health counselor and will be providing emotional support to people on the US Virgin Islands. Standard Red Cross deployment is for 21 days.
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Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as Puerto Rico. The Red Cross has been on the ground since the very beginning providing food, water, medical and other immediate needs. Nearly 720 Red Cross disaster workers have supported the relief efforts and it is expected to be a long recovery for the millions of people affected by the storms.
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| Red Cross disaster responders at the Red Cross office on St. Thomas, USVI. Photo American Red Cross |
Red Cross disaster workers continue to deploy to the region to replace those that have been working diligently.
Colorado and Wyoming Red Crossers will be deploying this week to the U.S. Virgin Islands:
Mary Crawford is deploying to St. Croix. She will support staffing services that provides support for our deployed responders. Mary is a long-time volunteer with the Mile High Chapter in Denver.
Larry Cornett is deploying to St. Thomas. He will support the logistics effort getting supplies onto the island and then distributing them to those in need. Larry is the Disaster Program Manager working from the Red Cross office in Pueblo.
Cindi Shank is deploying to St, Thomas. This will be her second deployment to the island. She deployed originally for Hurricane Irma support and endured the Hurricane Maria landfall. She is the Disaster Program Manager for the Red Cross of Wyoming and is from Gillette, WY.
Rodger Ortiz is deploying to St. Croix. Rodger is from Pueblo and is a relatively new volunteer with the Red Cross of Southeastern Colorado and this will be his first deployment. Rodger will support the sheltering effort on St. Croix.
The latest news release about our response to Hurricane Irma is at Hurricane Irma One Month Progress Report.
The video below is a short example about the Red Cross response on the U.S. Virgin Islands. Courtesy American Red Cross.