Red Cross Helps Those in the Path of Cresting Mississippi

A Red Cross worker disseminates information to Jimmy Ault, resident of Greenville, Mississippi at an Information Station outside of a Walmart. Photo Credit: Allison Graber/American Red Cross

As flood waters crest in multiple cities this week, the American Red Cross is working around the clock to ensure residents along the Mississippi River are prepared.

In Mississippi, the Red Cross has opened nine “information stations” where people can get flood preparedness information and talk to Red Cross workers about the services the Red Cross provides during a flood.

Residents who visit these stations can learn where shelters are located, and can also pick up bottled water, snacks and comfort kits (which contain daily personal items such as shampoo and toothpaste).

Teams of Red Cross workers trained in mental health, health services and spiritual care are also going door to door in some areas to talk to residents about flood preparedness. Volunteers from AmeriCorps National Community Civilian Corps (NCCC)—a long-time partner of the Red Cross—are also involved in these efforts.

In addition to distributing preparedness information, the Red Cross has opened seven shelters in Mississippi, with more on standby to help residents who evacuate from their homes.

In Louisiana, where the opening of the Morganza Spillway on Saturday is expected to affect thousands of people, Red Cross workers are also distributing flood preparedness information in potentially impacted parishes.

The Red Cross is prepared for a prolonged feeding and shelter response, with more than 20 shelters ready to open if needed in Louisiana. To ensure there will be enough volunteers to support a long-term sheltering operation, the Red Cross in Baton Rouge, La., is also recruiting and training more local volunteers.

Red Cross is ready to support flooding of Louisiana. Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) and dedicated volunteer crews, now totaling 11 in the state, stand ready to deploy from Disaster Relief Operations HQ in Baton Rouge. Photo Credit: Eric Jones/American Red Cross

Meanwhile, truckloads of Red Cross relief supplies made their way into the state over the weekend, including thousands of cots, blankets and comfort kits. The Red Cross is working closely with government and community partners to ensure workers, equipment, shelters, food and relief materials are in place as people evacuate from their homes.

Residents in inundated towns along the river not only need things to meet their physical needs, such as food and shelter, but also someone to listen and support them through this difficult and uncertain time.

Brenda Griffin has been through great emotional upheaval this year, and that was before the area known as “the cutoff” in Tunica, Miss., was covered by flood water. Many of the homes in the area were stilted as a precaution, but those homes and three fishing camps were wiped out by the Mississippi last week.

As Griffin talked with Red Cross emotional support worker Dominic Di Girolamo, she told him that her mom had recently died after a battle with cancer, and she that had to put down one of her beloved pets. The small town has also lost several of its residents to illness in the past few months. And now she’s lost her home.

“I’ve never been in a situation where I don’t have anything,” said Griffin. “I’m separated from all my stuff; I feel disoriented, like I’m floating on a raft in the ocean. My mom was always there for me and now she’s gone. She was the person who grounded everything.”

Griffin described the Red Cross shelter in Tunica as a safe haven where she and other Tunica residents from the cutoff can meet to catch up. Local restaurants and businesses have been closed, so the folks from the cutoff meet at the shelter to check in with each other.

For weeks to come, as waters remain high through many parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, Red Cross volunteers like Di Girolamo will be there to help residents through what is for many a life-changing disaster.

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster. Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS; you can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

2011 Spring Floods

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When Delores Hale got cancer, she thought "God May Be Through With Me." A year later, after she beat cancer, she decided to volunteer for the American Red Cross, and today is serving as a shelter manager in Tunica, Mississippi, helping flood victims.

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Southern States Grapple with Back-to-Back Disasters

Erica Williams, 12, receives a big hug from Janice Sawyer, Site Director for the Capitol River Chapter of Mississippi, in front of a flooded playground by Williams' home. Vicksburg, MS. Photo: Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross

This year, spring tornadoes and floods have brought heartache to many parts of the South, but through it all, the American Red Cross is there to help people recover from April’s deadly tornadoes and now major flooding along the Mississippi River.

As the nation’s attention has turned toward the rising river, volunteers from the Red Cross and its community partners began going door to door this week to give residents flood preparedness information and to help them cope with this stressful situation. The Red Cross also opened shelters for residents evacuating flood-threatened areas, and remains ready to provide shelter for potentially thousands of people.

Even as many are now anxiously watching the Mississippi, other Red Cross relief efforts also continue across the South in response to the hundreds of tornadoes that devastated the region last month. Just over 1,000 people stayed in a shelter on Thursday night, including more than 150 in hard-hit Alabama. In that state, more than 12,000 homes were either destroyed or heavily damaged; in North Carolina, almost 2,000 homes.

The deadly tornadoes didn’t spare Mountain City, Tenn., either. Many families are now clearing their land of debris or beginning to repair their homes—and the Red Cross is there to support them.

Teams of volunteers in Red Cross emergency response vehicles (ERVs) are delivering meals and distributing cleanup kits and coolers full of useful supplies such as flashlights, work gloves and safety goggles to the people who live in this remote town nestled in Cherokee National Forest.

“I think it’s great; it really helps us out,” said Taylor Robbins, 17, who along with her mother, collected supplies from the Red Cross. “It feels good that people care about us.”

Vince Nicely, a Red Cross volunteer for more than 10 years, is on ERV duty in Mountain City, handing out meals and comfort kits.

“We’ve been doing something different every day,” he says. “I’m learning new things and it feels so good to help.”

ERV driver Tim Hopkins says he’s in it for the long haul. “I just want to stick it out and make sure we’ve got everybody taken care of,” he said. “It’s fulfilling when people are in that shape and you’re able to help.”

Red Cross volunteers like Hopkins will be working across the South for weeks to come as the tornado recovery continues, and as relief operations follow the flooding Mississippi. You can read more about how the Red Cross is responding to this spring’s severe weather on Redcross.org.

How You Can Help

The Red Cross estimates that it will spend as much as $31 million responding to the wildfires, tornadoes and floods that have occurred over the past several weeks, while initiating another costly large-scale relief operation to help people along the Mississippi River. The Red Cross has received $23.2 million in pledges and contributions for disaster relief since March 31 to support the current response in 23 states around the country

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster. Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS; you can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

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Volunteers remain strong as assignments are extended along the Mississippi River

American Red Cross disaster volunteers have had a long few weeks. It’s rare that so many bad things happen in so many areas in such a short amount of time. A true reminder that anything can happen anywhere, anytime.

Here at the Dallas Area Chapter, 27 volunteers who are nationally trained experts were deployed to areas in Alabama and Mississippi to respond to the deadly tornado outbreaks. Many of those that went were still washing the smoke smell out of their disaster vests from the massive wildfires that destroyed over two million acres right here in their backyard. Now, many of them are shifting gears from tornado to flood with extended assignments; and all eyes on the Mississippi River.

As they reflect on what they have seen so far, the heartbreak for those affected and the desire to stay and help comes through in even the simplest message. Tom Elliot is one of those volunteers. His brief message says it all:

“Mississippi had spotty tornado damage overall, but the small town of Smithville, population 800, was nearly wiped off the face of the map. 18 people died. They have US flags in front of the rubble of each house where someone died. We are now preparing for the floods. Vicksburg, Mississippi is due to crest on May 21st. We’re planning to open four mega shelters along the western side of the state and two mega kitchens. Mississippi wraps up one disaster and now has to face a second. Hardly seems fair.”

With record flooding following record tornadoes following record wildfires, no doubt it is taking a toll on everyone from emergency worker, to resident, to even the observers far from these areas. Our volunteers are tired. But they are even more resilient because the people being impacted by these terrible disasters need them to be.

On behalf of all of us keeping the home fires burning, we salute every one of you out in the field helping and we really hope to see you home soon.

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Red Cross Gearing up for Mississippi River Flooding

The American Red Cross is ramping up to help people along the Mississippi River, where forecasters are predicting potentially catastrophic flooding may occur starting later this week. The Red Cross is sending trained volunteers and supplies to the areas of Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana threatened by the record flooding. Shelters are opening in some parts of those states.

Tom Elliott, an American Red Cross Disaster Volunteer from Dallas, Texas, was sent to Mississippi last week to help with the deadly tornado outbreak. Little did he know that a week later, his team would not only be responding to that disaster, but that they would be gearing up for one that could be even worse.

“We’re preparing for Vicksburg, MS to crest on the 21st,” said Elliott. “We’re planning to open four large shelters on the western side of the state and two large kitchens. We’re not even wrapped up with the first disaster and now the people of Mississippi have to face a second.”

Across the south, deadly tornadoes destroyed or damaged as many as 13,000 homes in recent weeks. The Red Cross estimates the costs of its responses to the April tornadoes, Texas wildfires, flooding and other disasters since March 31 could reach $31 million—with the response to the Mississippi River flooding expected to drive relief expenses even higher. As of Thursday, May 5, the Red Cross had raised about $16 million for disaster response since March 31.

Thousands of people have been affected by recent disasters. Please consider making a donation today by clicking on www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions can also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

The Red Cross has launched 20 separate relief operations over more than half of the United States since March 31. A total of 27 disaster relief experts from Dallas, Texas are currently on assignment in MS, AL, AR, or TN. More are expected to deploy in the days and weeks ahead.

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Mississippi River flooding update

Red Cross Moving Supplies and Volunteers to Help People Along the Mississippi River and in Tornado-Ravaged South
As flood threat increases, so does the need for donations

Forecasters are predicting catastrophic flooding may occur along the Mississippi River in the next few days, and the American Red Cross is ramping up to help people along the river as efforts continue to assist thousands of people in tornado-ravaged communities across the South.

The Red Cross estimates the costs of its responses to the April tornadoes, flooding and other disasters since March 31 could reach $31 million—with the response to the Mississippi River flooding expected to drive relief expenses even higher. As of Thursday, May 5, the Red Cross had raised about $16 million for disaster response since March 31.

These disaster costs are in addition to the approximately $378 million that the Red Cross must raise annually to respond to more than 65,000 disasters each year.

“We’re gearing up to respond to major flooding along the Mississippi River,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president, Red Cross Disaster Services. “Red Cross workers and supplies are already on the way there, even as we continue to provide for the people affected by the tornadoes.”

The Red Cross is preparing to launch a prolonged shelter and feeding operation for people living along the Mississippi, sending in leadership teams, calling down disaster workers and pre-positioning thousands of cots, blankets and other relief supplies. More than 400 Red Cross workers already are in Memphis to support efforts there and in other nearby communities. Experts are warning that flood waters could remain in areas for as long as two weeks, forcing people to stay in shelters for more than a month.

Meanwhile, more than 6,000 Red Cross workers are providing meals, shelter, hygiene and cleanup supplies and health and mental health services to people affected by the recent tornadoes.

The Red Cross has launched 20 separate relief operations over more than half of the United States since March 31, responding to disasters from North Dakota to the East Coast and all throughout the South. Since the end of March, the Red Cross has opened more than 170 shelters and provided more than 13,000 overnight stays, serving more than 1.2 million meals and snacks to people affected by wildfires, flooding and tornadoes.

The Red Cross urges people living in and around the Mississippi River to get prepared now. If their neighborhood is threatened, they should:

• Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
• When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for the area, head for higher ground and stay there.
• Stay away from floodwaters. If someone comes upon a flowing stream where water is above their ankles, they should stop, turn around and go another way. Six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep a person off of their feet.
• If someone comes upon a flooded road while driving, they should turn around and go another way. If caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around them, they should get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.
• Keep children out of the water. They are curious and often lack judgment about running water or contaminated water.
• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood danger.

People should know what the warnings mean. A flood WATCH means a flood is possible in the area. If a flood watch is issued, people should move their furniture and valuables to higher floors of their home. People should keep their vehicle’s gas tank full in case they have to evacuate.

A flood WARNING means flooding is already occurring or will occur soon in the area. If a flood warning is issued, listen to local radio and television stations for information. If told to evacuate, do so as soon as possible.

Thousands of people have been affected by these disasters. Please consider making a donation today by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Video: Update from Tennessee

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As the Mississippi River crests at record levels in Memphis, Tenn., the Red Cross is in ready to open as many shelters as necessary to take care of evacuees.

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