Highlands County, FL (Feb. 25, 2008 ) – Don Davenport of Avon Park returned
on Monday, Feb. 25, after six days helping people affected by tornados in South Central Alabama.
Shortly after tornadoes hit the areas of Selma, Ala., and Prattville, Ala., on Sunday, Feb. 17, Davenport deployed to help families who had lost their homes to the storm. Fortunately, he said, no one was killed or seriously hurt, despite many near escapes.
Red Cross volunteers, like Davenport, are ready to help at a moment’s notice, either to deploy to out-of-state disasters or to assist victims of local disasters such as small storms and home fires.
Entries from February 2008
Local volunteer deploys to tornado-hit Alabama
February 25, 2008 · Leave a Comment
Categories: National Disasters
Tagged: American National Red Cross, American Red Cross, blood, Blood Appeal, charity, cross, cyclone, Disaster, donations, donor, emergency, evacuate, firefighters, help, humanitarian, mass destruction, online fundraising, online giving, prepare, Preparedness, red, Red Cross, rescue efforts, safety, Tornado, Volunteer
Local Red Cross responds to warehouse and wildfires in Polk and Highlands counties
February 12, 2008 · Leave a Comment
POLK COUNTY, FL (February 12, 2008 ) — Monday, Feb. 11, kept the local Red Cross very busy supporting fire crews at wildfires and a large warehouse fire.
At 2 p.m., volunteers with the Polk County Chapter were called to help support a wildfire burning just northeast of Lake Wales. At 4 p.m., volunteers with the Highlands County Service Center were called to feed fire crews battling a 100-acre blaze north of Lake Placid. Volunteers also stood by to run a shelter, if needed.
Just then, a fire broke out in the Packaging Corporation of America warehouse west of Winter Haven on Recker Highway. Polk County volunteers loaded the Emergency Response Vehicle and arrived on scene. They provided hot food, snacks and drinks throughout the night while fire fighters fought to cool the blaze.
By 6 p.m., Highlands County Red Cross volunteers had responded to run a shelter south of Sebring for voluntary evacuees. By 10 p.m., however, Highlands County volunteers had completed the feeding operation. No residents had taken advantage of the shelter, so the county closed it.
Polk County volunteers finished feeding operations at the warehouse fire at midnight, but returned Tuesday morning to provide breakfast for crews still fighting the smoldering fire in the warehouse.
The American Red Cross thanks its volunteers and supporters for helping make fast and efficient disaster responses possible. To help your local American Red Cross, call (863) 294-5941 or (863) 386-4440.
Categories: Feeding · Home Fires · Sheltering
Tagged: American Red Cross, charity, cross, Disaster, donations, donor, emergency, evacuate, fire, firefighters, help, humanitarian, mass destruction, prepare, Preparedness, red, Red Cross, rescue efforts, safety, Volunteer, wildfires
