Utah Red Cross Sends People, Resources To Florida

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – As Hurricane Dorian prepares to make landfall, the American Red Cross in Utah is deploying local volunteers and resources to assist with disaster preparations to help tens of thousands of people in the hurricane’s path.

Hurricane Dorian continues to grow stronger as it takes aim at the southeast coast of the U.S. and while the exact path of Dorian is still uncertain, 19 million people live in areas that could be impacted, with as many as 50,000 people subject to evacuation.

Besides volunteers, Utah has deployed one of our Emergency Response Vehicles based in Provo to join a national fleet of over 100 ERVs, which comprises a third of the entire Red Cross fleet.

“The Red Cross in Utah is always ready to help out wherever the need is and right now, we are providing needed support for Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and other affected areas,” says Heidi Ruster, regional CEO for Utah and Nevada.

The Red Cross is also coordinating with community partners and emergency responders to prepare evacuation centers for people who may seek shelter as the hurricane slams the coast predicted to hit tomorrow. The Red Cross has also pre-positioned additional blood products and stocked many of hospitals to capacity in areas of the Southeast likely to be impacted by the storm.

How to help

You can make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross’s response by texting “Dorian” to 90999.

Donations can also be given by visiting the group’s website redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. Donations enable the Red Cross to provide food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support and recovery planning, including helping people connect with government, private and non-profit assistance.

As always, the American Red Cross is always looking for people to donate blood. Go to redcross.org to find a blood drive near you.