 Red Cross Deploys St. Louis Emergency Response Vehicle
and Disaster Relief Workers to Texas in Preparation for Hurricane Dolly
Dolly is upgraded to Category 1 Hurricane status, capable of producing 74-95 mph winds
St. Louis, Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter is currently deploying two volunteers and its Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) to San Antonio, Texas as part of a pre-deployment team for Dolly, the tropical storm which has now been upgraded to a Category 1 Hurricane. Forecasters indicate that the storm should reach northeastern Mexico or extreme Southern Texas on Wednesday and the storm may continue to strengthen before landfall. In addition, Dolly is expected to produce rain accumulations of 6-10 inches, and in some places up to 15 inches. As a Category 1 Hurricane, Dolly is capable of producing 74-95 mph winds and some coastal road flooding.
St. Louis Area Chapter Disaster Volunteers Mike Wood (Granite City, IL) and Crow Brozovich (Overland, MO) will be driving the Emergency Response Vehicle to San Antonio, TX; San Antonio is the Red Cross staging area for the Hurricane Dolly disaster response. The ERV is equipped to serve up to 600 meals at a time throughout the most severely impacted neighborhoods.
About Red Cross Emergency Services:
The American Red Cross provides immediate assistance with shelter, food, emotional support and emergency supplies as needed in the wake of disasters and emergencies. The Red Cross is able to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide a wide range of programs and services throughout the region due to the dedication of volunteers who give freely of their time.
The American Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and all Red Cross disaster relief assistance is free of charge, thanks to generous public support. For more information about volunteer opportunities, emergency services or a variety of other programs provided by the organization, please call 314.516.2800, or log on to the St. Louis Area Chapter's website at www.redcrossstl.org.
How You Can Help
You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the massive Midwest floods and tornadoes, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. To make a contribution in support of disaster relief for this and future events, please call 1.800.RED.CROSS or donate on-line at www.redcrossstl.org.
About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter:
Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter celebrates 91 years of dedicated service, providing emergency relief and preparedness training more than 446,600 times each year. The Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and depends on the efforts of thousands of volunteers and donors to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, services to military personnel and support for blood services. The Chapter, a United Way agency, provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair (including Scott Air Force Base) and part of Madison County in Illinois. All disaster relief services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the American people. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or www.redcrossstl.org. |