LANSING, Mich. — Forty-six Michigan Red Cross volunteers, including five from mid-Michigan, have been deployed to Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina in order to help with Hurricane Dorian relief efforts.
Volunteers are currently assisting at Red Cross evacuation centers and driving emergency response vans around impacted areas.
"We have about 1,900 American Red Cross workers that are supporting this effort. 90% of those are volunteers. So they're giving up a minimum of two weeks of their time to go down there and help those that, you know, are in the storms path," Kelly King, executive director of the American Red Cross Mid-Michigan Chapter said.
On Thursday, impacts will be felt along the southeast coast from the slow-moving storm, according to the American Red Cross Mid-Michigan Chapter.
American Red Cross Mid-Michigan says that although the storm has been classified as a Category 2 with its decrease in wind speed, it has also grown in size and life-threatening storm surge and rain will result.
The Red Cross wants to remind everyone that nearly half of all hurricane-related deaths are caused by storm surge, not wind.
The Red Cross said dozens of evacuation centers remain open. For those who need a safe place to go will be able to find information for open Red Cross shelters in the free Emergency App, which can be found by searching "American Red Cross" in the app store.
Want to see more local news ? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Appleand Android
and
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
