Volunteers deploy for Hurricane Florence relief

FARMINGTON — More local American Red Cross volunteers are headed to help along the East Coast in response to Hurricane Florence, including two area residents.

Richard Hanratty, an Old Saybrook first responder, is deploying to Durham, N.C., as a shelter service associate. Michelle Reynolds, a Durham first responder, is deploying to Columbia, S.C., as a disaster mental health service associate.

These responders are 49 of nearly 3,000 volunteers from the Connecticut and Rhode Island region of the Red Cross. The organization anticipates more responders being requested over the coming days, according to a news release.

The American Red Cross continues to work around the clock to do all it can to provide shelter, food, comfort and other emergency support to victims of Hurricane Florence. As such, it is providing safe shelter and comfort for evacuees across six states. More than 15,000 people sought refuge in more than 150 Red Cross and community shelters Sunday night across the impacted region.

This includes at least 14,200 people in 137 shelters in North Carolina and 819 people in nine shelters in South Carolina, according to the Red Cross.

About 3,000 disaster workers from all over the country have been mobilized to help shelter, feed and support people affected by Florence. The Red Cross is mobilizing nearly 130 emergency response vehicles and more than 70 trailers of equipment and supplies, including ready-to-eat meals and enough cots and blankets for more than 100,000 people. Working with partners, the Red Cross has served 150,700 meals and snacks, the release said.

Volunteer mental health and health services professionals have provided some 5,500 contacts to provide support and care to evacuees.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images Members of New York Urban Search and Rescue Task Force One work in an area flooded with waters from the Little River as it crests from the rains caused by Hurricane Florence as it passed through the area Tuesday.