The American Red Cross of Western New York and National Grid are among the organizations sending workers to assist with relief efforts following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene.
The Red Cross says there are currently 12 Western New Yorkers assigned to Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. They join a contingent of more than 1,400 Red Cross disaster workers already on the ground, with more expected throughout the week.
The Western New York volunteer assignments include:
• 7 volunteers deployed to northern Florida
• 3 volunteers deployed to Georgia
• 2 volunteers deployed to North Carolina
“In times of disaster, especially of the magnitude of Hurricane Helene, our volunteers are a symbol of relief and hope for those impacted,” said Nick Bond, CEO of the American Red Cross of Western New York region. “We are extremely proud of and grateful for the compassionate and dedicated nature of our local volunteers. They not only serve our own communities each day of the year, but they are also willing to leave the comfort of their homes to answer the call to assist others impacted by disaster throughout our nation.”
The majority of the volunteers will be serving at shelters housing and feeding thousands displaced by the storm. Hurricane Helene is the strongest storm ever to strike the Big Bend region of Florida and the third hurricane to hit that area in 13 months.
The Red Cross estimates that Helene likely destroyed up to 10,000 homes based on initial assessments, and that nearly 15 million people were without power at points.
Besides volunteering, there are other ways to help. Thousands of people affected by Hurricane Helene need help now. Donations help the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to make a financial donation or to schedule a blood donation appointment. Individuals can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation.
In addition, National Grid has dispatched more than 100 upstate New York electric operations specialists to West Virginia to assist Appalachian Power in restoration efforts following the extensive damage brought by Hurricane Helene. The National Grid crews were from western, central and eastern New York.
“We are very grateful to our field force for bringing their expertise to where it is needed most,” said Sally Librera, president, National Grid New York. “Assisting other energy delivery companies is another important role we play as first responders in times of crises like this.”
The company’s New York team will be joined in West Virginia by 50 National Grid electric operation colleagues from Massachusetts. The complexity of power restoration after a catastrophic storm requires significant logistical expertise, along with skilled line workers and specialized equipment, which is why utilities rely on each other for aid. National Grid typically sends crews to assist other utilities following severe storms as part of its mutual assistance program. Similarly, other utilities from across the country and Canada respond to assistance requests from National Grid following severely damaging storms.