LONG BEACH — The Greater Long Beach/Rio Hondo Chapter of the American Red Cross, serving Greater Long Beach, Rio Hondo, and the South Bay, has issued an alert that volunteers are being deployed and equipment is being sent to assist with the massive response as Irma heads to the U.S., expected to make landfall on the Florida coast late Sunday or early Monday. Strong winds could hit the state as early as Friday night.
Irma is expected to slam Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands today and the American Red Cross workers already are at work on many island nations.
Haiti could also be affected, and the American Red Cross and Haitian Red Cross are pre-positioning disaster responders and relief items in areas that will potentially be hit by Irma. There are relief supplies and vehicles on the ground. Plans include being ready to shelter more than 120,000 people.
The Red Cross is working in collaboration with the U.S. government and community partners to coordinate response efforts.
Hundreds of trained disaster relief workers, truckloads of supplies are on the way, including 100,000 shelf-stable meals and 80 emergency response vehicles.
Persons interested in disaster services training to join the relief effort should contact Anna Laine or Amber Gibson at (562) 490-4000.