The Lubbock Red Cross geared up Wednesday as Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 storm. Volunteers who just returned from helping with Hurricane Florence said they expect this storm to be devastating.
“You lose everything, your whole life is disrupted, and somebody’s has to care and be there for them,” said Brad Larson.
Larson is one of the volunteers who made the trek to North Carolina to help victims. He said while the experience with Red Cross is incredibly rewarding, it can also be tiring, and he’s hoping other people across the county will help with the current hurricane so he can get some well deserved rest.
“It can be emotionally draining,” said Larson. “One of the things you have to do when you come back is to take care of yourself, and get yourself back up again so that you can help more people in the future.”
To be a volunteer with the Red Cross, would-be volunteers need to undergo basic classes on what it’s like to be in a disaster zone. Even though it’s a lot of training, Larson said the experience can be life changing.
“I can guarantee that anybody who volunteers with the Red Cross, and goes to a disaster like this, they will never be the same again,” said Larson.
However, if you can’t make the trip, there are still plenty of other ways to get involved like donating money, or donating items you can find in your local grocery store.
If you would like to know more about volunteering or donating, you can find more information HERE.
