Torn power lines, destroyed homes, and lost lives. When a hurricane hits, it always hits hard; and for many, it hits home. Hurricane season crushed many parts of the United States this year. While the storms have mostly dissipated, relief efforts are just getting started.
American Red Cross Volunteer Steve Wise traveled to the Kay-Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center mega shelter in Dallas, Texas to help clean up after state officials say that eighty two people died and nearly 140,000 homes were destroyed due to Hurricane Harvey.
Wise says it was shocking to hear some of the stories he encountered.
Wise described dozens of stories he encountered while volunteering, including a family rescued from a flooded home filled with fish and snakes, a crowded airplane transporting hundreds of people turned down from a nearby shelter at max capacity, and an exhausted parent carrying a garbage bag filled with clothing and baby formula for their kid.
Keep in mind, Hurricane Harvey was just one hurricane this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated that “16 separate billion-dollar weather events in the U.S. in 2017 was $306.2 billion.”
American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois Regional Spokesperson Catherine Rabenstine says these hurricanes have been devastating, especially for the unprepared.
Rabenstine says the American Red Cross sends volunteers to where storms are predicted to hit so the volunteers can set up shelters ahead of time. The volunteers can then provide food, lodging, comfort, health, and other assistance to those directly in need.
However, she says hurricane victims often need extended support to put their lives back together.
Wise says he wants to help those in need, no matter how far away they are.
The retired worker says he had a very fruitful career. He says he told his wife that he wanted to retire early so he can help others—sharing his blessings with others who need it.
