AUSTIN, Texas — As Beryl is expected to intensify in the next few days, the American Red Cross is looking to send more volunteers to the Texas coast to help.
Currently, the organization has around 350 volunteers who have signed up for a two-week deployment to help with Beryl. They’re currently on their way to their disaster relief base in San Antonio, but the Red Cross is still looking for all the help it can get.
“The hope here is to sign up as many volunteers as can to help us get ahead of future disasters, but not only help with Hurricane Beryl right now,” Delis Kirppelz, the communications director for the American Red Cross, said.
According to the American Red Cross, the number of billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. over the last decade has increased by 85%. With 90% of the Red Cross’ workforce being volunteers, the organization is trying to make sure it's prepared for any upcoming disasters, including the potential effects of Beryl.
This Saturday and Sunday, the organization is holding volunteer recruitment events at the Montopolis Recreation Center in Austin and the Georgetown First United Methodist Church.
Something else there's a big need for is licensed mental health specialists to help on disaster relief trips.
“When somebody faces a disaster, it’s probably one of the worst days of their life,” Kirppelz said. “We want to make sure that they’re equipped with those resources to be able to help with not only their recovery journey within their home, but their mental health journey too.”
To Ken Armstrong, a Red Cross volunteer since 1962, that’s a big part of why he goes on these trips.
“One of the most exciting things to me is to come up to someone that’s been in probably the worst day of their life, and say, ‘Hey, we’re from the American Red Cross, and we’re here to help you,’” Armstrong said.
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Armstrong loves to mentor volunteers, and is hoping the organization is able to find people who share his same passion for serving during this weekend's recruitment events.
“I love it. I work more here than I’ve ever worked in any other job,” Armstrong said. “This is the love of my retired work.”
After volunteers sign up, they will go through a free training course at the American Red Cross Center in Austin to prepare them for helping in shelters. The Red Cross will be holding more training courses on Sunday as well.
If you aren’t able to go on a two-week deployment, more information on ways to serve is available on the Red Cross’ website.