Central and South Texans are doing their part to help people in Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene.
Helene was upgraded to a Category 2 storm Thursday morning.
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Helene was about 320 miles (515 kilometers) southwest of Tampa on Thursday morning and moving north-northeast at 12 mph (19 kph) with top sustained winds of 100 mph (155 kph). Forecasters said it should become a Category 3 or higher hurricane, meaning winds would top 110 mph (177 kph).
With the threat of torrential rain and storm surges, nine volunteers from the American Red Cross Central & South Texas Region have deployed to Florida.
“Our Central & South Texas volunteers, along with other dedicated relief workers, are ready to provide assistance and hope where it’s needed most,” said Marty McKellips, regional executive of the American Red Cross Central & South Texas Region.
As Hurricane Helene moves toward the Florida coast, the Red Cross has assigned over 300 trained disaster workers, deployed trailers of supplies and are prepared to open dozens of shelters to help people in need.
In addition, they are readying emergency response vehicles and will be sending hundreds of blood products to Florida. Over the coming days, blood donor turnout is expected to drop due to dangerous weather conditions in the Southeast. The blood being sent to the area will help people who need it most.
Helene is forecast to be one of the largest storms in breadth in years to hit the region, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. He said since 1988, only three Gulf hurricanes were bigger than Helene’s predicted size: 2017′s Irma, 2005′s Wilma and 1995′s Opal.
Along Florida’s Gulf Coast, school districts and multiple universities have cancelled classes, and multiple counties are issuing mandatory evacuation orders.
Find a shelter:
If you know anyone in Florida who needs help finding a shelter, they can be found on redcross.org. They can also use the Red Cross Emergency app or call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).
How to help:
You can help people in Florida from right here in Texas.
Financial donations are always needed, but giving blood or platelets help just as much. You can make an appointment by clicking here.