EP Red Cross Volunteer, First Coast Guard District Respond To Harvey

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI—Phyllis Stafford, of East Providence, is one of four Rhode Island Red Cross workers who have left for Texas to help Hurricane Harvey victims. The Red Cross said it anticipates a "large-scale deployment effort to continue in the wake of the storm. Other locals deployed are Tiverton's Paul Silverzweig; Lyndsey Commins, of Warwick; and Kathy Stubbs, of New Bedford, Mass.
Also, the Coast Guard First District is in Texas and has conducted 14 rescues, as of Sunday morning.
"On Saturday Air Station Cape Cod deployed two MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopters and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed wing aircraft, along with 18 crewmembers, to Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama, to assist with search and rescue operations," the Coast Guard said. "In addition to the aircrews, nine personnel from the First District have been sent to the area to assist with other various aspects of the response coordination."

The Red Cross said it "continues to mobilize trained Red Cross disaster relief workers to support this response effort, and has more than 20 shelters open and supporting thousands of people already impacted. Trailers full of shelter and relief supplies are in the area including cots, blankets, comfort and cleaning supplies. More than 30 Red Cross emergency response vehicles have been activated with about 20 more on alert. The Red Cross is also working in close collaboration with government officials and community partners in both Texas and Louisiana to coordinate potential response efforts."

To donate, visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Photo Caption: Streets flooded in the wake of Hurricane Harvey are viewed from a Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. Two Air Station Cape Cod Jayhawk helicopters and one HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed wing aircraft along with 19 crewmembers have been sent to support the search and rescue efforts. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Cmdr. Simon Greene.
Photo Credit: Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Barresi, U.S. Coast Guard District 1