FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twenty local Red Cross volunteers from Florida went up to Southern Louisiana to provide extra hands for the local shelters. They arrived Wednesday because they wanted to be there before Barry made landfall.
“Making sure that they are appropriately staffed, working with the various parishes that are potentially going to be impacted,” said Jill Palmer, executive director of the Florida Southern Gulf Chapter American Red Cross.
Forecasters say the storm came with 75 mile per hour winds and drenched areas like Morgan City with up to 25 inches of rain.
“The number one threat is going to be water. Is going to be the flooding and the heavy rainfall,” said Benjamin Scott, with the National Weather Service.
The flooding could severely damage homes leaving people to find temporary shelters like those provided by the Red Cross.
“Making sure we have a safe place for people to be. Pre storm, during the storm and following the storm,” Palmer said.
