Local Red Cross office sends volunteers to Puerto Rico
By William Rodriguez
The local Red Cross office has sent seven people from Illinois to areas impacted by Hurricane Maria — two of the volunteers are from the Quad Cities.
Communications Director Trish Burnett said transportation is one of the major road blocks slowing the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. While there are resources in the capital of San Juan, it’s hard to get the supplies elsewhere.
That’s where the volunteers come in.
“We have a lot of volunteers there. We have more volunteers on the way and that’s what their charge is really to get that distribution channel set up,” Burnett said.
The Red Cross gives volunteers going to disaster areas special training. Burnett said it takes a special kind of person to volunteer.
“The conditions are tough so it’s not meant for every volunteer,” Burnett said. “You really have to have some skills and some physical abilities to do the work there.”
Burnett said anyone can help the recovery effort in Puerto Rico by donating money or giving blood.
