BOSTON, Mass (WBZ-AM) – As fast-moving wildfires consume thousands of acres in California, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes, the Red Cross has been helping those affected by the wildfires providing shelter and emotional support for those evacuated.
Jeff Hall of the Massachusetts Red Cross says volunteers from here are headed there.
“The requests are very day to day we have four people that have left for California so far… I talked to the woman in charge of deploying people yesterday and she believes they will have requests for more,”
Volunteers mainly work in shelters to start helping those displaced trying to make people comfortable and listening the Red Cross also has a safe and well program where people evacuated can indicate that they are safe and allows us to search for loved ones.
“they help people that have been displaced by whatever disaster this case the fire so these people have basically no possessions and they're sleeping on a cot and it's generally in thegymnasium so they try to make the folks as comfortable as possible listen to their stories help them feel better,” he said
Currently, there are 18 different shelters in California.
Of course, financial help is always needed. People can visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS or CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
WBZ NewsRadio's Ben Parker (@radiobenparker) reports.