Pittsburgh Red Cross volunteers head south to aid in Hurricane Helene recovery: "Whatever's needed."
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The American Red Cross has sent droves of volunteers to go help recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.
Some of those people are from Western Pennsylvania.
More than 30 Red Cross volunteers from our state have already been deployed, and today – two from our area will add to that total.
They're off on a mission.
"Hopefully – it'll be enough for us to give 'em some help, some hope," Paul Stillitano, Red Cross Volunteer, said.
Stillitano and Dennis Bayne have been Red Cross volunteers for almost two years. The pins on their chests are testaments to where they've been.
"Mississippi was pretty bad – I mean, really bad," Bayne said.
"We just came back from Debbie – what three weeks ago, so now – we're going back out," Stillitano said.
The two are heading to Charlotte, N.C. to help those recovering from Hurricane Helene. They say it could be worse than what they've seen before.
"From what I've seen on TV, it's nothing compared to what we're about to go into," Bayne said.
It's a storm that's already killed at least 180 people. Stillitano and Bayne could be doing anything when they get down south.
"We could be doing feeding – we could be distributing water, food, supplies – whatever's needed," Stillitano said.
The Red Cross says two volunteers from Allegheny County have gone down to help.
There's also one from Butler County, one from Washington County, and five from Westmoreland County.
"You have to mentally prepare yourself – because you don't know what you're gonna see – and that's the hardest part," Stillitano said.
"I can turn my emotions off, and after I'm done and I'm away from everything – all bets are off," Bayne said. "I deal with it my own way…"
The visuals may be difficult, the scenes may be painful --but for all these volunteers, it's in their blood.
"It's in my heart – it's something I was… I think put on this earth to do – help people," Stillitano said.