Tropical Storm Idalia: American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region volunteers headed to Florida
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Volunteers with the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region have been deployed to Florida ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia.
More than a dozen volunteers, including six from Western Pennsylvania, with the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region are headed to Florida.
"If we are lucky, it will probably take us about a 14-hour drive. With a few stops, pushing 16 hours," volunteer Don Klink of Ambridge said.
Klink and Andy Kosmach of Ross Township received a phone call Monday afternoon and dropped everything. They are headed to Tallahassee and won't know their full assignment until they arrive.
"We'll go into neighborhoods," Klink said. "We'll have food on there. Some of our partners, like Southern Baptist, will prepare the food and we'll get it out and deliver it."
"We'll find a lot of devastation," Kosmach said.
As Idalia strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, the Red Cross has pre-positioned disaster teams and supplies to support communities. Idalia could be a hurricane by the time it makes landfall in Florida on Tuesday.
As for the volunteers, they are ready for anything.
"You got to reach out and do a commitment. Not just look to yourself," Klink said. "You have to be willing to reach out and help."
"Because of my faith, the Lord commands me to do this and this is what I do," Kosmach said. "I have a life of service and at this point, I'm working with the Red Cross. I'm real happy to do that."
Klink and Kosmach will be in Florida for at least the next three weeks.