Massachusetts Red Cross Volunteers Prepare To Aid Houston's Hurricane Victims
CAMBRIDGE (CBS) -- Massachusetts Red Cross volunteers are training in Cambridge for hurricane relief work in Texas.
These people are ready to become Red Cross volunteers, something that can disrupt their lives at a moment's notice.
"I've been wanting to do this for while since Katrina when that happened, but I was stuck at home with kids and job couldn't get away," one trainee said.
They're going through training, learning how to work in shelters that thousands of flood victims are temporarily calling home.
"We may get people who are here illegally. We don't care," the trainer said.
"No weapons; we don't let any weapons into a shelter. Here in Massachusetts, that's not a problem. Down in Texas, they carry guns," he said.
Once deployed to Texas, they will work 12-hour shifts, seven days on, one day off.
"I believe in giving back to the community. America is a first world country. It's up to us as Americans to be a role model for other nations," another volunteer said.
Jack Kavanagh showed a pack that volunteers take with them.
Kavanagh's pack had first aid items, like bandages, gauze, and first-aid tape. There are also flashlights and extra socks.
Kavanagh has a hat that covered by pins. The pins are from some of the 33 other deployments he's been on with the Red Cross.
"This was Hurricane Matthew last year. This was the Tennessee fires this year. This one is British Columbia," Kavanagh said.
These volunteers are all eager to get going, but they have to finish their training first.
They could be deployed as soon as a week from now.
