Chicagoland Red Cross Official Assists At Texas Mega-Shelter
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Red Cross official from the Chicagoland area is getting a firsthand look at the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.
Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois Harley Jones has assisted with nearly every major disaster in the last 15 years. He said Hurricane Harvey is one he'll never forget.
"This really is unprecedented," Jones said. "We saw 50 inches of rain in the Houston area in just a few days. So for me, when we talk about the size and scope, I think about Katrina, I think about Hurricane Gustav and I think about Superstorm Sandy."
Jones is in a Texas mega-shelter that's housing nearly 1,500 residents.
"They're resilient in knowing that things are going to get better," Jones said. "But they're also resilient in the way they take care of each other. Every single day, a thousand times a day, I'm watching residents of the shelter doing small things for each other, helping each other out."
While the work in Texas continues, the Red Cross is keeping an eye on Hurricane Irma. Jones said resources and volunteers are already being sent to areas near the Florida Keys to provide assistance.
