Central Coast sends volunteers as Hurricane Matthew batters southeastern states

Russell Cole is packing for a trip, or deployment as he calls it.

Cole is heading to Orlando Saturday morning as a Red Cross volunteer.

“Because they need people badly,” Cole said.

After leaving a deadly trail in Haiti and the Caribbean, Hurricane Matthew is making its way north, threatening several states along the Atlantic Coast Friday night.

When the Santa Cruz County Red Cross came calling, Cole said, “sure.”

Seven volunteers have left the Central Coast to help the southeastern states, and two more will be leaving within the next few days.

They’ll be doing everything from supporting local shelters to cleaning up the damage this hurricane has caused.

The chapter says the Red Cross usually tries to recruit volunteers nearby, but that’s harder this time.

“In this case, our Red Crosses have also been affected. The chapters in that area have been affected. So the call went out throughout the United States to support,” said the chapter’s disaster program manager, Patsy Gasca.

So volunteers are even traveling cross country whenever they can.

“We also have a gentleman that’s leaving on the ninth. He was going to leave tomorrow but the flight has been canceled,” Gasca said.

Gasca also says more people will be going.

“Oh yea, this is just the beginning of it. We are not done, the hurricane is not done. They keep requesting folks, we will keep sending them,” Gasca said.

Cole will be there for two weeks, ready to help in any way he can.

“I’m committed,” Cole said. “I tell people on my team, on my disaster action team, I say you are going out of your way to help people, it’s OK to feel good about that for yourself.”

Central Coast volunteers have left for Florida and the Carolinas and now the chapter is looking to help Georgia.