Minnesota volunteers with the American Red Cross are getting ready to head out to the disaster zone of Hurricane Dorian where local officials are predicting tens of thousands of evacuees in the region.
As of Friday afternoon a dozen are taking off to Georgia and Florida for at least two weeks, but the Minnesota Red Cross has sent as many as four dozen to disaster zones in the past. They expect the number to rise after the hurricane to provide relief support.
Juniper Barlett is making his first deployment where he'll be in Orlando working on the technology side, trying to establish communications where utilities, internet and cell service might be nonexistent.
"Being there for people during that terrible part of their life and giving them hope and if nothing else, a shoulder to cry on," he said. "It's a very fulfilling thing to do."
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The Red Cross Minnesota chapter frequently has a strong presence with its emergency response vehicle filled with supplies and food slated to go down to the region. Some volunteers are also going to Georgia and will ride out the storm.
David Schoeneck is making his seventh deployment (six hurricanes and one wildfire) when he travels to Georgia.
"You get a lot of new friends from a lot of very different places," he said. "I've got good friends in Georgia and Texas and New Jersey and new Hampshire and all over because I've gone out quite a few times."
If you know anyone in the area, Schoeneck recommends the Red Cross emergency app which allows people to find shelters and send alerts to their social media accounts that they're safe.