Husband and Wife Team Traverse U.S. to Help those Impacted by Disasters

September 11, 2020 – Dozens of historic deadly wildfires continue to consume millions of acres in the west, especially in California, Oregon and Washington where in some cases entire towns have been destroyed and tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.

Wife and Husband, Sean and Kristen Flanagan are departing to Portland, Oregon today (Friday, September 11) at 7 p.m. in a Red Cross emergency response vehicle to provide much needed assistance to residents impacted by the wildfires. They are joining more than 1,000 Red Cross volunteers helping evacuees cope in California, Oregon and Washington. This includes providing a safe refuge from the wildfires in emergency lodgings, including shelters and, in some cases, hotels. Our volunteers are also assisting with prescription medications, eyeglasses or other medical equipment.

A second emergency response vehicle will depart today from Quincy, Illinois. It is also being driven by a husband and wife team. These emergency response vehicles will aid in disaster relief to mobilize supplies such as ready-to-eat meals, water and snacks, clean-up kits, and other items once they arrive in Portland. The American Red Cross is there to help those affected by these massive and widespread fires and will continue to assist residents as the figure out next steps.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You can help people affected by disasters like wildfires by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.