SLATINGTON, Pa. - Lehigh Valley Red Cross volunteers continue to aid those in areas of Florida ravaged by Hurricane Ian last month.
One Lehigh County woman said she’s been asked to extend her two-week deployment, as more help is needed.
- Six Lehigh Valley residents volunteered to help in hurricane-ravaged Florida though the American Red Cross.
- There's no electricity, water or ice
- Parts of islands, trailer parks have been completely decimated or condemned
The American Red Cross sent more than 30 volunteers to Florida from the Greater Pennsylvania region. Six of those people are from the Lehigh Valley.
Slatington resident Lauren Ganser is working her seventh deployment with the Red Cross.
"They're still without electricity; no water," she said. "They have a water boil mandate here right now, so, like, ice is at a premium. It’s been pretty eye-opening and I’m so thankful for what I have at home."
Ganser is stationed at the north Fort Myers base camp where first responders are staying in tents.
"It's like a tent city and there's probably about 4,000 to 5,000 responders there and they're all different," she said. "Like, there's Red Cross, there's medical, there's line crew, there's National Guard, there's Army, there's search and rescue. We're all staying in tents.
"We're seeing is just people's, all their belongings, just sitting in front of the damage, just piled up almost as high as the trees."Lauren Ganser of Slatington, American Red Cross volunteer in Florida
"There’s been parts of islands just completely decimated. A lot of trailer park communities, they've decided that they're going to condemn them and what we're seeing is just people's, all their belongings, just sitting in front of the damage, just piled up almost as high as the trees."
The Red Cross volunteers from the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter, which covers the Lehigh Valley, have been down South for almost two weeks helping to hand out supplies and feed people affected by the hurricane.
Ganser said she expects to fly home on Friday, but she said she will most likely return to Florida in the weeks to come.
People looking to help can donate financially. More information is available at redcross.org. People can also call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word IAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
