OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The American Red Cross of Oklahoma is helping with relief efforts as Hurricane Ida moves through Louisiana.
“We knew this was going to be a bad storm, so we wanted to make sure that we were here for Louisianans,” Brittney Rochell, communications director for the Oklahoma and Kansas Region of the American Red Cross, said.
Ashley Trattner, a volunteer recruiter from Oklahoma City, says she got the call Saturday morning and was on a plane just a few hours later.
“Packed in about 15 minutes, had my roommate take me to the airport, and I packed so quickly I forgot to pack my deodorant, so we’ll be going to a grocery store tomorrow,” she said.
Rochell says there are 15 volunteers from the Oklahoma Kansas region on the ground and 600 from across the nation.
They’re helping at evacuation centers and getting supplies ready like cots, blankets, and meals.
Both Rochell and Trattner say helping out brings the Oklahoma Standard to Louisiana.
“There’s just something about being there for a community, when we have tornados and disasters in Oklahoma, we have people from Louisiana and all over the nation who come in to help us, so being able to be that in a kind of reciprocal way for another area when they need this most, when it’s the darkest time,” Trattner said.
“It’s an honor. Coming from Oklahoma, we’ve seen them come help us,” Rochell said. “It’s just so heartwarming to be able to help people in the time of need, and it’s an honor to get to come serve. It’s the Oklahoma Standard.”
If you would like to learn how you can volunteer, click here.
