Red Cross sees unprecedented increase in disaster responses

PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon’s Red Cross chapter has seen an “unprecedented” increase in disaster responses compared to the same time last year.

The American Red Cross-Cascades Region sent 275 responders from Oregon and southwest Washington to help with disasters in our region and elsewhere. This represents a 60% increase in disaster responses compared to last year’s third quarter operations.

In addition to the deployments, the Red Cross says their responders have helped an average of three families per-day across the region with basic assistance such as food, water and shelter following fire, floods and storm.

The Red Cross says over the past 50-plus days, they’ve sheltered more people than in the past five years combined.

According to the Red Cross, workers helped serve more than 22,000 meals and snacks to people evacuated by Oregon wildfires, with more 870 overnight stays in 16 wildfire shelters.

In California, the Red Cross provided over 27,000 overnight stays, with 144,000 meals and snacks provided to disaster victims.

In the past eight weeks, the Red Cross and other agencies partnered to provide shelters for 1.3 million victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

The Red Cross is still in need of financial donations to help with massive relief efforts that are still ongoing. If you’d like to donate or learn more, visit http://www.redcross.org.

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