PADUCAH — As tropical storm Helene battered communities in the southeastern United States, local branches of nationwide nonprofits provided support and made preparations.
Misty Thomas, Executive Director of the Western Kentucky chapter of the Red Cross, said teams from the organization were already on the ground.
Over the last 48 hours, she said the organization had opened or supported roughly 140 shelters, serving nearly 9,400 evacuees. As of Friday, Sept. 27, Thomas anticipated their needs only growing as flood waters continued to rise.
Four disaster workers from the Western Kentucky region — which also encompasses parts of southern Illinois — were already deployed to the impacted areas, bringing relief materials and supplies with them. Thomas said two more were standing by to step in as needed.
As part of the Red Cross, Thomas has been on five deployments, three of those in Kentucky:
- The December 2021 tornadoes
- The Eastern Kentucky floods of 2022
- The Memorial Day weekend tornadoes earlier this year
“There’s no better feeling than knowing that you are an American Red Crosser showing up to support survivors from these natural disasters,” said Thomas.
Salvation Army of Paducah Captain Benny Carringer has also been through disaster responses — including the 2009 ice storm, Hurricane Sandy, and the 2021 tornadoes.
Carringer has been through disaster responses including the 2009 ice storm, Hurricane Sandy, and the 2021 tornadoes.
He described the role of Salvation Army workers as “a face of hope, a face of restoration, a face of reconciliation, maybe, or just a face for someone to talk to.”
Branches of the National Salvation Army had already mobilized in response to Helene, with the Paducah chapter standing by to provide support. Specifically, the branch’s mobile canteen stood prepped and ready on Friday.
The vehicle carries a driver and a passenger up front, with space in the back for an additional team member to serve meals. Each mobile canteen can serve roughly 1,500 meals each day.
The Salvation Army’s mobile canteens can serve roughly 1,500 meals each day.
Carringer stressed that the Salvation Army serves disaster-impacted communities by providing material support and meeting the emotional needs of survivors.
He said that serving hot meals is a way to do both: “When there’s no power or electricity, we want to make sure that people are staying warm, they’re staying comfortable… And a hot meal sort of helps you feel at home, makes you feel safe, and that’s what we’re there for.”
According to Carringer, the decision to deploy will depend on their regional headquarters in Louisville and information from teams based in the impacted communities. He said the organization’s deep roots across the country are an important advantage in the face of storms like Helene.
Salvation Army of Paducah Captain Benny Carringer described the organization as “a face of hope.”
“We have a footprint in almost every zip code in the United States of America, and so when disaster hits, we know where we’re needed,” said Carringer. “We know how long it’s going to take us to get there. We know what is expected of us, and we’re there to do it.”
The Red Cross similarly works to provide shelter, food, and clean water, but Thomas said that disasters like Helene can also impact the blood supply. According to Thomas, canceled drives in Georgia and the Carolinas mean that roughly 1,000 donations will not be collected.
Executive Director for the Western Kentucky chapter of the Red Cross, Misty Thomas, highlighted the impact of major storms on the blood supply.
The need is especially acute, as the Red Cross announced last month that its national blood inventory dropped 25% in July, driving an emergency blood shortage.
Blood donations for the American Red Cross can be scheduled at redcross.org. The organization also accepts monetary donations.
Donations to the Salvation Army can be made at helpsalvationarmy.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.