"It's a blessing:" New wave of Red Cross volunteers heads to tornado-striken areas of Illinois
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A truckload filled with supplies and Red Cross volunteers left Milwaukee on Monday April 13th, 2015, for northern Illinois. The volunteers are part of the cleanup and recovery efforts, after the deadly tornadoes on April 9th.
When heading into a disaster area, it's hard to know what exactly to expect. But for those who have been there to help pick up the pieces before, just thinking of what they'll encounter brings out raw emotions.
"I don`t know just, I have seen people, and the struggle to make it. I have seen their worries, I certainly wouldn`t like it to happen to me," said Red Cross volunteer Juan Diaz.
Diaz is one of two Red Cross volunteers leaving Milwaukee for the Rockford area. He says he feels compelled to help.
He is a seasoned veteran when it comes to disaster relief, and knows what to do.
"Distributing water and food and supplies," said Diaz.
Diaz will take a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle filled with supplies, everything from toiletries to blankets. He'll travel with volunteer Glen Frank.
"It`s a little spooky, its scary when you see people, when they lose the things that they have," said Frank.
The pair travel to Rockford, where they'll get an assignment and a map, then likely head to Fairdale or Rochelle.
"They`re going to roam the neighborhoods where the tornado hit, and look for people who are cleaning, they are going to feed them, give them bottled water," said Regional CEO of the American Red Cross of Southeastern Wisconsin, Patty Flowers.
A big part of the job is helping victims with the clean up.
"Sometimes just seeing them, and having a nice warm cup of coffee and a meal, is just enough to renew your spirit and keep you going," said Flowers.
Diaz knows sometimes, just a hug can make all the difference.
"To go through that and to see people coming and giving out a hand, it`s a blessing. And it`s a blessing for me and for us to, to be able to help," said Diaz.
The plan is for the volunteers to be there two weeks, but they could stay longer depending on the need.
This is the second wave of Red Cross volunteers deployed from Wisconsin to northern Illinois, and more could be headed there in the coming weeks.