Local Red Cross volunteers helping families impacted by Maui wildfires
With the help of multiple agencies and partners, about 87,000 meals and snacks have been provided for people in need.
MAUI, Hawaii. (KFSN) -- The American Red Cross has been in Hawaii for weeks, helping hundreds of families impacted by the deadly wildfires.
Several local volunteers from the American Red Cross are in Hawaii or on their way -- helping hundreds of families who have been left homeless.
Since August 8, hundreds of families in Hawaii have been living a brutal reality they never imagined.
Their homes and community are now in ashes.
"There really is nothing left in the town, and it takes a little bit of your breath away," said Tony Briggs, the Chief Executive Officer for the Central California region.
More than 400 trained disaster workers from the American Red Cross are on the island helping families following the heartbreaking and deadly wildfires.
Briggs has been there for four days.
"If it's a shelter, they are making sure they have hot meals and that they have someone to listen to them, someone to hear what they have gone through," Briggs said.
Tony says eight people from the Central Valley, including Dana ? from Fresno, have volunteered.
He says Dana was recently volunteering in Vermont, where floods impacted the community, and by 6 am on Monday, she was on a plane headed for Hawaii.
"When you think of Volunteers that say 'just send me,' Dana is one of those - she is the backbone of what we do," explained Briggs.
Governor Newsom also deployed about 200 specialized personnel, 25 vehicles, and resources to help in Hawaii.
It includes a 69-member Incident Management Team from CAL FIRE.
Assistant Fire Chief Mark Pimentel and Battalion Chief Joey Felix from Merced County Fire are part of the team on the ground right now, supporting the recovery effort.
"The plan was to embed them with the state of Hawaii Emergency Operation Center as well as the county of Maui Operation Center, and the focus is on the community of Lahaina," said Jaime Williams with CAL FIRE.
The Red Cross Disaster Teams are working around the clock.
Briggs says volunteers are being asked to assist for about three weeks.
With the help of multiple agencies and partners, about 87,000 meals and snacks have been provided for people in need.
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