Connecticut volunteers are helping with Hurricane Ian relief efforts in Florida. The Connecticut and Rhode Island region of the American Red Cross is sending more than 20 volunteers who will join over 500 volunteers from across the country assisting with hurricane response.
"It is a need. When I see persons hurting, my natural instinct is to want to help them," said Joe Apicelli, a Groton-based volunteer who left Thursday for his 53rd national deployment with the American Red Cross.
The regional volunteers will be assisting in a variety of different ways including sheltering, disaster assessment, distribution of supplies and other logistical needs, according to the American Red Cross.
Apicelli left Connecticut Thursday afternoon driving an emergency response vehicle. The team will use the vehicle to help distribute ready-to-eat meals, water, clean-up kits and other items.
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"It is possibly one of the worst moments of their lives and I’m blessed to go in there and give them some moral support," Apicelli said.
Linda Johansen, who lives in Mystic, is on standby. This will be her first big deployment with the American Red Cross, though she has a history of service. Johansen served in the U.S. Coast Guard. She was also a teacher in East Lyme.
“There are people in need and if I can help out in any kind of way, I am happy to do that," Johansen said.
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After attending several training programs over the course of the last year, she is now waiting for a phone call telling her when she should leave and where she should go to assist with the relief efforts.
“I don't know where I'm going, don't know when I'm going, don't know exactly what I'm going to be doing, but I’m ready to do whatever that is, whenever that is, wherever that is," Johansen said. “Whatever we can do to make that day a little bit bright for them is something that we want to do."
