Six Kosciusko Red Cross volunteers deployed this morning to Tampa, Fla., ahead of Tropical Storm Isaac. The storm is expected to be upgraded to a hurricane over the weekend and its projected path is the Gulf Coast.

The volunteers are expected to be deployed anywhere from 10 days to 2 weeks and will serve in shelters before the storm hits landfall as well as after the storm passes through. In the Gulf Coast states, the Red Cross is identifying available shelters, assembling disaster teams and coordinating with government and community partners.

Kimberly Stout, Emergency Service director for the Kosciusko County Red Cross chapter, explains how important it is to be prepared for storms like this. “It is essential the Red Cross set up shelters and be available and ready for communities when impending disasters threaten an area. We are really pleased to be sending several volunteers from our county to help.”

The Kosciusko County Chapter of the Red Cross regularly trains community members who are interested in responding to local or national disasters. The next training session, called Boot Camp, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15-16, at the Kosciusko County Red Cross Chapter building at 320 N. Buffalo St. in Warsaw.

All those who are interested should call 574-267-5244 to register. All Red Cross disaster training is free of charge.

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs.

The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation’s blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission.