Baltimore, MD – On Monday, Feb. 13, Local Red Cross Volunteers and Staff begin to deploy and more placed on standby for possible deployment to California to support evacuation efforts. Since July 2016, the American Red Cross of the Greater Chesapeake Region has deployed 159 people to disaster affected areas like Louisiana and the Carolinas and now ask that responders be prepared to leave within 24 hours of orders to head to California.
The American Red Cross has launched a massive disaster response in northern California, where at least 188,000 people have been ordered to evacuate over the past 24 hours due to the potentially catastrophic failure of a spillway which is part of the Oroville Dam system.
“The Red Cross has shelters open now and more relief supplies and disaster workers are on the way to provide assistance for people in harm’s way,” said Brad Kieserman, vice president of Disaster Operations and logistics for the Red Cross. “This is a potentially catastrophic situation affecting thousands of people and homes and our first priority is making sure people have a safe place to stay. We will be in the community to offer comfort and support for as long as needed.”
As many as 2,200 residents were in Red Cross and community shelters as of Monday morning, and the Red Cross is preparing to shelter and feed thousands more in the upcoming days. The evacuation orders came Sunday night in Butte and Yuba counties, Yuba City and Marysville, as damage was discovered to the Oroville spillway. The Oroville Dam is the tallest dam in the United States, and is a critical piece of the state’s water system. The dam currently remains intact, but the emergency spillway is compromised. The governor of California has declared a state of emergency and substantial search and rescue help is being deployed, including the California National Guard and Highway Patrol, along with swift water rescue teams.
Help people affected by disasters like floods and countless other crises by making a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small across the United States. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.