News & Publications

American Red Cross Continues Expanding Services to Residents in Southern California
Lee County Chapter sends volunteer to provide health services

FORT MYERS, OCT. 24 – As wildfires continue to rage throughout southern California, destroying hundreds of homes and displacing hundreds of thousands of residents, the Red Cross is continuing to work with officials to support the relief effort. Dr. Ernest Feigenbaum, a volunteer for the Lee County Chapter, has been deployed to provide health services. As of Tuesday evening the Red Cross had 23 shelters opened with a population of 5625 people. The many Lee County Chapter volunteers will remain ready if the situation calls for their support.

Here is a snapshot of Red Cross services as of midnight, Tuesday:

  • The Red Cross and its partners have opened nearly 2 dozen shelters across the region.
  • 40 trucks full of supplies have arrived, bringing thousands of cots, blankets, toiletry kits and other needed items.
  • 50 Mobile feeding vehicles have arrived with 25 more en route.
  • Cleanup supplies are also en route. Supplies include rakes, shovels, and other useful equipment to help with cleanup in the affected communities.
  • A large feeding kitchen will open today at Petco Field to support the shelters, mobile feeding and the feeding to the emergency workers.
  • The local chapters have trained more than 1500 local volunteers to help with the effort.
  • The national Red Cross has moved nearly 2000 additional workers to the area to help with feeding and sheltering efforts.