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Volunteers from Wisconsin head to the Carolinas to help respond to Hurricane Florence

Posted at 9:33 PM, Sep 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-11 11:36:45-04

Volunteers from the Wisconsin American Red Cross will soon head to the Carolinas to help with preparations and recovery from Hurricane Florence.

As of Monday afternoon, 13 people in Wisconsin had responded to the chapter's call for volunteers.

American Red Cross Wisconsin Region CEO Patty Flowers says many of the volunteers are still making their travel plans, but she expects at least two to leave Tuesday out of General Mitchell International Airport.

“Setting up shelters, that’s the number one thing right now. People are going to have to get out of the path of this monster storm,” said Flowers.

Former TODAY’S TMJ4 Chief Meteorologist John Malan now lives in North Carolina and says he expects to get evacuation orders in the morning.

“It’s category 3 to 4, so as you know nothing to mess with, and we’re right at sea level here on this island” said Malan.

Flowers says in addition to the volunteers Wisconsin sends, 3 Emergency Response Vehicles are currently being relied on for the trip east.

Following the hurricanes and subsequent flooding in 2017, more than 350 volunteers from Wisconsin traveled to help. Flowers expects the same to be true this year if Florence continues on its current forecast path.