BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — Sharon Dixon, a Red Cross member from Bristol, Virginia, left the Tri-Cities Airport early Monday for Maui, where she’ll provide relief efforts to those affected by the wildfires that left over 100 dead.
Dixon, who also serves as Disaster Program Manager with the Southwest Virginia chapter, told News Channel 11 what her role in relief efforts entails.
“[Red Cross volunteers] are able to work with the local volunteers and place them wherever they are needed [in Maui] and then we’ll also be able to help [victims] a little bit financially to try and get them back on their feet again in their recovery process.”
A new app designed and utilized by the Red Cross can tell volunteers how many victims are in shelters and what their specific needs are, Dixon said.
“The Red Cross has a new app that has come out where we get the information about the people that [are in] the shelters and we’re able to work through their needs,” Dixon said. “Whether health needs [or] mental health needs, we also can do spiritual care needs.”
Dixion is joined by the Northeast Tennessee Chapter of the Red Cross, which deployed volunteers to Hawaii earlier in August.
