Thank You to the Unsung Heroes of Disaster Relief in Central New York

Once again the summer humidity has brought a bout of heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms to the Central New York region. Some hate them, dogs definitely do, but truthfully they can cause annoying damage and inconvenience.

While we always should thank and respect our first responders, sometimes the efforts of volunteers from the American Red Cross may get overlooked. The City of Utica made it known Wednesday that the mid-week storm took down trees and led to power outages for citizens. Red Cross volunteers and DPW workers sprang in to action, along with those always reliable police and fire members.

American Red Cross Eastern New York Region officials announced that a team of Red Cross volunteers from the Central & Northern New York Chapter responded to two addresses on Bryant Street in Utica in order to assist residents who were impacted by a storm dropped tree. Officials say the tree struck the homes and the volunteers assisted seven adults and two teenagers who were displaced as a result.

These volunteers usually respond to structure fires and floods, but they don't stop when someone is left without shelter as a result of a weather event. Volunteers provided valuable financial resources and emotional support. No matter what disaster strikes these anonymous to the public individuals take time to comfort those who are struggling. They should be thanked tremendously for their efforts. To contribute to the Red Cross or volunteer visit their website at www.redcross.org.