Red Cross Volunteers Help Flooding Victims

By Dan Bewley, The News On 6

CLAREMORE, OK -- The Red Cross has been working to help residents deal with flooding.

A spokeswoman says about two dozen homeowners and their families have been put up in hotels.

The cleanup is under way in the duplexes on Archer Court in Claremore. There are stacks of soaked carpet, and residents are doing their best to get rid of the flood water.

Claremore resident James Franklin is taking time out to relax with his motorcycle, but he says Friday's downpour was amazing, enough to force him to protect his front door with sand bags.

"It was pretty much a torrent," Franklin said. "It came down, pretty much the first half of the street. It came down to the mailboxes and then comes down this low slope here."

It doesn't take long for Red Cross volunteers to follow up after a storm.

"Within a matter of an hour of the flood they were here," Franklin said.

Don and Del Williams have been volunteering for five years. On Saturday morning, they stopped by Archer Court.

"Find a comfortable place to sit and visit with them," Del Williams said.

The Williamses say the Red Cross can help residents by giving money for a hotel or food. It all depends on the person's situation.

"We're only taking care of their immediate needs, right-now needs," Del Williams said.

The Red Cross can't help clean up or rebuild, but it does offer residents a prepaid credit card to help with a place to stay or clothing, if necessary.

The Williamses say volunteering for the Red Cross is a simple way to give to their community.    

"I've always given blood, and I think it's our responsibility," Del Williams said.

Franklin didn't need help this year, but he says last year the Red Cross came to his rescue.

"Toward the end of last year when we got flooded out real bad they came in, gave us a couple days out at the hotel, and it was so bad last year they gave us a couple of more days," Franklin said. "We ended up staying four days up at the hotel."

Learn more about the Tulsa Area Chapter of the American Red Cross.