Tulsa Red Cross Ready To Aid Evacuees

Officials with the Tulsa Red Cross say they are ready to support people who have self-evacuated and are driving to the area on their own. At this time, they are not anticipating large numbers of official, organized evacuations to Tulsa.

The volunteers who monitor the phones and radios in Tulsa have not received any calls from people driving up from the Gulf Coast. So, they say there has not been a need to open a shelter here.

The Red Cross has more than 1,000 cots in Tulsa and more cot trailers in outlying counties that can be driven to Tulsa quickly, if needed. Four large shelters are on standby, if they are needed.

*The Red Cross has relief operations ready in four states: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

*There are more than 750,000 prepackage meals ready in the region.

*The Red Cross has moved two-thirds of their vehicle fleet to the Gulf Coast.

*The Red Cross is in the process of moving 3,000 disaster workers to the region.

*There are enough shelter supplies for 500,000 shelter residents for a six-day period.

*This is the largest Red Cross relief effort since Katrina.

*This mobilization of people and supplies has already cost the Red Cross more than $7 million and the storm hasn't even made landfall.

*After Katrina, the Red Cross made an $80 million investment for pre-position supplies, purchase communication equipment and train disaster workers nationwide.

*The people of the Gulf Coast will need your help. The Red Cross needs your support too as their relief effort gets underway.

*You can help people affected by thousands of disasters across the country each year, like Hurricane Gustav, by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

You can donate online or call 1-800-REDCROSS.