Offering Help To Those Fighting Wildfires

Tuesday, October 23rd 2007, 4:09 pm

By: News On 6

Green Country volunteers are on their way to help in California. Ten members of the Tulsa chapter of the American Red Cross left for San Diego on Tuesday. The News On 6â€™s Chris Wright reports all the volunteers have disaster relief experience, but some say they have never seen anything quite like what is going on in California.

Despite the fact that they were preparing to head into the heart of a natural disaster, the Red Cross volunteers remained optimistic before leaving for the airport.

"I'm not worried, they always keep us safe. I'm anxious, excited ready to go help,â€ said volunteer Sheila Groves.

"Every disaster is different. You know it's going to be a little confusing, a little frantic. You roll with it,â€ added volunteer Robert Reavis.

Their optimism carried over to the check-in counter at Tulsa International. The volunteers will spend the next two weeks in San Diego. Of course, flames await them once they touch down in California. The ever-intensifying inferno has already forced more than half a million people to flee their homes.

Many of the displaced are now staying in shelters, and that is where the Tulsa crew will be working. These volunteers are not strangers to disaster though. Many have assisted after Hurricane Katrina, as well as this winter's ice storm, and this summer's floods.

Marge Creager has been helping out for 60 years.

"I'm in mental health, I don't get nervous. I help people who have lost everything," said volunteer Marge Creager.

Still, Marge admits the next two weeks will be a challenge. While she has traveled to California for earthquakes and mudslides, even she has never seen a fire like this before.

"I've been to every other disaster from the east coast to the west coast to Saint Thomas, but this is my first fire," added volunteer Marge Creager.

Two of the ten volunteers are driving to California, and three more are scheduled to fly out on Wednesday.

Watch the video: Offering Help To Those Fighting Wildfires