Lancaster resident and 17-year member of Red Cross of Mass. helping relief efforts in Hurricane Ian
BOSTON -- Steve Oskirko is no stranger to the aftermath of disasters. He's in his 17th year volunteering with the Red Cross of Massachusetts.
Now, the Lancaster resident says he'll likely be paired in a team of four to make sure displaced South Florida families due to Hurricane Ian will have shelter, food, and resources until the floodwaters subside.
"I've been in almost 40 of these now so the destruction is going to be horrible," said Oskirko.
The devastation in southwest Florida has left people without electricity or drinking water, and homes have been flooded. Many people are struggling to get in touch with their loved ones down South, and miles of homes were destroyed by floodwaters.
While many evacuated for their safety, Red Cross volunteers in Massachusetts are going down there to help.
Oskirko says he's not sure how long he'll be gone or where he'll be staying. All he knows is people are in need, and he wants to help.
"We're life safety assets protection," Oskirko said. "We week everybody safe in the shelters. We do some conflict resolution."
Oskirko boarded a flight to Orlando on Saturday.