Northern California Red Cross member talks L.A. fire relief efforts, calls for more volunteers
SACRAMENTO -- As wildfires continue to burn in Southern California, relief efforts are in full swing.
Organizations like the Red Cross are playing a critical role with crews responding from across the country, including a group from the Gold Country region in Northern California.
Mara Rouse, a Red Cross community disaster program manager, left Northern California for Los Angeles on Monday, just five days into the disaster. While she hasn't been inside the fire zones, she's on another kind of front line — one that brings her face-to-face with evacuees.
"We're handing out supplies. We're at these resilience and recovery centers making sure people know how to access us and what they can access with us," Rouse said.
There are six Red Cross shelters operating across Los Angeles County offering immediate support like beds, blankets and comfort items. Caseworkers are also on hand providing direct financial assistance.
"It is a lively operation. These are people getting information out, not only for themselves but for their family members, their community," Rouse said.
Rouse said she finds inspiration seeing the number of different agencies working towards a common goal: giving hope.
"I always see a huge shift in people's mentality when they recognize when they see that we are here for them with whatever they need," Rouse said.
As relief efforts continue, Rouse says community support is critical. While supplies and monetary donations are essential, volunteers are needed the most. The agency even streamlined its application and training process to get people in place fast.
