LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michiganders are stepping up to help those hit hard by Hurricane Ida.
Pam Marcil from Grosse Pointe showed WXYZ during an interview on Zoom how powerful winds damaged Greenville Learning Academy in Hammond, Louisiana near Baton Rouge.
“Luckily we only flooded in this facility a little bit,” she said.
Pam is an American Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteer, helping out with a shelter at the school for hurricane evacuees. She went down before the hurricane hit and has committed to giving at least two weeks.
“It is really difficult, very challenging. People are so resilient and their spirit is so wonderful. It is inspiring for all the volunteers,” she said.
She said she has met so many people in need.
“If anyone wants to help, 1-800 Red Cross,” said Pam.
You can learn more about how to help here.
“We’re seeing a lot of debris strewn about,” said Greg Martin, Executive Director Disaster Relief at Work (DRAW), as he described his drive into hurricane hit areas.
DRAW is an organization based in Pontiac that delivers buckets of supplies needed after storms is on his way to Louisiana with donations.
Plus the State of Michigan has sent an urban search and rescue task force down to Louisiana. The 43 member team knows how to rescue people in swift water or trapped in buildings.
“Forty-three firefighters are responding from 24 fire departments. That means 43 families have been impacted and sacrificed,” said David McIntyre, Michigan Task Force 1 Program Manager.
Michigan-based property restoration company Belfor dispatched hundreds of workers to Louisiana.
“It is a great feeling to serve people in need. And it is an amazing feeling to band together who sacrifice in their own lives because all these people who are going have families back home,” said Sheldon Yellen, CEO of Belfor Property Restoration.
