WMass Red Cross volunteers in CT

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (WWLP) - The American Red Cross has set up a temporary headquarters in Middletown, Connecticut as they work to survey the damage done by Hurricane Sandy.

Volunteers from across the region, including several from the Pioneer Valley, are traveling to the hardest hit areas in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

22News will be following the volunteers from western Massachusetts as they try to assess what people still need and what damage has been done.

Volunteer Pat Gordon of Wilbraham explained for 22News what their work will involve.

“We’re looking at major areas, and plotting out those major areas of disaster. So we’re going to be looking for what we classify as destroyed buildings, residential buildings, and major damage,” she said.

15 of the volunteers are from the Pioneer Valley Chapter, while two other are from the Berkshire County Chapter. Gordon says that after all that western Massachusetts had been through in 2011, it is important to be able to help other areas in need of disaster assistance.

“This is a great chance for us to pay back, too, because we were at the heart of the disaster in Springfield, and to now help somebody else in their time of need is wonderful,” Gordon said.

The Connecticut Shoreline was among the areas hardest-hit by Hurricane Sandy, with strong winds knocking down trees and power lines, and a huge storm surge from Long Island Sound flooding homes and roadways. Hundreds of thousands are still without power days after the storm made landfall.

The Red Cross does phenomenal disaster assistance work---if you'd like to donate and do your part you can log on to the Red Cross website or text REDCROSS to 90999 for an automatic $10 donation.

22News Reporter Elysia Rodriguez is traveling to Milford, one hard-hit community along the shoreline, and will have an update on the damage there on 22News starting at 5.