Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pledged support for Florida this week as the state braces for Hurricane Milton. Youngkin confirmed that Virginia is responding to Florida’s request for assistance, with teams ready to mobilize ahead of the storm.
Tuesday morning, Youngkin met with the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team. They are sending a helicopter and a crew of firefighters and National Guard members to Tallahassee, where they will be on standby until the storm passes.
“We will be deploying more resources over the course of the day,” Youngkin said.
More than 800 Virginia Red Cross workers are already in Florida or on standby, according to officials. Jackie Grant, the executive director of the American Red Cross Southwest Virginia Chapter, said workers are pre-positioned at shelters along Florida’s east coast with food, mental health support, and other resources in place as the storm approaches.
“We have food, we have mental health workers. And we’ll see what happens when the hurricane makes landfall,” Grant said.
Grant encouraged the public to help in various ways, from donating money or blood to volunteering.
“Become a volunteer,” she urged. “Maybe you want to put on the red vest and become a disaster volunteer and stop watching the disasters from your sofa and help in the communities that need it.”
To learn more or get involved with the Red Cross, click here.