DC area experts and volunteers sent to help with Tropical Storm Debby aftermath

WASHINGTON — With Georgia and South Carolina facing a major flooding threat, experts from the DC, Maryland, and Virginia have packed up and are headed down to help with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby.

Maryland Task Force One deployed a crew of 45 to South Carolina. The team will focus on search and water rescues. Meanwhile, Virginia Task Force One, with expertise in urban search and rescue, is ready in South Carolina and waiting for an assignment.

The American Red Cross of Northern Virginia is deploying more than a dozen volunteers to the southeast for two weeks.

Juan Garcia is the Executive Director of the Northern Virginia chapter. He says they already have more than 200 volunteers on the ground.

“We're hoping for the best but preparing for the worst," he said.

The Red Cross has emergency response vehicles and truckloads of ready-to-eat meals and shelter supplies — including cots and blankets ready to go.

"People might be displaced, they may not have energy. They may need food, water, shelter," Garcia explained. "What we try to do is give them a sense of hope. Let them know we are there to support them, to give them a hug and give them some sense of preparedness too, some knowledge.”  

If you’re interested in being a volunteer or making a donation to help victims of Tropical Storm Debby click here.