SEATTLE — Red Cross volunteers have been working around the clock, responding to people in need on these extremely cold days.
"Active, extremely active and that's across the entire state," said Betsy Robertson, the communications director of Northwest Region Red Cross.
It's been a busy weekend for Robertson and her team, which serves the entire state and parts of Idaho.
"We've had 61 calls for service between Friday and Saturday night,” Robertson said. “That's a wide range of home fires, multi-family fires. Even community partners, local emergency managers calling to see what kind of support we can provide as they keep their communities warm."
Robertson, who has been with the Red Cross for seven years, said this weekend is one of the busiest. With dangerously frigid temperatures forcing her team to respond to several incidents.
"We may have a handful, count on one, two hands at most the number of calls that might come in, in a given weekend,” Robertson said. “This is just two days Friday and Saturday numbers. This is significantly higher."
Robertson said 21 disaster volunteers were activated this weekend to provide the necessary services to victims, such as providing sheltering assistance with supplies and ensuring victims of home fires get into hotels or warm places. Volunteers will provide referrals to people dealing with burst pipes and flooding.
"We're standing by for that need of calls for help, when that call comes in people are prepared to go out and take care of that need," Robertson said.
This winter snap might be coming to an end. But Robertson still wants people to look out for each other, as winter continues.
"Check on your loved ones," Robertson said. "Check on your neighbors, make sure they're doing okay and keep yourself and your family safe."
Since Friday, the Seattle Fire Department said it responded to four "significant" fires and 71 "water" jobs, which are mostly attributed to pipes bursting due to below-freezing temperatures.