VANCOUVER, Wash. — A handful of volunteers with the Red Cross Cascades Region are heading to Texas.
“Pack as light as I can,” said Ron Burby.
Burby has been a volunteer with Red Cross for three years. He is heading to the Lonestar state to help with relief efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Imelda.
“To be able to help people in their worst times -- there’s nothing more rewarding,” said Burby. “I live to help these people.”
Burby’s duties may change at a moment’s notice, but his initial assignment will be damage assessment. He will be tasked with visually inspecting properties damaged by floodwaters.
“These people I know will be gutting the sheetrock.”
Burby is one of five volunteers from the Portland-Vancouver area deploying to the Houston area. They are planning to be gone for approximately two weeks.
“I’m excited to help the people,” said Burby. “I’m not so excited with the scars I’ll come home with because you can’t go to these relief operations and help people and not be impacted by it.”