Red Cross volunteers from Washington state are continuing to travel to Hawaii to assist in relief efforts for those affected by the Kilauea volcano. Over 200 structures have been destroyed and some areas that are covered with lava may never be built on again.
The Red Cross says teams are constantly rotating through the affected area. One of the volunteers who recently returned is Ron Conlin of Whidbey Island. He spent three weeks stationed there as part of the Life, Safety, and Asset Protection Team.
“My team was responsible for the safety of the clients as well as the staff and volunteers," Conlin said. "That meant going around to the shelters and potential shelters, meeting with shelter managers to determine whether any issues needed to be addressed."
He described his mission as making sure shelters could become a "Hotel Red Cross" for people who needed it.
Conlin said despite its destructive power, the eruptions also created beautiful sunset-like auras at night.
"If you can imagine the most spectacular sunset possible, you can multiply that times ten because the sky was reddish-orange," Conlin said.
He also said the islanders were very friendly, and that they thought the media was making the situation sound worse than it actually was.
There was still the devastation, however. Some people have lost not only their homes, but their livelihood -- likely forever.
“When the lava just completely takes over, you can’t rebuild. Your whole lifestyle, your house, your cars, are gone," Conlin said, adding that the loss of agriculture means some people have lost their way to make a living.
"It was especially sad to see the people who lost everything," Conlin said.
