Kentucky Red Cross Volunteers Preparing for Hurricane

by Brenna Angel, Kentucky Public RadioThe Bluegrass Chapter of the American Red Cross is preparing for Hurricane Irene.Spokesman Winn Stephens says as the storm moves closer to land, volunteers are mobilizing."We have our emergency response vehicle and two local volunteers who left at 6:00 on Wednesday morning to drive to Columbia, South Carolina," he says. "And that is the staging location for all of the Red Cross’ emergency response vehicles on the east coast."Stephens says the emergency vehicles can be used to conduct damage assessments, distribute food, and as communications tools. Several people from the Louisville Red Cross Chapter are also making the trip to South Carolina to prepare for relief efforts. Hurricane Irene is now a category three storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour.