Officials with the American Red Cross are reminding the public of their Emergency App and how it can be utilized during a disaster.
Kimberly Vosseteig is Executive Director of the American Red Cross Eastern North Dakota Western Minnesota Region. She says the free app helps users develop both a response to an active disaster, as well as prepare for a potential one.
"Our emergency app is out there to not just go over the weather alerts closest to you, but it's also able to help you prepare for the disasters that are most located near you and could potentially happen. Our app is able to set multiple locations, so you can have your personal location, and watch some loved ones for example in Florida if their area is prone to hurricanes; you could have a watchful eye on them as well."
Vosseteig says volunteers from this region heading down to Southern California to respond to ongoing wildfires have more than doubled this week from eleven to over twenty. She says this response will long, and complex – both in helping take care of immediate needs like food and shelter, and long term needs such as mental health.