LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – As the Hughes Fire tears through thousands of acres in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, FOX5 just learned the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada has not been called in for backup, yet.
If they’re needed, volunteers are already in the area. Half a dozen volunteers were sent to help those displaced after the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires.
The goal was to provide shelter, food, health services and mental health help.
Southern Nevada’s Red Cross Disaster Manager, Lowell Smith says the volunteers sometimes need help themselves after returning from a mission when asked if it takes an emotional toll on them.
“It does. We sit down and we talk with every one of our volunteers who come back, see how they’re doing,” Smith said. “We will provide those services if they need it because deployment is very rough. It’s very tiring, very traumatic, long days long hours. It’s definitely not a vacation when you deploy. It’s a lot of work and you’re working with people who have been impacted greatly by disasters, and you know it can have a toll, so we gotta make sure our volunteers are healthy as well.”
Even though it’s not a particularly large presence, Smith explains why Nevadans typically get the call for help when there’s a disaster.
“If a certain area needs our resources, we could deploy nationally and provide services. In Nevada, we don’t have a lot of the huge, impactful events like hurricanes and tornado operations, so we’re seen as kind of a support region for the whole country,” Smith said.
Smith says his team is currently monitoring the situation as the Hughes Fire rages on. At this time, he tells FOX5 he has not heard of a need for more relief efforts.
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