MONTVILLE -- In efforts to head off Hurricane Florence, volunteers from the Red Cross of Connecticut and Rhode Island have already begun their respective trips down south.
At the Red Cross office in Montville, volunteers Bruce Smith and Joe Apicelli were loading up a disaster relief truck and readying for their journey to lend aid to the areas that will almost certainly need it.
For Apicelli, who has volunteered for the Red Cross for 14 years, is responding to Hurricane Florence is his 41st deployment.
"Our mission is one on common ground," Apicelli said. "We want to help people in need and that's what we're going to do."
Bruce Smith is embarking on his first deployment with the Red Cross.
"I'm not sure what to expect," Smith said. "But I know I'm going to be helping a lot of people."
For starters, Smith and Apicelli are planning to stage in the Durham, North Carolina area and follow directions from Red Cross brass from there.
"I'm happy to represent the American Red Cross and Connecticut," Apicelli added."
The Red Cross of Connecticut and Rhode Island, thus far, noted that about 30 of their volunteers have been deployed to the projected storm area. To donate or volunteer click here.