TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Red Cross of Connecticut & Rhode Island CEO Richard Branigan has joined fellow staffers and volunteers in Florida after Hurricane Milton ripped through a wide swath of the area leaving multiple communities in the central part of the state in shambles.
Branigan, who is a 12-year veteran of the Red Cross, said from a local headquarters in Tallahassee that he will soon head to the more damaged areas closer to Sarasota.
“Our primary goal is taking care of people displaced by disasters and taking care of their immediate needs, which is putting a roof over their head, giving them a cot to sleep on, some warm food, some snacks, some water – we are trying to take care of their immediate needs," Branigan said.
Branigan noted that somewhere around 40 different Red Cross volunteers and staff members from Connecticut chapters are helping in the wake of both Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene.
“We’re spread from Florida all the way up to Tennessee. We have folks that were here for Helene, and now we have another round of deployments coming through – coming to Florida just for the Milton response.”
While Branigan and fellow relief workers will remain on the move over the next few weeks, his message is the same - there is always a need from the public to help the Red Cross. Branigan put a out plea for people to roll up their sleeves.
“The need for blood is constant," he said. "We have lost thousands of units of blood in the last two weeks because of all the devastating storms we have had in the last two weeks. They can donate blood and feel like they’re supporting, or they can support us financially or be a volunteer with the Red Cross.”
Before finishing a FaceTime call from Tallahassee with FOX61 Branigan added, “Our mission here is not going to stop.”
To support the Red Cross of Connecticut & Rhode Island click here.
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Jim Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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