Oklahoma Volunteer Deployed to California to Help With Wildfire Disaster Relief

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Volunteers from Oklahoma and Kansas are joining other Red Cross disaster workers to respond to the wildfires in California.

Patsy Aguilar of Lawton is one of those individuals heading to help in any way she can.

She will arrive with Shelley Houser of Wamego, Kan. and Shannon Wilson of Lawrence, Kan.

They will help with the sheltering and mass care operations underway for the Mosquito Fire near Sacramento.

Additionally, Judy Stroot of Andover, Kansas, will support the relief operation virtually, assisting with individual care and health services needs.

There are currently four shelters open by the Red Cross California Gold Country Region for those who have been displaced by the fires.

According to reports, the fire east of Sacramento has already surpassed 30,000 acres in size.

Red Cross workers are helping evacuees find safe places to stay, food to eat, and offering emotional support during the difficult times.

More than 850 trained Red Cross responders have worked with partners to provide some 14,700 overnight stays in emergency shelters, over 22,300 meals and snacks, and over 20,100 relief supplies.

Some have chosen to stay in RVs, vehicles, or tents, but anyone affected by the fires is welcome to go to a shelter and receive a meal along with other resources.

Red Cross is also helping replace prescription medicines, eyeglasses, and critical medical equipment such as canes and wheelchairs, that may have been left behind in order to get to safety quickly.

To make a donation to help, individuals can visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10.

Those interested in helping those affected by these specific recent wildfires, Red Cross asks that they write “western wildfires” in the memo line of a check and mail it to their local Red Cross chapter.