American Red Cross handing out supplies to flood victims

The American Red Cross teamed up with local law enforcement officers Wednesday to provide cleanup supplies to area flood victims in Conway.

Police distributed cleanup items, such as shovels, gloves, and other items Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of the Super 8 at 1004 Waccamaw Dr. in Conway near the Savannah Bluff area.

“Anyone who’s had 6 inches of water or more is going to need these things. Safety is key for us and we want to make sure people have the right tools and supplies for cleanups,” Judy DelSignore, Eastern South Carolina American Red Cross spokeswoman.

DelSignore said officials were expecting anywhere from 50 to 100 people to pick up supplies to help get their homes back in order after flood waters caused damage for many in the area.

These comfort kits were packed with personal hygiene items and cleanup supplies including, tarps, flashlights, trash bags, shovels, rakes, bleach, work gloves and other items.

She said law enforcement also was on hand to give out supplies on a first-come, first-serve basis and would potentially stay until supplies ran out.

“We’ve looked at damage assessments done by the county to determine the number of supplies we may need to hand out,” DelSignore said.

DelSignore said more distribution events will take place to help flood victims this week, but the exact location and times for those events were yet to be announced on Wednesday afternoon.

DelSignore said it can be frustrating for flood victims when they look around their homes and can’t find the cleanup supplies they need and said she hoped the Red Cross could help alleviate that frustration by providing the essentials.

“We’re also concerned about the overall mental health of our clients because this was a significant impact for them, and we want to help with that aspect as well,” she said.

Red Cross workers teamed up with community organizations to provide comfort kits to area flood victims in Georgetown, Andrews, and other surrounding counties on Wednesday morning as well.

Since the historic flooding swamped Horry and Georgetown counties, the Red Cross has been working with community partners mobilizing volunteers, shelters, supplies, meals, and more for those affected by the historic event.

“Large disasters like the flooding in South Carolina create more needs than any one organization can meet. The Red Cross works closely with the entire response community – federal, state, county and local agencies, other non-profit organizations, churches, area businesses and others – to help coordinate the relief effort and deliver services quickly,” officials said in a press release.

More than 1,000 Red Cross workers, 56 response vehicles and shelter and relief supplies for 5,000 people mobilized to aid with disaster relief. As many as 300 people in the Palmetto state spent Monday night in 10 Red Cross and community shelters where they found a safe and dry place to sleep, food to eat, health services and emotional support, according to a press release from the Red Cross.

Since the historic flooding started, the Red Cross has worked with community partners and served more than 92,000 meals and snacks, handed out more than 52,000 relief items, and provided more than 2,400 health and mental health services statewide, a release said.

“The devastation across South Carolina is on a scale not experienced since Hurricane Hugo,” said Louise Welch Williams, chief executive officer, American Red Cross of the Palmetto South Carolina Region said in a press release. “Together with our partners, we are committed to helping our communities recover.”

This story was originally published October 14, 2015 at 10:46 AM with the headline "American Red Cross handing out supplies to flood victims."