CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — When disaster strikes, you'll always find them there.
"This is a great opportunity to give back to the community," said Dolly Mast, Disaster Program Manager for the American Red Cross of the Tennessee River. "You're assisting people in what could potentially be the worst moment of their lives."
Victims often turn to the American Red Cross for basic necessities like food and shelter when they have nothing left.
"Volunteers make up 90% of our workforce, especially during a disaster," Mast said.
But following COVID, the Red Cross lost many of those volunteers.
"So the need to have volunteers is immense," said Mast. "We wouldn't be able to do our mission if it wasn't for the volunteer force."
This is why the organization is putting out a call for help, inviting Tennesseans to sign up for training.
During training, volunteers will learn everything from disaster deployment to shelter preparations.
"So, you know, I may have a background in culinary arts, and I want to work with the food service. If I'm qualified to do that, then that's where I'd be," said Mast. "It's based on the individual and what they're comfortable volunteering their time for."
It couldn't come at a more important time as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida.
"If they want to be pulled in the volunteer pool for deployment they could possibly go to Florida," said Mast. "We also have volunteers right now currently from this chapter that are in Puerto Rico and Alaska."
With some volunteers already in Florida, more could ship out as early as Sunday.
The Red Cross is holding multiple fast-track trainings this week which will last four hours.
Locations and times are below:
Nashville Area Chapter - 2201 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
Wednesday, Sept. 28: 9 a.m. CST
Saturday, Oct. 1: 2 p.m. CST
Northeast Chapter – 660 Eastern Star Rd., Kingsport, TN 37663
Thursday, Sept. 29: 10 a.m. EST
Thursday, Sept. 29: 5:30 p.m. EST
Tennessee River Chapter – 1760 Madison St., Clarksville, TN 37403
Wednesday, Sept. 28: 5 p.m. CST
Heart of Tennessee Chapter – 501 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Thursday, Sept. 29: 9 a.m. CST
Thursday, Sept. 29: 2 p.m. CST
Saturday, Oct. 1: 9 a.m. CST
Southeast Chapter – 4115 S. Access Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37406
Wednesday, Sept. 28: 12:30 p.m. EST
Saturday, Oct. 1: 10 a.m. EST
Mid-South Chapter – 1399 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104
Thursday, Sept. 29: 5:30 p.m. CST
East Tennessee Chapter – 6921 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37909
Wednesday, Sept. 28: 3 p.m. EST
Thursday, Sept. 29: 5 p.m. EST
Mid-West Chapter – Jackson State Community College, 2046 N. Parkway, Jackson, TN
Thursday, Sept. 29: 5 p.m. CST
Mid-West Chapter – Oakland Community Center, 4435 State Hwy. 69S, Paris, TN
Thursday, Sept. 29: 3 p.m. CST
For more information on these trainings, please visit the American Red Cross Tennessee Region Facebook page.
