JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With the death toll now at 55, thousands evacuating, and hundreds of homes destroyed, catastrophic wildfires continue to rip through Maui.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross is doing its best to provide whatever services are needed amid the disaster, including shelter, food, and emotional support.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Tyler Smith is a Jacksonville volunteer headed to the frontlines, hoping to help with a growing issue throughout the blaze: technology and communication.
“I’m going in as a technology team. So I’m going to be helping with laptops, cellphones, network connectivity, printers, that sort of thing,” Tyler Smith told Action News Jax on Friday.
The issue also isn’t getting any better, with thousands lacking power and cell phone and cell service out across the island.
Read: Lanes opening on I-295 southbound after large car fire
“It’s important for our teams to be able to know what’s going on, so our teams in the field [are] able to report back to our headquarters and for us to be able to communicate within our organization to know where we have to put supplies and people,” Smith explained. “Also knowing where not to go is equally important.”
Smith has been a Red Cross volunteer for roughly six years now and says every disaster he’s been to poses its own unique risks and challenges. Now, Smith is headed to a tropical paradise turned natural disaster, hoping to make as much of a difference as possible on the front lines.
Read: Lack of bus routes leave St. Johns County parents frustrated
“I wish disasters didn’t happen and we weren’t needed, but the unfortunate reality is that disasters do happen,” said Smith. “So I’m very fortunate to be able to go help people in need.”
The Red Cross also continues to provide mental health services to those on the island who are in need of emotional support.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Read: Orlando police escort fallen officer Kevin Valencia’s son to first day of school
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Sign Up
