Red Cross sends teams to Virginia, West Virginia - New York News | NYC Breaking News

Help is on the way from Atlanta to those devastated by the Hurricane Sandy. The Atlanta chapter of the Red Cross sent two teams north on Monday with orders to help those in the most need.

The teams left the Red Cross headquarters at around 11:15 a.m.

"It makes it easier when they can get two people together in one phone call," said Red Cross volunteer Joe Mertes.
 
Joe and Glenda Mertes answered the call to move out, packing supplies Tuesday morning for a long ride. The husband and wife from Marietta spent Tuesday morning loading a Red Cross unit en route to Ashburn, Virginia. It's all part of a plan to help bring food and supplies to those devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
 
"These vehicles are for feeding.  We either take prepared foods like kitchens or caterers or we will take ready to eat meals called MREs," said Mertes.
     
"The first few days usually we go house by house or to the an established shelter, to provide whatever meals we'll provide," said Red Cross volunteer Saul Maisonet.
 
The four Atlanta based volunteers joined 22 others from Georgia already deployed to the storm. A second group headed out with plans to help feed victims in West Virginia, and say they are preparing for harsh conditions up north.
 
"It's going to be very cold, so we're trying to make sure everybody's ready for that. Make sure we have jackets.  It's going to be, of course, wet, but most of the volunteers already know what the situation's going to be," said Maisonet.

The initial deployment of the two teams was to Clarksburg, West Virginia, and Ashburn, Virginia. Officials say that they could be reassessed once they arrive up north and be sent further north, possibly to New York City.