Seven Indiana Red Cross volunteers traveling to South Carolina; one from Terre

Help people affected by disasters like the flooding, wildfires and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.

A few 30 shelters have been opened in South Carolina so far, as Red Cross workers continue to gather more information on what is needed.

Frank Petrella of New Albany is a trained Red Cross volunteer. Contributions may also be sent to your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 26902, Lehigh Valley, PA 18002-6902.

The Red Cross states that heavy flooding is expected from the southern states to the Mid-Atlantic region this weekend.

Hundreds of vehicle collisions and at least three fatalities have been reported by emergency officials in South Carolina.

“We focus heavily on sheltering individuals that aren’t able to return to their homes, or flooded out of their homes”, Seth Sawyer of the Savannah Red Cross says.

All eligible donors in parts of the country unaffected by flooding are encouraged to call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment to give blood.

Among the disaster volunteers headed to South Carolina is John Judd of Fort Wayne, who will serve as a warehousing supervisor in Columbia, South Carolina. Recovering from a disaster takes time.