Local emergency personnel are heading to the East Coast to offer relief after Hurricane Sandy makes landfall.
The local Red Cross sent an emergency response vehicle to Virginia onSaturday afternoon. The vehicle is staffed by volunteers who will distribute supplies and food in areas affected by the storm. The volunteers will be in the field for at least two weeks, Red Cross spokesperson David Hartsoe said in a news releae.
The Chattanooga Disaster Medical Assistance Team also deployed this weekend, and headed to Maryland, Chattanooga Fire Department spokesman Bruce Garner said in a release. From there, the team can move to anywhere in the Northeast it is needed after the storm makes landfall.
The 50-person team includes health care professionals and support personnel, and is equipped with supplies and equipment so that it can be self-sufficient in a disaster area. In the past, the team responded to Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti.
See more storm coverage in Sunday's Times Free Press.