To donate   ● With a projected price tag topping $80 billion for Red Cross relief effort now under way in Florida, officials are urging Tucson-area businesses, foundations and individuals to make donations to help with the costs.   To help:   ● Call 1-800-HELP-NOW or 520-318-6740   ● Send a check or money order to: Disaster Relief Efforts, American Red Cross Southern Arizona Chapter, 4601 E. Broadway, Tucson AZ 85711   ● Use a credit card at www.redcross.org/donate/ donate.html   ● Call World Care at 520-514-1588 to donate food, clothing or other items.   Slide show

Military members, American Red Cross rescue crews and emergency vehicles from Southern Arizona have arrived near areas of Florida stricken by Hurricane Frances, and are ready to help with emergency relief as soon as conditions are safe, local agencies say. Two Red Cross emergency response vehicles from Tucson and Sierra Vista laden with food, clothing and blankets have joined a convoy of about 175 such vehicles from around the country in Bradenton, Fla., on the state's west coast. They are expected to try to enter rural areas, possibly today or Monday, where people have been unable to get to shelters and may have run out of provisions, said Richard White, director of the American Red Cross of Southern Arizona. Standing by in Tucson is a team of 20 Red Cross staff and volunteer relief workers whose departure has been delayed by the unexpectedly slow movement of the hurricane. Originally slated to get to Florida by Monday, they likely will arrive by midweek, White said. "As soon as it's safe to fly into Orlando or Atlanta, they will be deployed," he said. "The storm is moving slowly and is now a Category 2. That means there may be less wind damage, but the expectations for rains and flooding have intensified severely. "So, it's still going to be a huge relief operation. The combined response to the two hurricanes, Charley and Frances, will make it the largest ever for a natural disaster in Red Cross history." When the Red Cross team arrives, it will help set up mass shelters, get supplies to the homeless, and provide mental health counseling to those who may have lost loved ones and homes. Also poised to begin rescue of Florida flood and medical victims are three air crews and a pararescue team of 20 Air Force reservists from the 305th Rescue Squadron, stationed at Tucson's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The squadron flew to Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia on Friday, and has joined the 920th Rescue Wing from the now-evacuated Patrick Air Force Base in Florida to begin rescue operations, said squadron spokeswoman Ruby Zarzyczny. The pararescue team is trained to parachute out of rescue helicopters and help injured or stranded victims, she said. The air crews will fly evacuation helicopters to the stricken areas. "I don't know why people stay in a hurricane like this, but they do," Zarzyczny said. "But that's why we're likely to see lots of people stranded in the flooded areas -people stuck on roofs, situations like that. "This is a very big hurricane, so our operating area is the entire state of Florida." To donate

 

● With a projected price tag topping $80 billion for Red Cross relief effort now under way in Florida, officials are urging Tucson-area businesses, foundations and individuals to make donations to help with the costs. To help:

 

● Call 1-800-HELP-NOW or 520-318-6740 ● Send a check or money order to: Disaster Relief Efforts, American Red Cross Southern Arizona Chapter, 4601 E. Broadway, Tucson AZ 85711 ● Use a credit card at www.redcross.org/donate/ donate.html ● Call World Care at 520-514-1588 to donate food, clothing or other items. Slide show