PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Along the gulf region, 300,000 people are living without electricity and nearly 200,000 people don’t have running water after Hurricane Laura slammed into Louisiana and Eastern Texas.
Michelle Ellis-Young, executive director of Coastal Virginia American Red Cross, landed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Tuesday to begin a two-week mission to help the people of Louisiana.
For Ellis-Young, this is personal.
“I’m a native of New Orleans — Louisiana is home for me. I see it as an opportunity to go back home and be a person who understands their pain,” said Ellis-Young.
Her mission is to provide emotional and spiritual support to victims who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago and several other major storms since then.
“You know it’s [the disaster] amplified. We talk about competitive trauma — you know a lot of people who have been in the storm and have been impacted have been through this before, said Ellis-Young.
Unfortunately, holding a storm victim’s hand, or offering them a shoulder to cry on, could be risky.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is concerned the COVID-19 numbers, which had taken a dip, will spike in the aftermath of Laura.
Ellis-Young will take precautions to avoid possible exposure.
“We, of course, will … make sure that we provide adequate social distancing in the spaces that we’re in, but really it’s about human interaction and high-touch regardless of the environment that we are in.”
1,300 Red Cross professionals from several states have responded to what the organization calls a “level seven disaster.” Prior to the hit from Hurricane Laura, the agency’s highest-rated disaster was a level five.
Ellis-Young is on the scene to help.
“A lot of times, people just want someone to listen and that’s what our disaster spiritual care is designed to do.”
