Local Red Cross volunteers head out east

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Two Red Cross volunteers left Lafayette early Sunday morning to make their way to Harrisburg, Penn. Volunteer Shane Halbrook said he doesn't know what to expect with Hurricane Sandy.

"Right now we don't know exactly what we're going to do," said Halbrook. "We'll either be doing bulk distribution or feeding. We'll be assigned to a position when we get out there."

Halbrook said when he heard about Hurricane Sandy, he starting packing his bags and got ready to make the trip to the East Coast. Yet, before making the 11-hour drive, Halbrook said he had to prepare the Emergency Response Vehicle he's driving out there.

"Make sure, of course, the tires are inflated," said Halbrook. "Make sure everything's in working condition, that way we have the utmost safety when driving across the country. Check everything, the lights, tires, look for scratches, dents, everything, and make sure we have all of our equipment."

Equipment Halbrook said will help with storm clean up and allow him and other Red Cross volunteers pass out food to those hit hardest by the storm. Halbrook said besides Huricanne Irene, this is the biggest storm he's responded to and some meteorologists are calling it a "Super Storm."

"Since it's hitting such a populated area, it's going to cause a lot of damage," said News 18 Meteorologist Jessie Hawila. "Winds 60 to 80 miles per hour sustained with gusts higher in such a populated area with power lines, lots of infrastructure, a huge population. This is being forecasted to be a multi-billion dollar disaster."

Hawila said people on the east coast could be dealing with Hurricane Sandy for quite awhile.

"This could be a very prolonged period of time that people will feel effects, because not only are they dealing with strong winds 60 to 80 miles per hour or even higher, but devastating flooding," said Hawila.

Halbrook said he's planning on being on the East Coast for about two or three weeks.