DULLES, Va. — In a parking lot across from Dulles International Airport, the first of perhaps 100 volunteers are ready to fly to Florida, hoping to set up the first Red Cross shelters before Dorian slams ashore.
Two veterans of disaster relief are set to leave early Friday morning -- Jackie Rivera, who began volunteering years ago during merciless Kentucky flooding, and Kim Teitelman, who started her volunteer work during Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
"The hardest part actually is making sense out of the chaos," Rivera said. "You've got all these great volunteers coming in who want to help. They all have varying levels of experience and it takes a massive effort to coordinate everyone."
The National Capital Region of the American Red Cross reported nine volunteers who are ready to immediately travel to Florida. Rivera is bound for West Palm Beach. Teitelman will leave for Orlando.
The aid workers are prepared for two-week deployments, with longer stays possible for other full-time personnel.
Hurricane Dorian intensified to a Category 2 storm late Thursday, with a projected Florida landfall shortly after 8 a.m. Labor Day.
"It's incredibly hard, but we're there for those who need the Red Cross most," Teitelman said. "We love them right when they come in. They lose their homes, but we're feeding them, sheltering them, they have a place to stay."
The American Red Cross of Virginia, a separate chapter based in Richmond, reported 30 tractor-trailer loads of relief supplies ready to help people in Dorian’s path.
"We currently have seven from Virginia that who have been assigned to the operation," Jonathan McNamara, a Red Cross of Virginia spokesman, said. "But we anticipate that number will rise as we have a sense of the scope of the operation."
To donate to the American Red Cross for Dorian relief, click here.