TAMPA, Fla. — Residents of Kentucky counties where tornadoes killed several dozen people could be without heat, water or electricity in frigid temperatures for weeks or longer, state officials warned Monday.
Following the disastrous tornadoes, the toll of damage and deaths came into clearer focus in five states slammed by the swarm of twisters.
It didn't take long for people around the Tampa Bay area and beyond to start figuring out ways to help people in the southern Midwest devastated by tornadoes.
Frank Hall, a retiree from Clearwater Beach, saw the images on TV and decided to drop everything and go.
Hall's been a volunteer with the Red Cross for 10 years and said the damage he saw on TV reminded him of the devastation he witnessed after the Joplin tornadoes.
"I've done it before and when you see it on the TV something just kind of takes over you and you say I've got to get there and help these people," Hall said.
Hall will be in Kentucky by Tuesday helping with the logistics involved in getting people food and water.
"The emotions will be great," Hal said. "The work is always hard. We put in 10-12 hour days, seven days a week."
Hall doesn't know when he'll be back home but that doesn't stop him.
"I've had friends and family say 'Why would you go? With COVID and Christmas, you're going to miss Christmas,'" Hall said. "My answer is how could I not go?"
Monday in Lakewood Ranch, Donald Elwood didn't hesitate to donate blood.
He saw the images coming out of the southern Midwest and thought of his neighbor who traveled to Kentucky to help his home state.
"I figure if this blood helps those people, I'm willing to give more blood," Elwood said.
SunCoast Blood Centers was called on by a national network known as BERC (Blood Emergency Readiness Corps) to send emergency blood to the region. By Saturday night, the supply had made it to the hospitals in need.
You can help by donating money or blood through the Red Cross. SunCoast Blood Centers is also calling on locals to help for the next emergency by joining the SunCoast Emergency Blood Force and become a special donor who assists SCBC in responding to these national emergencies.
To schedule a donation, call 1-866-97-BLOOD or on the web: SunCoastblood.org.