WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and RadioAdams Co. Red Cross Deploys E.R.V. To Gulf Coast

Adams Co. Red Cross Deploys E.R.V. To Gulf Coast

As Gulf Coast communities prepare for Tropical Storm Gustav, the Red Cross is responding to the potential need for assistance.

On Friday, the Adams County Red Cross dispatched its emergency response vehicle to the area.

Our Jake Miller was there when the E.R.V. took off.

"You have no idea what you're walking into. It's something different every time. Your're just going to help people, that's the only thing you can do," says Red Cross Volunteer Rex Ehrgott from Pittsfield.

Rex and his wife Mary Ann are packing up and heading South.

They are the team from the Red Cross in Quincy that will drive an emergency response vehicle to help people as Tropical Storm Gustov heads closer to the gulf coast.

This, all on the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, as preparations along parts of the Gulf are in high gear.

"Things that happened after Hurricane Katrina, after the storm made landfall are now happening before the storm makes landfall," says Director of FEMA David Paulison.

"We hope it fizzles out, but if it doesn't we hope we can do some good down there, Mary Ann Ehrgott adds.

Gustav could hit the Gulf Coast as a category three hurricane early next week.

Rex and Mary Ann will travel 12 hours to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There they will go to a staging area and sit and wait for the storm.

"Wait and see where it hits and the worse places and that's where we're gonna go," says Rex.

"We could go to Texas we could go to Florida depending on if it lands and where it lands," Mary Ann added.

Rex and Mary Ann will fill the E.R.V. with hundreds of meals to distribute to victims and workers if needed.

The couple's been married for more than 40 years. They simply say they're glad to help.

Mary Ann says, "It give us something to do. Something worthwhile to do. It gives us a chance to give back."

Rex and Mary Ann are prepared to stay for 21 days to help.

If the E.R.V. is needed after that, Rex and Mary Ann will fly back home and another team will replace them.

We wish them well on their journey.