Red Cross Volunteers From Lincoln In The Bahamas

(KFOR NEWS September 16, 2019) American Red Cross Volunteers Randy and Jill Neeman of Lincoln, Nebraska, are deploying to the Bahamas to assist the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) response to Hurricane Dorian. The Neemans will travel to the Bahamas this weekend and will be on the islands through Oct. 12.

The Neemans are veteran Red Cross volunteers. In addition to several deployments in the United States, they have previously deployed to support American Red Cross disaster responses in U.S. territories around the world. This is the first deployment with the IFRC for each of them.

Both Randy and Jill have been assisting with the American Red Cross response to Hurricane Dorian, with Randy serving in North Carolina and Jill in Georgia. In the Bahamas, Randy will be part of the Emergency Response Unit, which is a team of trained technical specialists who deploy on short notice to give immediate support in disaster-affected countries. Jill will serve as a disaster specialist supporting coordination of information management.

On September 1, Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas, stalling over the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama for nearly two days as a Category 5 hurricane. The IFRC is supporting the Bahamas Red Cross Society in responding to the storm. The American Red Cross has committed $2 million to support the response to Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

Founded in 1919, the IFRC carries out relief operations to assist victims of disasters, and combines that with development work to strengthen the capacities of its member National Societies.