Hawaii American Red Cross volunteer Ken Lee has arrived in New York City and will start overseeing counseling for relief workers today at the site of the destroyed World Trade Center. Isle Red Cross volunteer
lands in NYCStar-Bulletin staff
Lee, the only Hawaii volunteer on the Aviation Incident Response team assigned to the on-site relief effort, arrived yesterday morning.
"Everything is just so chaotic, such a massive disaster with so many people involved," Lee said.
In four days the Red Cross has served 377,000 meals and snacks, he said. "Usually you get that kind of number at the end of a job," he said.
Two other Red Cross volunteers from Hawaii -- Glenn Lockwood, Red Cross disaster services director, and Mike Schuito of Maui -- also have gone to New York City, where the Red Cross has 14 shelters and 6,000 volunteers and staff.
More volunteers are coming in and many are being turned away because they are not trained, Lee said.
Other volunteers will be activated as needed to fill specific functions nationally, such as in mental health or family services, said Red Cross spokeswoman Cassandra Ely.
She said the Red Cross will schedule several training sessions in the next few weeks because of more than 60 new volunteers. People who want to volunteer or inquire about the training sessions should call 734-2101.
Residents who need someone to talk to also can call that number to reach mental health workers at the Red Cross, Ely said.
Lee said the scene flying into La Guardia Airport was surreal. A "big plume of smoke like a cane field burning" was visible on the horizon before any buildings could be seen. Approaching the harbor, the Statue of Liberty was shrouded in smoke "billowing from where the World Trade Center used to be," he said. "It put a lump in my throat. It's not like TV.
