Local volunteers across Pa. help Hawaii after deadly wildfires destroy tourist town

LANSDOWNE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- As residents in Hawaii grapple with the wildfire destruction in Maui, first responders are receiving a helping hand from volunteers close to home.

"The whole town is gone. I just can't believe it, we were there the second week of June," said Fred Lehman, a Red Cross Volunteer from Lansdowne, Delaware County.

"I'm prepared to see the worst. And it's probably worse than I can imagine," he said.

Two months after a vacation in Lahaina, Maui, Lehman is ready to return to the popular tourist destination.

It's a historic waterfront town established in the 1700s that has now been reduced to ash after wildfires tore through the area.

Upon his return to Maui, Lehman will be volunteering with the Red Cross.

"Folks are so grateful and you know frankly, I wish that if it happens to me, folks will be there for me like I want to be there," said Lehman.

Two members of PA Task Force One flew out Friday morning to aid in rescue and recovery efforts. More than 60 people have died and others are still missing.

"Whether we are finding live victims and bringing them home, or locating deceased victims and bringing them home to their loved ones, that's equally as important," says Ken Pagurek, the program manager for PA Task Force One.

Pagurek says this is what the job is all about.

"We are essentially the Swiss Army knife for the United States Government, for FEMA," he said.

With so much devastation, any help is welcome.

"What we saw is likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history," said Hawaii Governor Josh Green.

Along with the Red Cross, PA Task Force One, and volunteers across the nation, the US Navy and Coast Guard have been deployed to assist.

Click here to see how you can assist from home.