New Jersey Red Cross volunteers in Texas as Beryl slams Gulf Coast
SUGAR LAND, Texas (WPVI) -- Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday morning as a Category 1 storm.
At least two people have been killed by fallen trees and more than 2 million customers are without power across Texas due to torrential rain and powerful winds.
READ MORE: Beryl weakens to tropical storm after sweeping into Texas as Category 1 hurricane; 2M without power
Red Cross volunteers from the Delaware Valley were already in Texas before the storm hit.
"It's the hardest work I've ever done for the least amount of pay, but it's the most rewarding," said Dan Kirkpatrick, of Mount Laurel, NJ.
He is one of about a dozen local volunteers in the storm zone as Beryl moves through Texas.
When Action News spoke with Kirkpatrick on Monday, he was riding out the storm at a hotel in Sugar Land, just outside of Houston.
"The winds are pretty strong. It's raining pretty heavily," he said looking out the window.
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He's with a team of six people, waiting for the all-clear to travel again. He says it's likely they'll end up at an evacuation shelter, assisting people who can't return to their homes.
"It could be a school, it could be an auditorium -- something like that for people that are affected by the flood or the hurricane," said Kirkpatrick.
Rescue teams are trying to help people trapped in flood waters.
Kirkpatrick has volunteered during storms like this before. He says they'll help however they can.
"We're there at the worst part of someone's life -- when they're affected by something, damage to their home or damage to their car, whatever place they live. So first and foremost it's like providing comfort care," said Kirkpatrick.
Two members of Pennsylvania Task Force 1 have been deployed as part of a federal response team.
On Tuesday, the New Jersey American Red Cross will send an emergency response vehicle and two volunteers from Camden County to help with relief efforts in Texas.
