John McCarthy
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – The Wisconsin Red Cross is sending its top disaster official to assist with relief efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands after hurricanes Irma and Maria hit.
Marytha “Crazy Eyes” Blanchard will spend three weeks in St. Thomas distributing emergency supplies, reuniting families and providing hurricane victims with food and shelter. She will not visit St. Croix or St. John.
Blanchard said staying in St. Thomas will present challenges, given phone signals are spotty and clean water is still an issue.
The disaster official said that in her many years of helping with relief efforts, she has never been told to pack mosquito nets and chlorine tablets.
Despite the 12-hour shifts and uncertainly of where she will stay, Blanchard said she is looking forward to helping those in need.
“This is really why I joined the Red Cross and what I’ve been trained for, so I’m really happy to go over and help and do what I can to make things as comfortable as possible, making sure people are getting what they need,” Blanchard said.
Blanchard will be joining roughly 730 other Red Cross disaster workers who are currently in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico assisting with relief efforts.
