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Tropical Storm Gustav is quickly gaining strength. Forecasters expect it to become a hurricane later today. It's expected to hit the Gulf Coast at the end of Labor Day weekend, and it could be a Category 3 storm by then.
Meanwhile, two Red Cross Greater Ozarks Chapter Disaster Relief volunteers are on their way to the area to prepare to help those who might be affected. KSMU's Michele Skalicky has more.
Hugh Wiley has been helping out those affected by disaster for more than a decade. This afternoon he and his disaster relief partner Keith Ireland left for Baton Rouge, where the Red Cross is setting up a staging area to help out after the storm hits.
Five other Red Cross disaster relief volunteers from Joplin left today, too.
Wiley says they hope to help with bulk distribution or feeding out of the Emergency Response Vehicle or ERV that they're driving down there.
Wiley and Red Cross Spokesperson Joann Moore took me on a tour of the ERV.
The ERV contains 6 food cambros and 6 liquid cambros, paper cups and paper towels. They'll load up on supplies when they get to Louisiana. They feed people from a window on the side of the vehicle.
Wiley explains how the people know that they're coming.
Getting to work with people is the reason Wiley continues to work as a Red Cross Disaster Relief Volunteer.
He and Ireland have driven the ERV to disaster areas since 1995. They're expecting to arrive in Baton Rouge sometime tomorrow. The amazing thing? Wiley is 80 and Ireland is 84.
Wiley and Ireland have helped out in several disasters. He couldn't help out after Katrina hit because he'd had a hip operation, but his partner Keith Ireland went and called Wiley every day to let him know what was going on. And Wiley helped out in Springfield by volunteering at Remington's when the Red Cross had a center set up there for those who needed help.
He says he's not sure how many trips he's made.
Wiley and Ireland are on a 21-day assignment, but he says they'll stay longer if they're needed.
For KSMU News, I'm Michele Skalicky
