CRC sends experienced volunteers to aid in Katrina victims.

Ottawa -- The first group of 35 Canadian Red Cross Disaster Services volunteers left by a Canadian Forces aircraft for Houston, Texas to work on three week assignments with the American Red Cross. At least 100 more will be sent to the region, of as many as required.

The volunteers are working in Community Services, Staff Services, and organizational services. Community Service volunteers provide support to the American Red Cross in managing 270 shelters and delivering some 500,000 hot meals each day. Staff Services volunteers help coordinate travel, accommodation, training and other details for the thousands of volunteers in the region. Those people in Organizational Support will work in fundraising, marketing and communications.

"We are sending our most experienced and highly trained volunteers to support the largest relief operation in the American Red Cross' history," said Don Shropshire, National Director, Disaster Services, Canadian Red Cross. "In the coming weeks we will send at least 100 volunteers to the region, then more as required."

The Canadian Red Cross recruits only experienced volunteers for this type of mission drawn from an existing pool of people who have experience responding to disasters in Canada, ranging from house tires to major forest tires or floods.