The Northern New England Region of the American Red Cross continues to deploy people to major disaster relief efforts, with an employee from Topsham the latest assigned to the California wildfire operation.

Red Cross of Northern New England Disaster Program Manager for the Mid Coast Maine Region Celeste Stimpson, of Topsham, is headed to Sacramento, California, to provide sheltering support to victims of the western wildfires.

“I’m excited to be able to work with local volunteers and staff, and those traveling from around the country,” Stimpson said in a news release from the Red Cross. “It’s really amazing how the Red Cross seems to pull-off such great feats to serve our clients even when storms and fires pile up one after the other. It’s unlike any other organization I know.”

Stimpson joins an operation that already involves more than 1,200 trained Red Cross disaster workers who are on the ground or supporting the effort virtually. While this is Stimpson’s first in-person disaster deployment with the Red Cross, this past spring she supported disaster efforts in a virtual capacity.

“From multiple major hurricanes and tropical storms in the south, to devastating wildfires in much of the west, back-to-back massive disasters have kept thousands of Red Cross volunteers working tirelessly for weeks across the country to provide food, shelter and comfort to tens of thousands in need,” the news release states. “The Red Cross and our partners have already provided 5,800 people with safe refuge from the wildfires in emergency lodgings, served more than 578,000 meals and snacks, and distributed 31,000 relief items, including sifters, trash bags, and masks.”

HOW TO HELP

Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS or text the word WILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support and other assistance.

Volunteer positions can be found athttp://redcross.org/volunteertoday.

The Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood or platelets to help ensure a sufficient blood supply. To schedule an appointment to donate, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.