Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Talk with Red Cross Spokesman

Aired May 05, 2003 - 11:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now on the phone is Michael Spencer. He's with the Red Cross, who's working in Pierce City.
Mr. Spencer, can you tell us exactly how things are going for us this weekend?

MICHAEL SPENCER, RED CROSS: They're going pretty well. The families are starting to come back home. They're going through their things. And the Red Cross is here with our mental health counselors. We have them spread out throughout the community, and we also have emergency response vehicles that are roaming around the streets that are feeding them.

And as they go home, we're there when they need us the most. We're able to help them by providing food and clothing. And also, we're trying to help them find a place to stay while they try to put their lives back together after this devastating tornado.

HARRIS: Yes, I was wondering about that. Where are you going to be able to put these people up? Because from what we've been able to see, almost every structure in that town has been damaged or destroyed.

SPENCER: There are a few structures left. There's St. Mary's Church, which has just minor damage, and we're able to put a lot of people in there, and also the surrounding towns, some of them have some structures that we're able to use as shelters. Lot of people are turning to their relatives and friends across the state. So people are just pouring in. The community support is amazing.

HARRIS: How many people do you think have been put out of their homes by this?

SPENCER: Our early damage assessment reports from our reporters who went out about 5:30 to 6:30 this morning, they found about 100 homes in this area were destroyed.

HARRIS: And you've got to make accommodations for how many people, do you think?

I'm sorry, Michael. Hang on a second.

You're probably in a bad cell area, which is totally understandable. We just lost your phone -- your message for just a second. Can you try again? There you go.

SPENCER: Just averaging about three people per household. That's about 300 people at least that can't even go back to their homes. So the Red Cross is going to be in this community for many, many weeks, helping these people get back on their feet, because they have no one else to turn to right now.

HARRIS: Yes, well, do you need to issue a call of your own for special assistance or any more help?

SPENCER: Oh definitely. You know, we always need help. We're heading into the busiest time of the year, tornado season and also hurricane season. It's very important that our disaster relief fund is there so it's healthy so we respond to disasters just like this, so we can be on the scene immediately before anyone donates $1. So we need people to call 1-800-help-now or visit redcross.org and make a donation to help the victims of this disaster and the disasters happening across the country right now.

HARRIS: Yes, boy, you got a lot of work ahead of you. All the best to you. Michael Spencer, the Red Cross.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




t



Aired May 5, 2003 - 11:51   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now on the phone is Michael Spencer. He's with the Red Cross, who's working in Pierce City.
Mr. Spencer, can you tell us exactly how things are going for us this weekend?

MICHAEL SPENCER, RED CROSS: They're going pretty well. The families are starting to come back home. They're going through their things. And the Red Cross is here with our mental health counselors. We have them spread out throughout the community, and we also have emergency response vehicles that are roaming around the streets that are feeding them.

And as they go home, we're there when they need us the most. We're able to help them by providing food and clothing. And also, we're trying to help them find a place to stay while they try to put their lives back together after this devastating tornado.

HARRIS: Yes, I was wondering about that. Where are you going to be able to put these people up? Because from what we've been able to see, almost every structure in that town has been damaged or destroyed.

SPENCER: There are a few structures left. There's St. Mary's Church, which has just minor damage, and we're able to put a lot of people in there, and also the surrounding towns, some of them have some structures that we're able to use as shelters. Lot of people are turning to their relatives and friends across the state. So people are just pouring in. The community support is amazing.

HARRIS: How many people do you think have been put out of their homes by this?

SPENCER: Our early damage assessment reports from our reporters who went out about 5:30 to 6:30 this morning, they found about 100 homes in this area were destroyed.

HARRIS: And you've got to make accommodations for how many people, do you think?

I'm sorry, Michael. Hang on a second.

You're probably in a bad cell area, which is totally understandable. We just lost your phone -- your message for just a second. Can you try again? There you go.

SPENCER: Just averaging about three people per household. That's about 300 people at least that can't even go back to their homes. So the Red Cross is going to be in this community for many, many weeks, helping these people get back on their feet, because they have no one else to turn to right now.

HARRIS: Yes, well, do you need to issue a call of your own for special assistance or any more help?

SPENCER: Oh definitely. You know, we always need help. We're heading into the busiest time of the year, tornado season and also hurricane season. It's very important that our disaster relief fund is there so it's healthy so we respond to disasters just like this, so we can be on the scene immediately before anyone donates $1. So we need people to call 1-800-help-now or visit redcross.org and make a donation to help the victims of this disaster and the disasters happening across the country right now.

HARRIS: Yes, boy, you got a lot of work ahead of you. All the best to you. Michael Spencer, the Red Cross.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




t