Red Cross sending relief to Tech

Local Red Cross official to help out at Virginia Tech

BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE

Date published: 4/17/2007

By Flowers Umble

Area's Red Cross director in Blacksburg to help families

A local official of the American Red Cross will lead relief operations in Blacksburg.

Luis Garcia, executive director of the Rappahannock Area Chapter of the Red Cross, found out at 2 p.m. yesterday that he would be in charge of critical-response team dealing with the mass casualties after the fatal shootings at Virginia Tech.

"This is not your traditional disaster relief operation," Garcia said. "Normally, we provide families with food and shelter, in this case it's completely different. In this case, it's compassionate support, it's a shoulder to lean on."

The Red Cross will coordinate mental health services and information for the families, providing a support center where family members, law enforcement and university workers can come for information, drinks and snacks, Garcia said.

The Red Cross will meet with hospitals, airlines, caterers, hotels and restaurants to make sure family members can get all their information in one place, he said.

"We want to get services to these families as quickly as possible so we can get them going," he said. "These are just sad times and I hope that I have an opportunity to help them as much as I can."

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Date published: 4/17/2007