Crews from Pittsburgh being sent to help with Hurricane Laura response

PITTSBURGH — Crews from Pittsburgh are being sent to help in the response to Hurricane Laura, which made landfall Thursday morning in Louisiana as a Category 4 storm before weakening.

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Brother’s Brother Foundation

Brother’s Brother Foundation, based in Pittsburgh’s North Side, is sending relief supplies for people affected by the hurricane in the city of Shreveport and the greater Louisiana and Texas regions. BBF said it is offering 50,000 face masks, 26,500 pairs of gloves and 2,707 hard hats, along with cleaning supplies.

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BBF said 100% of funds received for its response to Hurricane Laura will be used to support emergency relief and logistics to the affected areas. Credit card donations can be made at www.brothersbrother.org. Checks should be made payable to Brother’s Brother Foundation, noting U.S. Disaster Relief in the memo field, and sent to the following address:

Brother’s Brother Foundation, P.O. Box 645934, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-5257

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region sent 25 volunteers and anticipates deploying more depending on the hurricane’s impact.

“These volunteers will serve in a varying roles dependent upon their Red Cross training - including logistics, reunification, health services, sheltering, and feeding while others will deploy virtually and support the on-the-ground operations remotely, from Pennsylvania,” a news release said.

People can visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word LAURA to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

West Penn Power

West Penn Power said FirstEnergy Corp. sent 525 line workers, forestry crews and support personnel to Beaumont, Texas, on Wednesday morning. Twenty-one of those people are from West Penn Power.

Those workers are expected to arrive by Friday morning and are prepared to stay for two weeks. They volunteered and are prepared to work 16-hour days.

Tropical Storm Laura: What you need to know (NCD)

Cox Media Group