Three Red Cross volunteers from American Samoa are being deployed to help with the Hurricane Mathew recovery in North Carolina.
The first volunteer who left Monday night is Zero Iaulualo and he will be joined by Tuuga Tinoisamo and Filisita Siaosi Tuimoloau who will be leaving Friday night.
Val Tuilefano of the local Red Cross chapter says the local volunteers are to be deployed for 2-3 weeks with an option to extend.
They were originally assigned to Georgia however the Red Cross has deemed the biggest need to be in North Carolina.
Red Cross volunteers are also being sent in from Saipan and Guam.
Only Red Cross volunteers who are registered with the National Red Cross registry can be deployed.
The volunteers undergo training in disaster response, psychology first aid which prepares them emotionally for what they can expect in disaster recovery and other aspects of disaster response.
The last time a local Red Cross volunteer was called up was in 2001 when Tuuga Tinoisamo was deployed to help with typhoon relief efforts in Guam.
