Central Ohio Red Cross Mobile Communications Center headed to South Carolina ahead of Dorian

COLUMBUS, OH (WCMH)– The Red Cross has mobilized. Right now more than 1,600 volunteers from across the country are headed south in anticipation for the needs of those in Hurricane Dorian’s path. Central Ohio volunteers will play a vital role in their efforts as they drive down in a special satellite truck, which could possibly be their only connection to the outside world in the wake of the storm.

“It’s very emotional and stressful,” Red Cross regional technology volunteer lead Alex Van Gulijk expressed. “Technology is kind of in the background. People don’t realize that’s one of the first things that goes out during a disaster, but we’re always there supporting everything.”

Van Gulijk, a 10 year Red Cross veteran, adds that when disasters strike, communication is key.

READ MORE: Hurricane Dorian marches north along coast, still a dangerous storm

“The overall goal is to make sure that we can keep both our Red Crossers and clients connected. When you’re all of the sudden not on the grid anymore, you’re not having any communications, nothing can get done. We can’t get supplies to clients, clients can’t talk to their loved ones,” Van Gulijk explained.

Van Gulijk says she has witnessed first had that kind of anguish.

“Last year during Hurricane Michael, I actually witnessed someone who hadn’t spoken to his family in two weeks. We provided WiFi for him to Skype with his family,” she described. “It was a very teary-eyed reunion, because they were very scared that he was injured or dead.”

The mobile communications center truck is a unique resource to Central Ohio because there are only a few in the country, so this group will be heading into the worst of the storm aftermath.

“What they’ll do is assess where’s the greatest gap for technology needs once the storm rolls in, and it’s probably one of the worst hit areas: the most flooded, the most wind damage,” Van Gulijk added. “We then send the truck there to get in and maneuver to get into where a shelter maybe without power and is completely off the grid.”

NBC4 will be keeping track of the Mobile Communications Center crew during their two week deployment via their social media pages and will share those updates with you.