Tornado, home fires and wild fires among largest disasters

In a year that set records for severe and devastating weather, the American Red Cross says it provided more assistance to the hundreds of thousands of people impacted by
disasters across the United States than in the past two years combined. In 2016, 32,000 Red Cross volunteers responded to 180 significant disasters in 45 states and two U.S. territories including wildfires, storms, flooding, Hurricane Matthew and other emergencies. In South Carolina families faced the onslaught of Hurricane Matthew along the coast, felt the impact of wildfires and a tornado in the Upstate, and, across the state, suffered from injuries, deaths and property damage due to home fires. “Our region was devastated by Matthew and Red Cross workers helped around the clock, making sure people had food to eat, a place to stay and help recovering from this disaster,” said Louise Welch Williams, CEO for the Red Cross in South Carolina. “For the second time in a year, many people lost everything and the Red Cross is still there, helping people get back on their feet.” During the past six weeks in the Upstate, nearly 150 Red Cross
volunteers provided support to partners and helped families affected by the Pinnacle Mountain wildfire and Simpsonville tornado. Home fires continue to be the
largest disaster threat in the United States.