The Story County Chapter of the American Red Cross is asking people to help victims of hurricanes Fran and Hortense.

The hurricanes have devastated the lives of tens of thousands of people in Puerto Rico and the Southeastern United States.

Bob Sill, the interim emergency services director for the Story County Chapter of the Red Cross, said the Red Cross is involved in emergency relief. Relief involves the basic human needs of food, shelter and clothing.

“The Red Cross will interview victims, access their needs and verify their losses,” Sill said. “We then issue a dispersing order to provide food, shelter and clothing.”

Sill said the Red Cross’ function is really an emergency function. The Red Cross sets up shelters in the first 48 hours of a disaster. Long term plans are handled by other agencies.

The Red Cross expenses for Hurricane Fran could amount to as much as $10 million. The estimated expenses in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Hortense are between $14 and $16 million.

“We have received financial contributions from Story County,” Sill said. “We’ve been getting some every day in the mail.”

Sill said there is one Red Cross volunteer from Story County serving in Charlottesville, Va., an area damaged by Hurricane Fran.

Linda Yaeger, the volunteer, is the records and reports officer for the Red Cross. “She is doing the counting and record keeping for the operations,” Sill said.

Sill said North Carolina was the area hit the hardest. Twenty-five thousand families were affected in that area, with 140 Red Cross shelters open, housing over 19,000 people.

“Five shelters still remain open,” Sill said. As of Monday, a total of 85 people remained in the shelters.

Sill said you may contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by sending a check to your local Red Cross chapter. The address for the Story county Chapter of the Red Cross is 426 5th Street, Ames, IA 50010.