LEWISTON — Local Red Cross officials will concentrate on raising money to help victims of Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti.

Local volunteers are not being sent to help clean up, but that could change, said Dave Thompson, chief executive officer for the Maine chapter. “They may need people to help run shelters or do something else, but we have not gotten that call yet.”

Each Red Cross chapter maintains a database of volunteers, including their training and expertise. Many would be available to travel to Haiti, if they’re needed, Thompson said.

“It all depends on what the international response is,” he said. “But right now, the money is the big thing.”

The national Red Cross announced Wednesday it would direct at least $1 million in aid to help earthquake survivors. That money would come from a national disaster relief fund.

“You never know when something is going to happen that you’re going to need to use that fund, so it gets built up and added to all year,” Thompson said. “But from what I’ve heard and seen on TV, it doesn’t look like $1 million will even scratch the surface, so we’ll try to get rolling, see what else we can do.”

staylor@sunjournal.com


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