So the call went out to national headquarters, which launched a national relief campaign on Friday. Since then, volunteers with Red Cross disaster relief experience have been arriving from all over the country. Donations of cash, food and other supplies have been pouring in. And the chapter's unassuming offices have been transformed into a nerve center with an air of barely controlled chaos. Dozens of people scurry through rooms and corridors, carrying clipboards, scribbled notes and cellular phones.
Newcomers wander in off the street, asking how they can help.
But everybody has a job to do. Veteran volunteers handle the key jobs. Some manage the shelters, providing them with volunteer staff and supplies. Others interview volunteers and assign them to jobs that match their skills or interests. Still others process donations, find missing relatives or assess damage to homes and other property.