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Busy Season Begins For Red Cross

DENVER (CBS4) - The Mile High Chapter of the Red Cross helped out with four separate disasters Friday -- most of which were house fires. This year has already been shaping up to be one of the most demanding after fires broke out in the Boulder area, and its busy season is just getting under way.

Aside from the fires, November got under way with Red Cross volunteers responding to nearly a disaster a day. Most of the time, the Red Cross is called out for house fires where people are in need of clothing, food, and shelter after losing their homes.

Its busy season traditionally starts when the weather gets colder. That's when there are typically more house fires, as well as flood-related disasters from bursting pipes that freeze.

Helping can be costly, which is why the Red Cross is encouraging cash donations -- especially with several cold months ahead.

"Well in the last two weeks we had a significant apartment fire and we had to open a shelter. We will do that when there are more than 12 to 14 victims involved and they need a place to spend the night and get nourishment," Ray LaLone with the Red Cross said. "We opened that shelter in the past couple of weeks and it cost over $10,000 just for that one shelter event."

There are more than 1,700 Red Cross volunteers who respond to disasters all along Colorado's Front Range.

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