Locals deploy to Tropical Storm Florence

Two local men are responding to Tropical Storm Florence’s wrath as it continues to destroy homes and knock down power for hundreds of thousands on the East Coast.

A Desert Hot Springs man is in an emergency operations center in Virginia. He’s employed with American Red Cross and is helping shelter displaced families. Meanwhile, a Cathedral City man is in the heart of the storm, in North Carolina. He’s working to restore power for more than 900,000 people. News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2’s Lauren Coronado spoke with the Cathedral City man’s wife Friday night.

“I just saw it (Florence) coming closer and closer, and then I knew when the call was going to come, he would be gone in less than 24 hours,” said Missy Mello. Her husband, Matt Mello, is an aerial lineman.

“It’s scary, and I know when I heard his voice when he got there, I heard a little fear in his voice, but he was also excited,” Missy said.

Matt is working on live power-lines. His job considered one of the five most deadly in the U.S, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“I know a lot of people consider, you know, firefighters and police officers first responders, which they are, but linemen are too. They’re the first ones out there. If there’s no power, the hospitals don’t have power, the triages, the markets, nothing,” Missy said.

Matt is expected to stay in the Carolina’s for the next twenty days, but that can change depending on the devastation Florence leaves behind. It’s the same case for Ernie Calderon of Desert Hot Springs. He’s a Disaster Program Manager for the Red Cross. Calderon is in Virginia, but has been reassigned and will be in Bristol, Tennessee by morning.

“Being in the EOC and being the link to the shelters, it’s a vital link. If they need something from the Red Cross, that link is very important to have so we can get our resources to those residents and clients that need them,” Calderon said.

As of Friday night, the Red Cross is sheltering more than 10,000 people and that number is expected to grow.

“I don’t know when this will end, It’s still coming and the recovery will take a while, and Red Cross will be there to help the people recover,” Calderon said.

A Red Cross communications director says they will be sending more Coachella Valley employees and volunteers next week.