Tucson volunteer helps with Florida storm recovery efforts

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — MaRico Tippett, a Tucson resident and American Red Cross volunteer, recently traveled to Florida to assist with storm recovery. After a week on the ground, he reported that while progress has been made in cleanup by the city, significant devastation remains.

Tippett, who serves as an elected official liaison, began his efforts in Tampa and has since moved to Daytona. He noted that between 750 and 1,100 volunteers are currently helping with disaster relief across the state.

"There are some areas that have been really hit by wind damage, and other areas that have been really hit by flooding," Tippett said.

Tippett emphasized the urgent need for more volunteers, saying, "The speed of recovery is directly proportional to the number of volunteers that we can get to support each of these disasters."

Tippett will be in Florida for another week, focusing on getting children back to school and aiding as many people as possible.

Tippett says recovery efforts could take weeks or even months. Those looking to support the affected communities can contact the American Red Cross for more information.