Red Cross offers 'Zero to Hero' training for hurricane relief volunteers

YOUNGSTOWN — The American Red Cross is offering intensive “Zero to Hero” training for volunteers looking to provide relief after Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.

The Mahoning Valley chapter, 3530 Belmont Ave., will offer the free training from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 14-15. Prospective volunteers must be present for both days of training.

Three to four days after the training, volunteers will be deployed for two weeks at a time. They will be deployed to the area of greatest need, which might be Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas or Puerto Rico.

The helpers will not be paid and may have to sleep in shelters.

“It’s hard work, and you don’t what the conditions will be,” said Karen Conklin, executive director of the Mahoning Valley chapter.

The Mahoning Valley chapter hopes to register 30 people for the training. To register, call 330-392-2551. More information is available at www.redcross.org/volunteer.