ATLANTA (CBS46) – The team at FEMA’s Atlanta Distribution Center jumped into action Saturday shortly after they learned of deadly tornadoes that have devastated communities across six states.
“It was horrible,” said Janet Goldson, deputy facility manager for FEMA Atlanta. “I woke up and saw it on the news and I was ready to go in and really support those survivors.”
Goldson gave CBS46 a tour of the facility Monday morning as a new shipment of tarpaulin was about to arrive. At any given time, she said, the facility has 270 tractors loaded and ready to go.
“We transported 54 trailers carrying different types of goods,” she says, “blankets, cots, tarpaulins, generators. ”
The 460,000-square-foot facility – strategically located near the airport – is capable of sending emergency goods to eight southeastern states, including one of the hardest hit: Kentucky.
“Knowing that I am here to support and help disaster survivors return to normalcy,” Goldson said, “is an amazing feeling.”
A Red Cross volunteer from Georgia is also heading to tornado-affected areas.
Ann Burkly says she can’t even imagine the pain and suffering that tornado victims are going through right now, especially before the holidays.
The Red Cross said it was ready to assist in the area for weeks to come. Currently, they have supplied about 200 more blood products to hospitals and opened at least eight emergency shelters in Kentucky.
