Oak Ridge volunteer bound for Texas

As Hurricane Emily prepared to smash the south Texas coastline Tuesday, a local man was readying himself to help those caught in the aftermath.

Adam Moore of Oak Ridge departed for Texas Monday afternoon to help with the aftermath as a volunteer with the local American Red Cross Cape Girardeau office.

Moore will assist with bringing supplies and moral support to those in the hurricane's path in south Texas. As of Tuesday night, he was stationed at a staging area in San Antonio waiting to see where volunteers would be needed after the hurricane hits.

Moore was able to leave his job as a technician installing satellite dishes for Dish Network so he could assist hurricane survivors for two to three weeks. Moore said he had been wanting to volunteer with a humanitarian organization, and the Red Cross was a logical choice.

"I just want to get the experience of helping people," he said. "The Red Cross was my first choice because that's who we think of when we need help.

"I just want to gain experience that will help me become more disaster prepared for my friends, family and neighbors."

Moore's job will still be there when he returns, and he has no wife and children to leave behind.

The harsh conditions he'll experience in Texas -- high winds, heavy rains and excess heat -- don't concern him. Moore said he loves storms and has voluntarily lived without air conditioning for the last five years.

Mary Burton, executive director of the local Red Cross office, said the agency commonly sends relief workers to needed areas when disasters strike, and is always looking for more volunteers.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182