Michigan Relief Workers Prepare to Help Storm Victims in Oklahoma

Posted: May 21, 2013 11:31 AM EDT Updated: May 21, 2013 6:21 PM EDT
By Roop Raj, Fox 2 News – email

(WJBK) – As people struggle to pick up the pieces in the areas of Oklahoma ravaged by tornadoes, we’ve learned some relief will be coming from right here in Michigan.

Members of a local group that travels across the country providing aid to those hit by natural disasters will soon be heading to Oklahoma City.

We caught up with Greg Martin at Detroit Metro Airport on Tuesday and asked him about the goals of his upcoming trip to Oklahoma. “Try to catch up with city officials, try to talk to the teachers in the neighborhood, try to talk to the people who live there to find out who needs what,” Martin said.

DRAW - Disaster Relief at Work - Supplies PreparationBefore his trip Martin and other members of the group he founded called ‘Disaster Relief at Work’ or DRAW were preparing supplies.

DRAW has already helped in 10 other disasters in the past year. “Superstorm Sandy, we’ve hit a couple of tornadoes. We also went to the fertilizer plant, the explosion that happened in West, Texas about a month ago. And so we’re ready to help now, here,” Martin said.

Volunteers filled buckets with everything from restoration materials to cleaning supplies at an Oakland County warehouse.

Martin was leaving on Tuesday to assess and then on Thursday he and a group of 12 people from Michigan will head out to help. “We need to get all the information we can, of areas so that when we go we know what areas have been hit hardest and what needs they have. Whether it’s moving trees or patching roofs or if it’s just bringing buckets of supplies that we do.”

DRAW can always use help preparing buckets for its relief efforts.