Gold Beach woman heads to Florida for hurricane relief efforts

MEDFORD, Ore. — As Hurricane Dorian strengthens in the Atlantic, southern Oregonians are heading east to help.

Judi Collins of Gold Beach caught a flight to Florida Friday afternoon from the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport. It’s her fourth deployment for the American Red Cross.

“Two years ago the Chetco Bar Fire was raging and that was in my own hometown and I thought it was important to help my own community and it’s just grown from there,” Collins said.

Collins is one of the thousands of volunteers heading to Florida. She’ll be coordinating other volunteers for the Red Cross.

“My job is to communicate to them when they’re leaving their homes, what airline they’re taking, where they can pick up a rental car, where they’re going to report to,” she said.

Collins said this will be the first time she’s gone outside the region with the organization.

“Chetco bar was for five weeks, I did the Klondike here in Medford last year, and then I went to the Camp Fire in California twice,” she said.

Collins said she wants to give back whether it’s to her community or another.

“Become a Red Cross volunteer, it’s incredibly enriching and very rewarding,” she said.