WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — People from across the country have been sending help to Floridians, including a group of volunteers with the American Red Cross from the DMV.

The damage caused by Hurricane Idalia is widespread with a lot of flooding, leading eight Red Cross volunteers from the D.C. area to be staged in parts of Florida and the Carolinas.

About 400 Red Cross volunteers from across the country are preparing to respond to thousands of people in Florida and Georgia without power. As Hurricane Idalia rolled through, it flooded streets, snapped trees and destroyed homes.

“Once the storm passes, those teams will move in to provide safe shelter or meals and emotional support to anyone who needs help,” said Ashley Henyan, regional communications director for the American Red Cross National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region.

The volunteers from the DMV are riding out the storm near damaged areas.

“Some are planning to help out in a shelter, preparing food and delivering food to people who are seeking shelter and need warm meals. Others are driving trucks full of supplies and we have more on standby,” Henyan said.

The Red Cross said because of stronger, more frequent storms, they’ve had to ramp up additional supplies and volunteers.

“Florida as a whole is really struggling right now, especially those places that are located more on water like Cedar Key. They’re completely underwater,” said Daniella Rudolph, a former DC News Now weather intern.

Rudolph is a student weather forecaster with WUFT-TV at the University of Florida in Gainsville.

“We have had a lot of people from out of different states come, especially from Oklahoma,” Rudolph said. “They’ve been sending a lot of teams, especially to the Tallahassee area to come and help us restore power. They’re expected to be there for the next two weeks or so.”

Members of Virginia Task Force 1 from Fairfax County are also on the ground planning and preparing to respond once needs are identified.

The Red Cross said the best way to help right now is through financial donations, but they do need volunteers to sign up to help in future disasters.