Red Cross helping fire victims

GAINESVILLE - The Red Cross in northeast Georgia is being covered up in requests for assistance following a rash over house fires the past two weeks.

There were four in Hall County, alone, on Sunday and two others on Sunday in Barrow County.

The agency provides fire victims with immediate, short term aid such as a place to stay, replacement clothing and food.

One of the largest requests for aid came a couple of weeks ago from Dawson County where the Red Cross pulled its resources together to help eleven people who survived an early morning fire that killed an 84-year-old woman.

The agency is also struggling with a decline in blood donations, as it does every year at this time. O-negative is especially in demand because is the blood type that can be given to anyone regardless of their blood type.

Red Cross spokeswoman Linda Rouds, appearing on the George & BJ Show Monday afternoon on WDUN NEWS TALK 550, said donaton centers in Athens and Gainesville are open six days a week and the one in Gainesville be even be open New Year's Day from 8:00 until 3:00.