Red Cross volunteers head to east coast

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - As Hurricane Sandy makes its way up the east coast, volunteers from central Indiana are already on their way to help.

Frank Kominowski of Martinsville and Jan Ferland of Noblesville took off from the Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis around noon Saturday.

They’re heading first to Pennsylvania, where they’ll meet up with 60 to 70 other Red Cross vans. From there, they’ll be sent wherever help is needed.

“Right now, with all the different models, we're just preparing for the worst and hoping for the best,” said Frank Kominowski.

Frank and Jan have made a similar trek countless times before. They’ve both been helping with disaster response for more than 15 years. Kominowski has helped out with the aftermath of Katrina and 9/11.

“People have been there when you've needed them, and you're happy you're able to be there when they needed you,” said Jan Ferland.

“We have a pretty good idea of what to expect as far as flooding, electricity being out,” said Kominowski.

“Most of us have been there, where you’re just at wits end,” explained Ferland. “It’s so nice to have a place to stay, a meal, that kind of thing.”

They're not the only ones heading that way.

“We're running into a lot of convoys of electrical trucks, long lines of electrical trucks heading in the same direction we are,” said Kominowski.

Right now, they're hoping the storm brings minimal damage, but say they'll be ready for whatever this so-called monster storm brings.

Leaders at the Red Cross say they'll send more people once the storm hits, if needed.

Indianapolis Power and Light leaders say they won't send any crews until they know where the need is.