WATERTOWN, S.D. (KWAT) — From hurricanes to wildfires, it’s been a destructive summer across the U.S., and that has the American Red Cross putting out a call for an urgent need for volunteers.

Patty Brooks is the Executive Director for the Red Cross in eastern South Dakota.

Brooks says in some cases, it’s just as rewarding for the volunteers as it is for those they’re helping.

The pandemic has impacted their volunteer numbers.

It’s easy to get the volunteer process started.

Brooks says it’s not uncommon for volunteers to be deployed within 24 to 48 hours after completing their training.