SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Volunteers from an Illinois organization will help clean up after a storm tore through Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Â
The Lutheran Emergency Response Team is sending people to help with response efforts from a storm that happened earlier in August. Nearly 50,000 people still don't have power from this storm as of Tuesday. Over 800 buildings nearly collapsed, and winds of over 100 miles per hour were recorded.Â
Central Illinois Lutheran Disaster Response Coordinator Stephen Born told WAND-TV volunteers, all of whom are trained for these situations, will leave Saturday to assist. Some have training for using tools such as a chainsaws, while others will simply help clean debris.Â
Some volunteers could be helping in Iowa for months, while others might leave after only a week of work, depending on how long they might be available. Born said more teams from central Illinois will periodically go to Cedar Rapids and help.Â
Born has 957 volunteers in his LERT district, which covers 51 Illinois counties.
