The Countdown: Out-of-town relief efforts continue following Hurricane Ian
In this edition of 'The Countdown,' we cover the ongoing search and rescue efforts in Florida following the massive devastation from Hurricane Ian.
The current death toll from the storms stands at 98, with 94 people killed in Florida and another four people in North Carolina.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing and include people and resources from around the country, including from our area, are contributing to the cause.
The New York Red Cross sent a small contingent to Florida over the weekend, and dozens of members of elite task forces in both New York City and New Jersey were also deployed over the weekend at the request of FEMA.
So how important of a role do these out-of-town teams play in saving lives following a disaster like this?
Desiree Reiner, the External Affairs Officer for the American Red Cross in our region, joined us live.
Here are the other headlines from Monday's show:
FDNY EMS lieutenant's wake
Family, friends and colleagues gatherered to pay their respects to FDNY EMS Lieutenant Alison Russo-Elling, who was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack The lieutenant's wake was held Monday and will continue on Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.at Commack Abbey Funeral Home in Commack, New York.
Asylum seekers interview
The crisis involving asylum seekers being bused to sanctuary cities from the deep south is growing. More than 16,000 migrants have gone through New York City's shelter intake process now. Meanwhile, dozens of demonstrators took to the streets in the Bronx to protest the migrants' presence there.
Though there are still many who are just looking for ways to help the newcomers, including members of the non-profit City Island Rising, who are now running a clothing drive. City Island Rising member David Diaz joined us to discuss the issue.
SCOTUS new term
The U.S. Supreme Court marked the start of a new term on Monday. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson took the bench for the first time since being appointed to the high court. The justices opened today's session hearing arguments over the scope of "The Clean Water Act." The case seeks to limit the EPA's authority to regulate waterways.
You can watch 'The Countdown' live Monday-Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7NY.com or our ABC7NY app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and Android TV.
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