Volunteers from the York area have been deployed to Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas to assist in Red Cross relief efforts as Tropical Storm Isaac surges on.

Jeff Szwarc, of Penn Township, flew to Mississippi on Monday afternoon, where he is helping out in shelters in the town of Kiln.

"He called last night and he is in a place where there is a lot of rain and a lot of water," said his wife, Laura Szwarc. "He is about 20 miles away from Gulfport, Miss., and he is doing mass care."

Szwarc stays in the shelter with the local individuals and families who have been displaced.

"He will keep them calm and make sure that they're all fed," Laura Szwarc said. "My husband feels safe wherever he is."

Szwarc also volunteered in Louisiana for more than two weeks when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

Another York resident, Jane Matthews, is serving as a training manager in Hattiesburg, Miss.

"She will go in and do training for new volunteers and people who have not had assignments," said Bob Straw, regional emergency response manager for the Red Cross.

Great response: There has been a great response for volunteers in the York area, Straw said.

Volunteers commit to a two-week stint. The tasks for volunteers include assisting with registration, mental health care, and setting up and manning the shelters, he said.

Feeding three meals a day to so many people also keeps them busy, Straw said.

Other local volunteers include Bruce Funk of Spring Garden Township, who is currently in Tallahassee, Fla., aiding in mental health efforts.

Amanda Moyer will also be working with mental health efforts in Baton Rouge, La.

Travis Schell will be working with technology efforts in Orange, Texas, which is located just outside Houston. Larry Smeltz, from the Adams-Gettysburg Chapter of the Red Cross, will also be volunteering in Orange.

-- Reach Chelsea Shank at 505-5432 or cshank@yorkdispatch.com