Frantz joins Red Cross... then Hurricane Milton hit

Moved by the devastating summer floods in western and northwestern Iowa, long-time Storm Lake resident Mike Frantz felt compelled to join the Red Cross as a volunteer. His first assignment, however, took him far from Iowa and instead down to Florida to help those impacted by Hurricane Milton.

Compassionate care for those in need

Last summer, our neighboring areas experienced severe flooding. Frantz, who avidly follows the news, felt compelled to take action after witnessing the devastating impact of the flooding on nearby communities. 

"I'm an avid news watcher," Frantz shared. "I make it a point to stay informed about what's happening. I realized I could do more than watch from home."

“The Red Cross is there not just after the first responders leave, but sometimes even while they’re still on the ground,” Frantz explained. “It’s about rolling up our sleeves and doing whatever we can. We provide crucial services — from immediate relief to helping communities prepare for future emergencies." 

Boots on the ground

Just days after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the southern coast, Hurricane Milton was fast approaching landfall. And Frantz soon learned this would be his first deployment as a Red Cross volunteer. Within days, he was on his way to Florida.

Frantz’s first task was to help set up a 500-person evacuation center in Plant City, near Tampa, as Hurricane Milton loomed offshore. Though the storm hadn't yet landed, tornadoes spawned along its edges and were already causing destruction along the storm's projected path.

Volunteers from across the country gathered at staging locations, ready to respond. As Milton drew closer, concerns about navigating the heavy evacuation traffic and limited gas supplies mounted. "Everything was very fluid," Frantz recalls of those tense hours leading up to the hurricane's landfall.

Frantz arrived at Moore Haven to help staff a small shelter in a church. The local volunteer called a small cot "home" during the nighttime hours in those early days, "it’s no Holiday Inn," he said. "But it's a safe port in the storm.”

In fact, Frantz says, the cot was a welcome place to take a rest after 25 straight hours of volunteering.

Despite the relative calm inside the center as Milton blew through the area, the night was far from quiet as Milton made landfall, Frantz recalls. The volunteer teams spent hours assisting those rescued from severe flooding. “We were exhausted,” he admits, “but grateful for the chance to help others.”

“Everyone at the evac center made it through without issue,” Frantz says of the days after Milton blew through the area.  “We were fortunate. We didn’t lose power or cell service.” 

Sleeves up, hearts open, all in

Frantz’s Red Cross training ensures he is prepared to help disaster victims access essential resources immediately after the tragedy.

“I come into the picture when they are still figuring out so many things,” Frantz explains.

From medicines to help get them through the evening to provisions that will assist physical and even mental well-being in the moments after a tragedy, Frantz and the other volunteers are the boots on the ground helping to navigate the challenging aftermath of a disaster, addressing physical needs, and supporting emotional and spiritual well-being.

“I might be sent to help someone who has lost everything, maybe even a loved one,” Frantz said.

Frantz maintains a carefully stocked supply of items for people of all ages and needs. Frantz keeps Build-A-Bear teddy bears on hand, not only for children but also for pets needing extra care. He also has gift cards for food or essential items and bags filled with toiletries and other necessities ready to go for whenever he is called into the field. 

The skies may have cleared, but the effects of the storms remain

Though the storm has now passed, the real work has only begun for Frantz and the other volunteers.

Over the weekend, they were assigned to collect 250 meals from Operation BBQ to distribute to those in need.

“Upon arrival, my driving partner and I were sent to pick up food from one organization and deliver it to a Red Cross shelter,” Frantz says, noting that power outages are still widespread.

Despite the challenges, he and his team remain focused on providing essential support. “We’ve been delivering hundreds of meals — 200 for lunch and dinner on the first day, and now up to 500 per meal,” he says.

The group receives several individual food items and assembles them into food boxes for distribution. For the remainder of his time in Florida, Frantz will be staying in a staff shelter, which he says is a “fancy term for large tents lined with cots.” These accommodations include portable showers and toilets, he notes. It’s not ideal, for sure, Frantz noted, but it’s all about perspective.

“Those we serve have it far worse,” he said.