Stockton resident Jean Burton has spent the last four days in the rural Alabama town of Albertville, providing food, bedding, clothing and medications to residents affected by a powerful tornado that swept through the area April 24.

Still, Burton said, there is plenty of work left to be done. 

“There are a lot of homes completely destroyed, and there are still many homes without power,” she said Tuesday.

Burton was deployed last week by the American Red Cross Northwest Illinois Chapter to contribute to relief efforts in Albertville, a town of approximately 18,000 residents located in the northern part of Alabama.

Burton, who serves as a health service volunteer for the Red Cross, has now aided in relief efforts for eight disasters — and her ninth stint could be right around the corner. When her time in Albertville comes to a close, she is not planning an immediate return to Stockton.

“It seems likely I will be sent to another location,” Burton said. “There are disaster teams in numerous areas.”

Scott Allshouse, director of emergency services with the local chapter of the American Red Cross, acknowledged Tuesday that the Red Cross is participating in relief efforts across numerous states in the southeast. Powerful storms have led to dangerous flooding in Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Allshouse said the American Red Cross Northwest Illinois Chapter is working closely with the organization’s national branch to address concerns linked to a series of powerful storms.

“We have been in close contact with national Red Cross workers and local volunteers,” Allshouse said, adding that the local Red Cross chapter could deploy more volunteers to relief efforts in the near future.

Over the past few days, flooding in Tennessee has emerged as one of the most serious concerns among disaster teams.

“We are watching our grid very closely for possible deployment to floods in Tennessee,” said Diana Roemer, executive director of the local Red Cross chapter.

Roemer emphasized the storms have placed an added strain on the organization’s budget, with the rash of storms occurring just weeks after a hectic fire season demanded significant attention from the Red Cross.

“We really need help from the public right now,” Roemer said. “This is a critical time of the year.”