The American Red Cross's local chapter is mobilizing after Hurricane Irma left a path of destruction in the Caribbean. NY1's Erin Clarke filed the following report.

Help is on the way for residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The American Red Cross launched a massive response Saturday to Hurricane Irma, sending teams to the Caribbean, where and homes and entire neighborhoods were leveled earlier this week.

"These folks are going out to shelter evacuees, to provide food and clothing and to provide comfort to those who've just lost everything," said Josh Lockwood, the regional CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater New York.

Jason Lyons, 37, lived and worked in the Virgin Islands for about five years, and will be part of a Red Cross team being dispatched to the region.

"After an impact, the landscape is totally different. Buildings that were there are sometimes not there. The trees that we could use as landmarks are not there," said American Red Cross Individual and Community Preparedness Manager Jason Lyons. "Going, I think, I should provide a fresh eye to where and how we can maneuver ourselves."

The FDNY Disaster Assistance Response Team (D.A.R.T.) is also joining the effort. More than 20 members are already on the ground in Houston, two are traveling to the Virgin Islands, and others are on standby. 

"We're going to go down there and just be very dynamic," said Douglas Bainton, the chairman of the team. "We don't know what we're going to see. We've been briefed a little bit about the situation. We're just going to take it as we find it."

The team will be deployed for three weeks — possibly longer, depending on how much help is needed.

"We expect the shelters will be open for a long time," Lockwood said. "In Texas, for example, some of those shelters will be open through Thanksgiving."

With two strong Hurricanes hitting about a week apart, the Red Cross's resources are strained, and the organization is scaling back on some of its operations close to home and appealing to the public.

"We need to continue to train shelter workers," Lockwood said.

So far, support has been steady, and the Red Cross hopes it stays that way so the organization can continue helping people who need help.

For more information, visit redcross.org