Red Cross Opens Cheyenne Recovery Center for Wyoming Windstorm Victims

Gusts exceeding 90 miles per hour tore through southeastern Wyoming on March 12 and 13, downing trees, destroying fences, and stripping roofs and siding from homes across Laramie County, the City of Laramie, and rural Albany County. In the storm's wake, the American Red Cross of Wyoming opened a Disaster Recovery Assistance Center in Cheyenne to connect affected residents with health, financial, and casework support.

The center operated out of The Salvation Army of Cheyenne, 601 E. 20th St., on Tuesday, March 17, and Thursday, March 19, from 1 to 5 p.m. each day. No appointment was required to walk in.

Janet Lewis of the Red Cross was direct about the intended reach of the center. "We are intending it for Laramie County residents, since they seem the hardest hit," Lewis said. "But residents from other counties are also welcome." Residents from other states would need to connect with their own regional Red Cross chapter.

Anyone who visited could receive Disaster Action Team assistance covering health, mental health, spiritual care, and casework services. Those whose property sustained major damage or was destroyed may also have been eligible for financial assistance, according to the Red Cross.

Visitors were asked to bring ID and proof of address if their ID did not list their current address. A utility bill or any other official document listing the person's name and the disaster-affected address qualified as proof. The Red Cross noted that people without ID or proof of address could still receive help through alternative verification options.

The scale of the storm's impact in Cheyenne alone illustrated why the recovery center was needed. Mayor Patrick Collins described the city's response: "Our Forestry team spent the day cleaning up over 50 trees that were blown across roads and Cheyenne Fire Rescue responded to over 173 calls. The Cheyenne Police Department was very busy responding to 290 calls." Overall damage estimates for the region were not yet available as of the Red Cross announcement.

Residents with questions about disaster assistance can call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or visit redcross.org for more information.