Days after an estimated 30 tornadoes ravaged the Midwest and South, leaving at least 39 dead and thousands homeless, the Red Cross in Connecticut and other aid organizations are preparing to deploy to the area if called upon.

The storms, which swept through a dozen states, destroyed whole towns like Marysville, Ind.

In southwestern Connecticut, local Red Cross volunteers are standing by to help.

"We have volunteers throughout Connecticut that are on-call that are ready if the need arises to be sent to the disaster areas," says Steve Woods of the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross is also advising local residents to be prepared for disasters by making and maintaining an emergency kit and developing an escape plan.