A Kansas University worker is responding to Arkansas, which was among several states hit hard by a recent ice storm.

Kevin Carr, an equipment planning technician for the university, will help with emergency communications at shelters that have been setup, said Jane Blocher, executive director for the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

On Friday, power was still out to 1.3 million people from Arkansas to West Virginia. Officials said it could be weeks before all power is restored.

Many communication systems are also down. Carr will assist storm victims in gaining access to telephones and computers so they can contact loved ones, Blocher said.

Carr, a volunteer for the American Red Cross, will spend about 10 days in Arkansas. He left Friday with volunteers from the Kansas City chapter of the organization, said Blocher.

Earlier in the week, Westar Energy employees from Lawrence and other parts of the state responded to assist with power restoration in the area, said Erin La Row, spokeswoman.