By: Sophie Kluthe

Despite having to navigate these very stressful and uncertain times created by the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing that remains constant is the work at the American Red Cross. We’re still here to deliver our lifesaving mission during this public health crisis because emergencies don’t stop, like a building collapse that happened this recently in Philadelphia, displacing several families.  

Because of the contagiousness of the Coronavirus, we’ve had to change several procedures for the safety of the people we serve, as well as our workforce. In most cases, we’re using technology to support disaster responses virtually. In person or not, our mission remains the same; to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.  

Recently, our disaster workers were called about a building collapse that had left six families without a place to live. This, as you know, is on top of what is an already extremely stressful time for families everywhere trying to stay home and make ends meet. 

Normally, a team would respond to the scene and connect with those displaced, giving them an opportunity to assess damage and determine what assistance would best jumpstart the recovery process. Most of this must now be done now using smart devices and video chat apps. And that’s exactly what happened after a residential building in Philadelphia collapsed.

Volunteer Heidi Dampman coordinated the Red Cross response from home as soon as she got the call for help. Even though the loss of the in-person connection makes every step a bit more tedious, Dampman said it’s worth working through to make sure families receive help.  

“We’ve got to keep going on and taking care of people. We can’t just stop. They need our assistance. We care, and it’s hard to see someone go through this,” Dampman said.  

Mary Noll, a volunteer who was working on the cases from her own home, said she is still, “Getting used to the new process of virtual disaster response,” but that it won’t stop her from continuing to help those in need. 

Two disaster team members volunteered to be runners, which means donning a protective face mask, gloves, and dropping off any assistance or paperwork at the scene, while observing social distancing protocol. In all, the disaster team provided emergency recovery assistance to six families, totaling 10 people who had been displaced by the building collapse. 

Pandemic or not, we are committed to caring for our communities and those displaced by disaster. But we can’t do it alone. Financial support is critical and is used to equip and train volunteers and staff during this outbreak to safely provide food, shelter and comfort to people affected by disasters of all types. It’s also being used to invest in technology and training to make sure we can provide counseling, financial assistance and other relief services virtually when possible. 

Because emergencies don’t stop, and neither do we.