RedCrossPhillyBlog

Category: Disaster Response

  • Urgent need for Red Cross disaster shelter volunteers

    By Dave Skutnik

    Red Cross graphic – Urgent Need for Volunteers! When disasters strike, we rely on volunteers to help make shelters a welcoming place for all. Are you in? www.redcross.org/volunteer.

    The American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania is issuing an urgent appeal for volunteers who are willing to travel this fall to support emergency shelters for major national disaster relief efforts.

    Interested volunteers are urged to sign up today at redcross.org/volunteer. All candidates must complete necessary training and be able to commit to a two-week deployment. Applicants who don’t have disaster experience, but have supervision, management or organization skills; a strong desire to help others; and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, are encouraged to apply.

    “When disasters upend lives, Red Cross volunteers are on the frontlines providing refuge and comfort to people in their darkest hours,” said Jennifer Graham, Regional CEO for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “They truly are the heart and soul of the Red Cross — comprising 90% of our workforce — to help ensure families never face a crisis alone.”

    ‘THIS IS SAFE’: HELENE FAMILY SHARES WHAT SHELTER MEANS TO THEM

    In emergency shelters, Red Cross disaster volunteers provide people with a safe place to stay, necessities like food and water, and critical services like mental health support and basic health services such as replacing lost medications or medical equipment.

    Over the weekend in Perry, Florida, Amber Barteau and her family sought refuge at a Red Cross shelter after discovering that Hurricane Helene devastated their home — which marked the third time they’ve survived a hurricane in just over a year. “As soon as I pulled up to the shelter, it made me feel good,” Amber said. “I thought to myself, this is safe, and I’m going to be OK.”

    RED CROSS MOBILIZES MASSIVE RESPONSE TO HELENE

    As of Thursday, more than 1,300 Red Cross disasters responders are working around the clock to help people devastated by Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, including hard-hit North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.

    As storm-ravaged communities like those in North Carolina become more accessible, the Red Cross expects the need will continue to grow. While disaster assessments are still underway in hard-to-reach areas, emergency officials are planning for shelter operations to last at least several weeks, based on the storm’s initial widespread destruction.

    EXTREME WEATHER THREATS CONTINUE

    Hurricane season is far from over — and the threat of more storms looms now in the Gulf of Mexico and rest of the Atlantic Ocean. What’s more, the Southwest and California are forecast to have above-normal wildfire risk this fall. As extreme weather worsens, disasters are becoming more intense and frequent — leading the Red Cross to respond on a nearly continuous basis.

    HOW TO HELP

    Beyond becoming a Red Cross volunteer, people can help in other ways too following Helene:

    • DONATE FINANCIALLY: Financial donations are the quickest and fastest way to get help to people who need it. Visit redcross.org or text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation to help people affected by Hurricane Helene. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.
    • GIVE BLOOD: Hurricane Helene has caused more than 2,500 blood donations to go uncollected in the Southeast — yet the need for blood remains constant for patients in need. Those outside the affected areas are encouraged to schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or using the Blood Donor App to help restock the shelves.

  • Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby cause flooding in Avondale, Chester County

    By Alana Mauger

    Red Cross disaster volunteers staff the shelter at the Garage Community and Youth Center in Avondale, Chester County. Photo by Dianne Heard / American Red Cross

    The American Red Cross, in partnership with the Chester County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), opened a shelter overnight Thursday, Aug. 8 for residents who were evacuated from Avondale Apartments because of flooding.

    Heavy rainfall from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby caused White Clay Creek to overflow its banks, and soon water rushed into the first floor of apartments. Power was cut to both buildings for safety, displacing more than 100 residents.

    Having experienced the creek’s flooding before, many residents evacuated to The Garage Community and Youth Center nearby, which welcomed them with open arms. The Red Cross had previously staged shelter cots at the center for this very purpose. Within a few hours Red Cross disaster workers transitioned The Garage’s reception center into a shelter.

    Forty-four people stayed in the shelter Thursday night, with the Red Cross and community partners providing a place to rest, meals, snacks, hygiene and comfort items, emotional support and other services.

    With the water receding and power restored on Friday afternoon, residents who live on the second and third floors were able to return to their apartments. However, the eight first-floor apartments could not be reoccupied for at least a few more days. Thirteen people stayed in the shelter overnight Friday.

    Thanks to the generosity of Kennett Area Community Services (KACS), the remaining displaced residents moved into hotel rooms on Saturday afternoon and the shelter closed.

    Severe weather like Tropical Storm Debby is part of the climate crisis that has seen the Red Cross respond to nearly twice as many large disasters across the country as it did a decade ago. In 2023 alone, the U.S. experienced an all-time high of 28 billion-dollar plus disasters that ravaged communities and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee from severe storms, floods and wildfires. Visit our website to learn about our work.

    News Coverage

  • Red Cross helps more than 250 people recover after four-alarm apartment fire in Northeast Philadelphia

    By Jenny Farley and Alana Mauger

    The Philadelphia Fire Department battles an apartment complex fire at 7400 Roosevelt Blvd. late evening July 11, 2024. Photo by Michael Bradley / American Red Cross

    Bryan Ortiz says he wasn’t initially concerned when he heard a smoke alarm around 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 11th in his Northeast Philadelphia apartment building. Then he heard someone screaming, “Fire! Fire!” and he knew he had to get out fast.

    With his cat Akira in tow, Bryan arrived at Samuel Fels High School a few hours later where the American Red Cross and Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management (OEM) were setting up a shelter for those impacted.

    “I was scared but you guys were pleasant. You had the basic necessities – like I could get a night’s sleep at least, a few hours to refresh and get back on my feet,” he shared the following afternoon.

    The Red Cross provided Bryan with a crate for Akira so she would also have a safe place to stay inside the shelter.

    The Red Cross provided a crate for Akira so she could stay in the shelter with owner Bryan Ortiz. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    Bryan was one of 42 residents from the apartment complex who sheltered in the high school gymnasium that first night, while others chose to find their own accommodations. The four-alarm fire caused the entire complex to be evacuated – over 170 apartment units – displacing hundreds of people.

    In addition to giving residents a place to rest, the Red Cross and its community partners provided meals, snacks, comfort items and health and emotional support at the shelter.

    Andre Hull, whose aunt and grandmother also live in the apartment complex, created some comfort for himself and others by playing a piano that sat in the entryway of the high school outside of the shelter. He said music helped him remain calm during the evacuation and is now helping him focus on “trying to be positive.”

    “Knowing that you’re alive, I think that’s the biggest thing. Just being alive. Being here. It’s very hard though,” he said.

    Andre also thanked the Red Cross for being so accommodating and providing shelter, food and other items to families like his.

    “It means a lot that you guys are here,” he shared.

    Andre Hull found comfort by playing music at the shelter. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    Bibi, who is from Afghanistan, was also grateful for the safety and comfort provided by the Red Cross when she arrived at the shelter in the middle of the night with mother and two sisters.  

    “I’m really happy to have a place here to come to stay for the night,” she said. “My family is okay. I don’t worry about anything. You guys are here to help us. I don’t worry.”

    This is the third time Bibi has lost her home. She spent time in a refugee camp after the war in Afghanistan and also experienced a fire in another one of her family homes.

    The Red Cross shelter at Samuel Fels High School was open until Sunday, July 14th when it transitioned to a new location at 600 E. Luzerne St. in Philadelphia.

    Red Cross volunteers Eileen Rall and Joe Gray survey the dormitory area in the gymnasium at Samuel Fels High School in Northeast Philadelphia. Photo by Jeffrey Kolakowski / Philadelphia OEM

    The Philadelphia community, including some residents who were impacted by the fire themselves, pitched in to help those who needed it. Apartment resident Tina, who was also displaced by the fire, was worried about her neighbors at the shelter. She stopped by to drop off new clothing she purchased the morning after the fire.

    “I was told they need clothes, so I got them,” she said. Tina shared that she and her family had begun moving out of the apartment recently, and she wanted to do anything she could to help people who had lost more than she had.

    Helping her community in another way, Tina planned to spend the next day donating platelets with the Red Cross – something she tries to do every two weeks. At last count, she has donated 63 units.

    Shelter supervisor Hal Cohen accepts a clothing donation from Tina, who was also displaced by the fire. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    Red Cross volunteer Hal Cohen, who served as a shelter supervisor throughout the operation, has special empathy for people who come into a shelter after a fire. His own apartment burned down more than 40 years ago when he was in college.

    “There’s quite a few people who volunteer because of their experiences with the Red Cross actually when they were younger,” he said, noting that his favorite thing about volunteering is the people. “You know, the people with the same sense of values to give back, and just the idea of helping people at their worst time. It’s a big part of it.”

    On Thursday, July 18th, the Red Cross and Philadelphia OEM held a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) at Northeast Community Propel Academy. A MARC serves as a “one-stop” location for residents to access different services from across the city and state that may be able to assist in their recovery. 

    Volunteers Kelly Allen and Corey Stradling register an apartment resident for Red Cross services at the MARC. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    The MARC served 115 households impacted by the fire and enabled the Red Cross recovery team to help residents develop transition plans from the Luzerne Street shelter. With everyone having a place to continue their recovery, the shelter closed on Friday, July 19th – but the work continues!

    Following the MARC, the Red Cross opened an intake center over several days at Wyncote Towers in Montgomery County. To date, the Red Cross has provided assistance to 112 families – a total of 266 people. Over the coming weeks, the Red Cross will continue to work with these families and individuals on their next steps in the recovery process.

  • National Nurses Week: Today’s nurses continue the proud tradition on which the Red Cross was founded

    By Alana Mauger

    Red Cross Disaster Health Services volunteers and registered nurses Bea Leyden (left) and Kate Byrnes (right) work at a West Philadelphia High School shelter to help those impacted by a large apartment building fire on May, 5, 2024. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    Nurses have been at the core of delivering the American Red Cross mission since Clara Barton – an amateur nurse herself – founded the organization in 1881. While today’s nurses don’t operate field hospitals or treat soldiers, they remain a vital part of Red Cross disaster services, blood programs and health and safety training.

    In Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA), nurses are key members of the Red Cross Disaster Health Services (DHS) team. These volunteers help individuals cope after disasters. They can provide first aid treatment for minor injuries, monitor the wellbeing of people staying in Red Cross shelters and help replace prescription medications, eyeglasses and other medical items.

    Volunteer Kate Byrnes is one of the registered nurses on SEPA’s team. She describes the role of DHS as one of “health maintenance” – keeping people safe and comfortable while they’re in Red Cross care. She’s also the lead for staff health, which means addressing health concerns that arise from Red Cross workers (both paid staff and volunteers) on a disaster operation.

    Now retired, Kate spent the first part of her career working as a labor and delivery nurse. She next spent 20 years as a nursing professor in higher education. She brought all of that experience to the Red Cross in early 2002. Kate calls herself a member of the “volunteer class of 9/11” because, like many, she was looking for a way to help following the attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

    “Like a lot of people, I thought I was volunteering for big disasters. It took me a long time to figure out the many things the Red Cross does,” she shared.

    While Kate has deployed to national disasters, the bulk of her volunteer hours happen right here in SEPA, caring for those impacted by disasters. At a recent local shelter operation, Kate shared her vast experience with DHS volunteer-in-training Bea Leyden, who started working with the Red Cross two months ago.

    A semi-retired registered nurse, Bea joined the Red Cross looking to use her 39 years of nursing skills to “make a contribution.”

    “My daughter had a friend who was in a single-family home fire, and the Red Cross helped her,” she shared. “It seemed like a good place to lend a hand.”

    During her career, Bea has worked as clinical nurse in a hospital setting, as a nursing educator and as a nursing executive. She continues to do some consulting as well.  

    Bea’s first hands-on volunteer shift was at West Philly High School, where she helped care for people impacted by a large apartment building fire. She described her role as “helping people identify what resources they need.”

    Kate and Bea are among the more than 20,000 nurses involved in the Red Cross today. They continue the mission of the women and men who have served under the Red Cross banner for more than 130 years. Visit our website to learn more about the roles of Red Cross nurses and how you can get involved.

  • Red Cross celebrates 85 local volunteers and staff who deployed in 2023

    By Alana Mauger

    American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania volunteers and staff who deployed to disaster relief operations in 2023. Photo by Photo by Katerina Luchinina / American Red Cross

    The American Red Cross Disaster Workforce Team hosted a Deployment Appreciation Event on Feb. 27 in Philadelphia for Southeastern Pennsylvania volunteers and staff who deployed in-person or virtually to assist with Red Cross disaster relief operations in 2023. Honorees were served dinner and were presented with certificates for each of their deployments.

    “The Red Cross is responding to nearly twice as many large disasters as we did a decade ago to help families and communities struggling with more frequent and intense disasters,” said Red Cross SEPA CEO Jennifer Graham.

    In 2023 alone, the U.S. experienced an all-time high of 28 billion-dollar plus disasters that ravaged communities and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee from severe storms, floods and wildfires.

    “This is all part of the climate crisis, that have seen us responding to more disasters in more places, more frequently,” said Graham.

    The region was well represented across the country in 2023. In total, 85 SEPA Red Crossers deployed 212 times in support of 23 national and 2 local disasters. Twenty-four volunteers and staff deployed for the first time, gaining valuable experience in their respective disaster GAPs (group/position/activity).  Twenty people deployed twice, and 16 people deployed between 3 and 6 times!

    During the presentation, SEPA Regional Disaster Officer Lisa McGee spoke about her deployment to Maui, Hawaii, during which she served as the deputy job director for three weeks. In that role, she was responsible for hiring and training temporary disaster employees or TDEs. In the case of Hawaii, those temporary employees were impacted by the wildfires themselves and many were staying in shelters.

    “The first day I taught the TDEs during their bootcamp, I was overwhelmed because I could feel their sorrow,” shared McGee. “As the week progressed, when they could see the investments that the Red Cross was making in them, the mood evolved. They began to have laughter and the feeling of getting back to normal life.”

    McGee asked the five SEPA volunteers and staff who also deployed to Hawaii to share a word of significance about their experience.

    Red Cross volunteer Fred Lehman, who traveled to Lahaina prior to the wildfires with his family, deployed to Maui twice for a month each time. He shared the word “gratitude.”

    “I’m grateful for what the Red Cross did there. I’m grateful I was able to be part of it. The folks there were grateful to us,” he said.

    Volunteer Ken Soondar, who has deployed five times in three states including Hawaii, shared the word “challenge.”

    “Every disaster is totally different. Every situation is different. We give hope, we give compassion, and we give our humanity,” said Soondar.

    Eileen Rall’s word is “resilience.” She deployed to Hawaii, Guam, California and Florida in 2023. In Maui, she was part of the Integrated Care and Condolence Team (ICCT), which worked with the families of the people who died in the wildfire. She also shared the word “ohana,” or family.

    “I feel like we all became part of their family, and a little part of me will always be left behind with them,” she said.

    If you’re interested in volunteering with our Disaster Cycle Services team, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.

    Check out our Flickr album for more photos from Deployment Recognition Event.

  • National EMS Week profile: Eileen Rall

    By Judith Weeks

    Eileen Rall prior to her deployment to South Florida to volunteer with the Red Cross Disaster Assessment team following Hurricane Ian in October 2022. Submitted photo.

    National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week is May 21-27 – time to celebrate EMS practitioners!

    This year’s theme is “EMS: Where Emergency Care Begins.” Eileen Rall exemplifies this theme.  She volunteers for both Emergency Care for Whitemarsh Community Ambulance Association and American Red Cross Health Services and Disaster Response for Montgomery County. She is frontline “feet-on-the- ground,” bringing medical care in emergencies and immediate relief for those affected by disasters.

    One year ago, Eileen, a pediatric audiologist at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for 27 years, retired.  She had been volunteering for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Region of Red Cross since 2021.  She was drawn to the Red Cross through her high school experience running a blood drive. On retirement she wanted to increase her work with the Red Cross and her first interest was Health Services.

    To qualify, she enrolled in an accelerated, nine-week program and became a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). While she initially thought she would use this new skill solely through Red Cross Disaster Health Services, she found a real passion for providing emergency medical care.  Now, she is a volunteer EMT with Whitemarsh Community Ambulance Association in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania.

    In 2021, Eileen was a member of the Red Cross Damage Assessment team after the tornados that struck Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She has deployed to Florida twice, once in October 2022 to help with damage assessments and again in December for Recovery Intake, providing resources to those impacted by the hurricane.  She found the Recovery Intake role to be most rewarding because she was working directly with those affected.  She was consistently impressed by the resilience of the clients she worked with, and she developed long-lasting relationships with many of the other volunteers on the Recovery team. 

    Eileen Rall deployed to Florida a second time in December 2022 to work with the Red Cross Recovery Intake team. Submitted photo.

    Most recently, Eileen deployed to San Jose, California in April 2023 to help Californians affected by the extreme flooding. She served in Staff Health Services. It was her job to make sure volunteers and staff had access to the necessary health care.  She explains “it is important to make sure volunteers take care of themselves. It is a new experience for many. Some are on their first deployment, experiencing 12-hour shifts under difficult working conditions.”

    Eileen and husband, Glenn, who is a research scientist, are empty nesters. They have two adult daughters, one who is working on her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University, and the other who is in Manhattan working with a consulting firm. Eileen volunteers in her local PA State Representative’s Office and is a Ward Leader and a committee person for the Cheltenham Democratic Committee. She volunteers at a local food pantry and is active in her church community.

    For Eileen, volunteering as an EMT and providing support for clients through Red Cross Disaster Health Services has been an extremely rewarding.  “I feel so fortunate to be able to support so many people through what is one of the most challenging time in their lives – whether on a 911 response, following a home fire or recovering after a natural disaster.”

  • Local volunteers step up to help those impacted by national disasters

    By Alana Mauger

    Local Red Cross volunteer Hal Cohen is currently deployed to Oklahoma in the role of Life, Safety and Asset Protection. Submitted photo.

    The American Red Cross has been providing comfort and support nonstop to thousands of people across the country affected by the massive disasters that have occurred since 2023 began.

    Since the first of the year, more than 3,400 trained Red Cross disaster workers from across the U.S. – including 16 from Southeastern Pennsylvania – have delivered sorely needed assistance out west where relentless atmospheric rivers inundated California, as well as across the South and Midwest where deadly tornadoes and storms ripped through multiple states, upending entire communities.

    Several of our local volunteers have already deployed more than once in 2023, with others extending their deployments beyond 2 weeks:

    • Jayne Cabnet and Donna Zacker have extended their virtual deployments with the National Call Center multiple times, supporting reunification and recovery efforts for multiple disasters over several months.
    • Larry Daly deployed to work with the Disaster Emergency Supplies team in California in January, then again with the Logistics Team in Arkansas this April.  
    • Heidi Dampman has been deployed to Mississippi for over a month, serving as the Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) Coordinator.
    • Will Dobnak deployed virtually for two weeks with the National Call Center before deploying to California to work with Disaster Health Services in April.
    • Fred Lehman deployed to California for 3 weeks each in January and March, and most recently was deployed to Oklahoma to serve with the Red Cross Logistics Team.   
    Local Red Cross volunteers (from left) Dianne Heard, Heidi Dampman and Mary Noll worked together at a feeding operation in Mississippi. Dianne was the feeding manager, while Heidi and Mary coordinated the fleet of Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) that we used to deliver and serve food. Submitted photo.

    We’re grateful to all of our local volunteers who have deployed since January. They include:

    • Hal Cohen, Life, Safety and Asset Protection, Oklahoma
    • Mark Greenberg, Disaster Mental Health, California
    • Dianne Heard, Mass Care Feeding Manager, Mississippi
    • Valeria Kania, Disaster Intake Worker, Arkansas
    • Mary Noll, Transportation, Mississippi
    • Dinae Norris, Mass Care Sheltering, California
    • Eileen Rall, Disaster Emergency Supplies, California
    • Kenneth Soondar, Mass Care Sheltering, Mississippi
    • Carol Sprang, Disaster Mental Health, Tennessee
    • Cheryl Wade, Disaster Spiritual Care, California

    These large relief efforts are on top of the thousands of home fires and smaller disasters in local communities that our Red Cross volunteers respond to every day. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the American Red Cross, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.

    Local Red Cross volunteer Carol Sprang works speaks with a client in Tennessee. Submitted photo.

  • Looking back at Superstorm Sandy 10 years later

    By Alana Mauger

    This weekend marks the 10-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy – when the center of the 900-mile-wide storm made landfall northeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey and caused massive destruction and devastating losses, especially in New York and New Jersey. The storm damage left 8.5 million people without power across 11 states and sparked a massive fire in Queens, New York, that leveled more than 100 homes. Read 10-year retrospective stories from New Jersey and New York.

    SEPA Red Crossers deployed to Queens, New York tour damage from Superstorm Sandy. Photo originally published on this blog Nov. 19, 2012.

    Red Cross Response

    The American Red Cross was part of the massive response, working with government and community-based partners to give a helping hand to those affected by the storm. More than 17,000 Red Cross volunteers and staff mobilized to bring relief, opening shelters and feeding sites that ultimately provided more than 74,000 overnight stays for people forced from their homes and served over 17.5 million meals and snacks. More than 300 emergency response vehicles navigated blocked roads, closed bridges and tunnels, and gas shortages as they worked to bring relief throughout the region, providing food, blankets, health care, emotional support and over 7 million sorely needed relief supplies like cleanup and comfort kits.

    SEPA volunteer Robert O’Sullivan (center) in 2012 during his Sandy deployment to Tinton Falls, New Jersey. And, 10 years later, he just returned from his latest deployment to South Florida following Hurricane Ian. Photo courtesy of Robert O’Sullivan

    Southeastern Pennsylvania

    While Southeastern Pennsylvania did not incur the worst of Sandy’s wrath, the region was not unscathed. The storm dumped 20 inches of rain and left over 1.2 million people without power in SEPA. It snapped trees and downed powerlines across the region and caused hundreds of road closures, including the major arteries (Interstates 95, 676, 76 and 476) inside Philadelphia.

    Dave Schrader, who served as the communications director for the Red Cross of Eastern Pennsylvania at the time of Superstorm Sandy, wrote the following on our blog:

    Here at the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania, we spent days preparing for a calamity. We dedicated enormous time and resources trying to educate the public about how to prepare and what to do. We positioned volunteers, supplies, etc. across the region. We sheltered more than 600 people before, during, and after Sandy hit in our area alone. Several shelters were open for a week for people who lost power.  We also provided shelter for pets, thanks to a partnership with the area’s County Animal Rescue Teams. This prevented people from having to make the awful choice between staying behind and potentially be in danger or leaving their pets behind. We even set up, in a matter of hours, a mega shelter with the potential to hold 1,300 evacuees from New York, New Jersey and West Virginia.  We provided supplies to help the hardest hit areas of our region clean up and rebuild.

    Once SEPA was on the rebound, our local Red Cross volunteers deployed to help our neighbors in New York and New Jersey. Disaster Mental Health volunteer Danelle Stoppel, who blogged daily during her deployment, was one of them. She shared:

    Today, I partnered with an international agency called Heart to Heart and delivered mental health services to their clients. Many did not speak English and I interpreted for them. This part of Queens is home to many nationalities and cultures. Many families from Guatemala, Mexico and Puerto Rico sought medical advice due to lack of electricity which destroyed their daily supply of insulin. I heard a very comment that no one could believe this could happen in New York. Many people stayed in their homes until the water reached their porch. Perhaps the most distressing aspect is the impact of Sandy on senior citizens here and in New Jersey. Losing their homes and all their belongings has impacted them physically, economically and emotionally.

    Danelle Stoppel with a client during her Sandy deployment. Photo originally published on this blog on Nov. 21, 2012.

    Danelle is one of 30 CURRENT Red Cross volunteers who were also active during Superstorm Sandy. Another is Mindy Pinkus, who was eager to share her Sandy experiences for this 10-year anniversary article when asked. Mindy deployed to her own region as the Damage Assessment manager, sleeping on a cot in the Philadelphia Chapter building on Chestnut Street and at the Red Cross House on Powell Avenue in West Philly. She also blogged about her experiences at the time.

    “This was my local chapter and dear to my heart. It was a huge responsibility and honor to serve as DA Manager for my Region, she shared in an email. “After long days of responsibilities, I had the privilege of staying at the Red Cross House! This was a wonderful opportunity and a great experience. We stayed true to our mission and served our community well!”

    Mindy Pinkus during her Sandy deployment in Philadelphia in 2012. Photo was originally published on this blog on Oct. 31, 2021

    Ned Bloom, who is now a Red Cross staff member, was a volunteer 10 years ago during Sandy. He shared the once-in-a-lifetime experience of driving shelter supplies from Center City to Pottstown via the deserted Schuylkill Expressway as his memory.

    “The Schuylkill Expressway was closed because of the storm to all but authorized vehicles. There was a police car at the foot of the entrance ramp blocking egress that politely pulled out of the way as I approached in my Red Cross vehicle. The cop even waved me on.  Lo and behold, as I got to the top off the ramp, I was shocked to see I had the ENTIRE expressway to myself, all four lanes!” he wrote in an email.  “There was not another vehicle anywhere, and by then most of the rain had passed. You could have landed a plane on the road that day. It was that open!”

    Looking Ahead

    Ten years after Superstorm Sandy, large disasters like hurricanes, floods, wildfires and extreme heat are regularly impacting communities across the country, resulting in more people displaced, vulnerable and in need of support.

    As communities across the country continue to experience more extreme weather events, the Red Cross is providing critical support on a near-constant basis to help families struggling to cope.

    Millions of U.S. households are at risk of being forced from their homes with many facing the threat of poverty due to the dramatic increase in billion-dollar disasters, which have nearly doubled in the last five years compared to the previous five years.

    We invite you to help prepare yourself and your community for any emergency by taking three simple steps: 1) Get a kit. 2) Make a plan. 3) Be informed. Individuals can download the free Red Cross Emergency app or text GETEMERGENCY to 90999 to get lifesaving preparedness information and weather alerts in the palm of their hand. Visit www.redcross.org/prepare for more tips and information.

  • Hurricane Ian Recovery: Jennifer Graham shares her experiences from the field

    By Jennifer Graham, Executive Director, American Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter

    Community residents pile their damaged belongings at the edge of a street in Naples, Florida. Photo by Jennifer Graham / American Red Cross

    Tuesday, Oct. 4

    Today, Tuesday October 4th, my EOL (Elected Officials Liaison) partner and I Dan Wirth, Executive Director from South Puget Sound and Olympics,  wanted to ensure that a primarily Spanish speaking community of Guatemalans living on Marco Island received support. We had visited them on Sunday and knew their needs were great. While we were delivering these cleaning supplies, one of our Emergency Response Vehicles arrived with a meal of hot dogs, chips and fruit cups. Dan got to make the announcement over their loudspeaker in Spanish to ensure the community knew what was available. The kids came running!

    Shortly after our Response Vehicle left, another Red Cross disaster truck arrived with more relief supplies, including our cleaning kits. Dan and I helped to get these supplies delivered to those who need it most throughout the area we are covering, when they need it most. Today truly made me proud to be a Red Crosser and I’m grateful to the many people who helped make this happen including the local Regional Executive, Executive Director, Response Operation Director and our fabulous volunteers and staff on the ground helping to provide comfort, hope and supplies to the community. See pictures below.  

    Wednesday, Oct. 5

    Yesterday I had the opportunity to chat for a while with a proud Floridian named Cindy. She lives right next to the bay in Naples. She’s ridden out storms previously and thought this one would be similar. That’s the story we heard from everyone on her street: made it through Harvey, Charlie, Irma and thought this one would be the same. She showed us a video as the storm surge started to quickly come up her front glass door — up the mid-point with water, with fish swimming all around. She survived through several feet of water before she escaped through her window and has since spent time with her family ripping out drywall, trying to track down items that floated away, and trying to find peace.  

    All she wanted from us was a hug…and a beer. We gave her the hug. 

    Cindy’s street is like many we have seen lined with memories and mementos soaking in water, covered in dirt and sand and muck, and stacked up to be taken away.

    While we were talking to Cindy, neighbors came by to check on each other, and community members came by offering ice, food, water. It has been heartbreaking and heartwarming to see.  This will be a long journey.  

    Community residents pile their damaged belongings at the edge of a street in Naples, Florida. Photo by Jennifer Graham / American Red Cross

    Thursday, Oct. 6

    Today was hard.  Today was the day I broke down.  Truly broke down amazed at the resiliency and heart of a community that will never be the same. 

    The below images are from a mobile park home in Naples, near the Gulf, but 100 yards from Henderson Creek.  When I went there today, a week after Ian passed, the water still had the dock submerged and there was still water within the mobile park; the roadway just passable.  The 250 or so homes have no power.  Almost all of the homes are uninhabitable.  The pic on the upper right is the mangled ruins of a home that happened to catch on fire during Ian.  In the lower right, an empty space is where another home used to be.  The ones left standing have buckling walls.  The water came up three to four feet.  All of the cars are no longer functioning.  

    I met a couple in their ‘60s — Michael and Janine.  They’ve been in this park for 18 years, and now they need to find somewhere else to live. After they showed me around the park and their home, I asked what is it they need right now.  Michael said “a hot meal.”  Janine said “a shower and a hug.”  (I don’t know what it is about Floridians and their love of hugs).  I gave her the hug. 

    The hot meal and meals, and support with health services, mental health, cleaning supplies, and muck out kits are on their way to their neighborhood hopefully providing comfort and hope at least for a few moments as they figure out what is next.  Our incredible teams of staff and volunteers are making it happen in these impacted communities every day.   As I drive through Collier County, I see Red Cross trucks up and down the highway and in the community.  It’s an impressive site.  And it’s the generosity of those that give that make these meals, and cleaning supplies, and health services possible to support a pathway to recovery possible. 

    Jim, Allison and Bob, Red Cross volunteers from Wisconsin.
    Photo by Jennifer Graham / American Red Cross.

    Above are some amazing volunteers from Wisconsin.  I’ve seen them every day for the past three days on the Isles of Capri. They start at the Fire House, then move to an apartment complex, then head over to what used to be the Marina Restaurant, and then head over to the church, which is the highest point on the island and the only location that didn’t suffer much water damage.  They do this twice a day – lunch and dinner.  And they are AMAZING!!! They go through all of their food every single shift.  

    They bring a smile, conversation, and provide the residents of Isles an opportunity to relax for a few minutes.  Some of the residents just stop by to say hi as they’ve gotten to know Jim, Bob, and Allison.  It is hot outside and hot in that ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle), and they manage it all with a smile, humor, grace, and compassion. 

    THIS IS the Red Cross Mission in Action.

    Jennifer poses for a selfie with Jim, Allison and Bob.

    Editor’s Note: Jennifer Graham is the Executive Director of the American Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Region. She was deployed to Florida on Saturday, Oct. 2 in the role of Elected Officials Liaison (EOL).

  • American Red Cross supports thousands in Ian’s wake

    By Dave Skutnik

    Over 1,500 American Red Cross volunteers and employees are providing sorely needed relief to Florida residents facing heartbreaking levels of destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which made landfall near Fort Myers Wednesday as a Category 4 storm. 

    About 15 Red Cross volunteers from Southeastern Pennsylvania are facing challenging conditions, as they are in Florida helping to provide relief to weary residents. Our volunteers are working in shelters, providing emotional support, preparing and serving hot meals, coordinating the delivery of critical relief supplies into the hardest hit communities, assessing damage and more.

    October 2, 2022. Fort Myers, Florida. Wind and water had a devastating effect in the Sunshine Mobile Village located in Fort Myers. Hurricane Ian left a path of destruction that claimed homes, vehicles, and other structures. Photo by Dave Fox/American Red Cross

    Power out, roads blocked

    Rapid winds coupled with unprecedented storm surge swept away homes and businesses as this major hurricane ripped along the southwestern part of the state and then moved inland. Ian also dumped heavy rainfall across the Southeast, spurring power outages and flooding up the Eastern Seaboard. 

    Formal damage assessment has not yet begun, but the level of destruction is stark and heart wrenching. Conditions on the ground remain treacherous. Some 600,000 Floridians are still without power, and many communities lack potable water. Roads are covered in debris, and residents face long waits at gas stations.


    September 26, 2022. Tampa, Florida. Shelter Manager Danny Portman speaks with Paula Silveira and Shaevel House about how the Red Cross can help them find a sustainable housing solution after their home was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. Photo by Marko Kokic/American Red Cross

    ‘If it wasn’t for you guys, I don’t know where I would go’

    Red Cross volunteers and employees are working around the clock to provide relief and comfort to people like Diana Raymond, whose neighborhood lost power in the storm. “If it wasn’t for you guys, I don’t know where I’d go,” she said.

    Diane is one of thousands of people who’ve found refuge at Red Cross and partner shelters. These shelters offer not only a place to sleep but also a place to find a warm meal and charge a phone. In fact, with partners, we’ve served over 142,200 meals and snacks to Ian survivors. In addition, caring shelter workers provide health and mental health services, such as assistance replacing lost prescriptions or offering a shoulder to lean on.

    “Some people lost their neighborhood, if not more,” said Evan Peterson, of the Red Cross. “This is going to take months and maybe even years. The Red Cross is committed to being here to help people get through this.”

    This important work is only possible because of our generous donors. With their compassionate support, we can be there for people impacted by Ian for as long as we are needed.

    October 2, 2022. Daytona Beach, Florida. Red Cross volunteers bring in, set up and distribute meals for use by the hundreds of evacuees seeking shelter at the Ocean Convention Center in Daytona Beach in the wake of Hurricane Ian. More than 1,400 trained Red Cross disaster workers are supporting relief efforts all across Florida. Photo by Marko Kokic/American Red Cross

    Help people affected by Hurricane Ian

    Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.  To donate online, visit redcross.org/donate. To donate by check, write “Hurricane Ian” in the memo line, and mail it to:
    American Red Cross
    2221 Chestnut St.
    Philadelphia, PA 19103