RedCrossPhillyBlog

Category: Disaster Response

  • Three Red Cross Shelters Closing; Disaster Recovery Services Available at Montgomery County Resource Center this Week

    Shelter cots at a Red Cross Shelter at Coatesville Senior High School. Photo by Alana Mauger

    By Dave Skutnik

    As residents began to be able to return home or transition to other temporary lodging arranged by government partners, the American Red Cross will be closing shelters tonight in West Philadelphia, Coatesville and Quakertown.

    The Red Cross shelter at Norristown High School will remain open through the holiday weekend. Anyone who needs a place to stay should come to the high school, located at 1900 Eagle Drive in Norristown, Montgomery County. They can also call 1-800-RED CROSS for assistance.

    Red Cross disaster workers serve lunch at Norristown Area High School shelter.

    Since Wednesday’s storm, the Red Cross has provided more than 150 overnight shelter stays in Southeastern Pennsylvania and served more than one thousand meals and snacks to those in need. This weekend, nearly 100 Red Cross disaster workers have been focused on providing safe shelter, food and comfort to people affected by the storm.

    Red Cross disaster workers Danelle Stoppel and Corey Stradling assess damage Sunday in Coatestville. Photo by Judith Weeks.

    Red Cross teams are also working closely with local officials to help to assess the damage left behind and make plans for what support families may need in the coming days and weeks. In areas where people are cleaning up, the Red Cross has distributed hundreds of relief supplies, like mops, bleach, buckets and trash bags. That work will continue into the upcoming week.

    Also this week, Red Cross disaster recovery caseworkers will be staffing a multi-agency resource center in Montgomery County. Recovering from a disaster can be a confusing process, and it’s not always easy for survivors to find the help they need. The resource center will bring community organizations involved in recovery efforts together in one location. At this site, people can learn about available services and programs to help them rebuild their lives.

    The multi-agency resource center will be open at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit located at 2 W. Lafayette Street in Norristown. Hours will be 12 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 8 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 9. The Red Cross plans to offer casework, relief supplies and emotional support.

    Red Cross disaster worker Jeff Moran delivers clean-up kits to residents who live along the Schuylkill Canal in Port Providence, Montgomery County on Saturday. Photo by Alana Mauger.

    Families are struggling to cope with the devastation left behind by Ida. Every single donation will make a difference in someone’s life. To help people affected by Hurricane Ida, visit redcross.org, call 1-800- RED CROSS, or text the word IDA to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

    Below are some safety tips for families that may be cleaning up this weekend:

    FLOOD CLEANUP SAFETY

    • Wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves and rubber boots, when cleaning.
    • Be careful when moving furnishings or debris, because they may be waterlogged and heavier.
    • Throw out items that absorb water and cannot be cleaned or disinfected. This includes mattresses, carpeting, cosmetics, stuffed animals and baby toys.
    • Throw out all food, beverages and medicine exposed to flood waters and mud. When in doubt, throw it out. This includes canned goods, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and containers with food or liquid that has been sealed shut.

  • Red Cross responds after a tornado tears through Lower Bucks County

    By Dave Skutnik and Alana Mauger

    Trained Red Cross disaster workers conduct damage assessment in Bensalem Township on July 30.

    It’s been a July to forget in Lower Bucks County, with a violent tornado striking just two weeks after a devastating flash flood.

    The tornado struck Bensalem Township just after 7 p.m. Thursday, July 29, crossing six lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the tail end of rush hour before moving on to destroy several commercial buildings, causing several injuries. Fortunately, everyone is expected to be okay.

    Several homes suffered severe damage when a tornado tore through Bensalem Township Thursday.

    The tornado then continued tearing a path through a residential area, including at least two mobile home parks where several homes were destroyed. Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt.

    Part of a Pennsylvania Turnpike sign landed in a back yard in Bensalem Township.

    The Red Cross was on the ground within minutes after the storm, first opening a temporary evacuation center at Neshaminy Mall and then an overnight shelter at Neshaminy High School. There, residents had a safe, dry place to stay as well as the ability to charge devices, and grab snacks and water.

    Trained Red Cross disaster volunteers operate a temporary evacuation center at Neshaminy Mall on July 29.

    One resident from Penn Valley Terrace who came by the shelter Friday described her family’s harrowing experience.

    “The power went out, and it was pouring. Then, it got quiet, almost beautiful out. The next minute, we heard what sounded like a freight train and everything was flying in the air,” she described, noting how one corner of her trailer “lifted up” before slamming back down with a “big boom.” “We can now see the turnpike,” she said. “There are no trees.”

    Four people spent the night at the Red Cross shelter at Neshaminy High School, with others stopping in to get out of the heat, charge their phones and pick up water and snacks.

    According to the National Weather Service, this tornado was the strongest in Pennsylvania since 2004 and the strongest ever recorded in Bucks County. Records date back to 1950.

    Red Cross teams were out assessing damage the day after the storm, working with our government partners and displaced residents to determine what kind of help is needed.

    Trained Red Cross disaster workers conduct damage assessment in Bensalem Township on July 30.

    The tornado comes on the heels of a flooding event on July 12 that left hundreds of homes with water damage. The Red Cross spent the past two-plus weeks helping residents affected by that storm.

    It is work that will continue in the days and weeks ahead, providing much-needed comfort and hope to storm-weary residents.

    Red Cross disaster workers unpack supplies at Neshaminy High School on Thursday night.

  • Red Cross assists families impacted by flooding in Lower Bucks County, Northeast Philadelphia

    By Alana Mauger

    Lafayette Gardens condominium complex in Bensalem sustained significant damage during Monday’s flash flood.

    On July 12, residents in Lower Bucks County and Northeast Philadelphia experienced what the National Weather Service is now describing as a 100-year flood. Up to 10 inches of rain fell over four hours late Monday afternoon/early evening, closing major roads, flooding homes and prompting water rescues throughout the region.

    Volunteer Mass Care Lead Janice Thomas assists a client at Snyder Middle School overnight Monday.

    Since Monday night, the American Red Cross has been on the ground assessing damage and providing disaster recovery assistance and emotional support to individuals and families. In the first 72 hours (from July 12-15), 51 trained Red Cross disaster workers provided 109 families (274 people) with emergency financial assistance for immediate needs, including temporary lodging; distributed 60 clean up kits and 109 comfort kits; and served 836 snacks.

    The Red Cross operated an evacuation center at Snyder Middle School on Monday night and a community resource center Tuesday through Thursday at the Maltese Room behind Cornwells Fire Company in Bensalem, not far from the Lafayette Gardens condominium complex, which was entirely engulfed by flood water. Lafayette Gardens resident Jermaine Hoskins shared his harrowing water rescue story with caseworkers at the center.

    Jermaine Hoskins was rescued from his Lafayette Gardens home by boat.

    “Sitting in my living room, I heard what sounded like rushing water coming from behind the wall. I got up to check it out, opened the door and water came rushing in,” he said.

    Closing the door immediately, Jermaine ran to his bedroom to find his shoes, a difficult feat with water rushing down the hallway and already pooling in the other rooms. By the time he was ready to leave, the water had risen over the electrical outlets, and he could not reopen the door.

    “I climbed halfway out my window and saw the guy who lives above me doing the same and waving for help,” he said. “I thought I was going to die.”

    Jermaine estimates that it took at least an hour before he and his neighbor were rescued by boat and bussed to the evacuation center. There, he met with a Red Cross caseworker and received financial assistance, which he used to book a hotel room and buy some dry clothes.

    “Thank you for what you all do. Thank you for the Red Cross,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but I have a place to sleep tonight, so that’s a start.”

    Red Cross caseworkers meet with residents at the community resource center on Thursday.

    Across town, some residents of the Regency Apartment complex were forced to evacuate as water began to pool in their first-floor units. Four of them – Laverne Owens, Evelyn O’Rourke, Howard Stevenson and Lisa Vangine – banded together to carpool to the Red Cross community resource center and became fast friends.

    Laverne, a home care professional who was babysitting her great nephew at the time, took charge and made sure everyone’s needs were met.

    “After this, we’re all going to the laundromat to wash our wet things,” she said. “This here’s a family now. We have a long road ahead of us, but we’ll be okay.”

    Regency apartment complex residents and new friends (from left) Lisa Vangine, Evelyn O’Rourke, Laverne Owens and Howard Stevenson.

    All four were able to book hotel rooms for the night thanks to Red Cross assistance. And Laverne made sure that the hotel could accommodate Howard’s and Lisa’s cats and Lisa’s 10-year-old daughter, Ashley.

    Evelyn, age 72, reflected on the experience. “I always see people on TV in Red Cross blankets, and I feel so bad for them,” she said, clutching her own blanket. “I never expected I would need it. You just don’t know until it happens to you.”

    Bristol Township began pumping water out of a yard on Main Avenue in Croydon Thursday afternoon.

    In nearby Croydon, landlord Patricia Ludlow and her son traveled from South Carolina to help tenants impacted by water damage at two of her properties on Main Avenue – including a single mom of three and eight women from a recovery house.

    “The water is still coming in after four days!” she pointed out. “I try so hard to keep my tenants safe. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I have just never seen anything like this before.”

    Originally from Bristol Borough, Patricia partners with Good Friends Inc., a drug addiction treatment center in Morrisville, to operate two recovery houses in the area for men and women who have completed their treatment and are working to reintegrate back into society.

    Red Cross disaster workers met Patricia while conducting damage assessments Thursday at her Main Avenue properties in follow up to several of her tenants applying for assistance.

    “My tenants are wonderful. Thank you so much for helping them,” she said.

    Patricia Ludlow looks on as trained Red Cross disaster workers evaluate water damage at one of her properties.

    Down the street, Michah Wright was pumping water out of his family’s house on Thursday afternoon.

    “I rented a generator and fans and have been pumping water since Tuesday,” he said, showing Red Cross disaster workers the place where rushing water broke his basement window and filled his house with 10 feet of water, submerging his family room, children’s playroom and his wife’s sewing workshop.

    With no power or hot water, he’s grateful to the Red Cross for their support.

    “When this is all over, I may even become a volunteer myself,” he said.

    Michah Wright shows Red Cross disaster workers where rushing water broke through his basement window.

    If you sustained water damage to your property and have not already received Red Cross assistance, please call 1-800-RED CROSS to open a case.

  • Kathy Mullen: Warmhearted Whirlwind

    By Sukripa Shah

    During National Volunteer Week (April 18–24) we honor the 300,000+ volunteers who donate their time and energy to the American Red Cross, an organization whose workforce is 90% unpaid. This is one of a series of profiles you’ll see on the Red Cross Philly Blog. To learn more about exciting volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross, visit redcross.org/VolunteerToday. 

    If there’s one phrase that can describe Kathy Mullen’s outlook on life, it’s “relentlessly upbeat.” And make no mistake—her condition is contagious. For decades, the American Red Cross has been a crucial part of Kathy’s life, both as a mother and a volunteer. She recalls a personal crisis almost 38 years ago, when her 2-year-old son was diagnosed with a serious blood disorder. The Red Cross provided her son with a new life. He received countless blood transfusions, thanks to Biomedical Services. Today, Kathy counts her blessings: Her adult son is in great health, and she’s a proud grandmother of three beautiful granddaughters.

    So if you ever wake up in a bad mood and Kathy’s around, you’ll soon get caught up in her vortex. She’s a ball of energy, passion, and dedication to the Red Cross cause—alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies. She began giving back to the community soon after her retirement, and she’s been at it ever since. 

    Last fall, after the Oregon wildfires that took the lives of at least 11 people and destroyed more than 4,000 homes, Kathy was instrumental in helping to arrange shelter and support for people who’d lost everything they owned. Even during the darkest of times in their lives, she says, people never failed to reciprocate her kindness by saying “thank you.” This rewarding time left an indelible mark, and she knows that the courage, determination, and undeniable force of the human spirit can still prevail despite difficult circumstances.

    Kathy truly embodies the Red Cross volunteer ethic. She has been a pivotal part of the volunteer workforce for four years and continues to work with her local Disaster Action Team, Sound the Alarm initiative, Pillowcase Project, and Biomedical Services. Recently, she became a Community Volunteer Leader to advocate for the lifesaving services of the Red Cross focusing on the school/education sector.

    As a mother and professional, Kathy feels fortunate to have a great family and friends both in her hometown and in Phoenixville, where she now lives. She loves taking trips and has traveled far and wide as senior telecommunications manager for Lockheed Martin Corporation. She and her husband are excited about visiting Scotland in the future, where they plan to learn more about their roots and Scottish heritage.

    Primary image description: A picture of Red Cross volunteer Kathy Mullen, a Caucasian woman with shoulder-length light brown hair. She is smiling.

  • Brian Toll: A Lawyer With a Compassion Practice

    By Sukripa Shah

    The American Red Cross is celebrating National Volunteer Week (April 18-24) with a series of volunteer profiles on the Red Cross Philly Blog. We’re incredibly grateful to the 300,000+ volunteers who comprise more than 90% of the national Red Cross workforce. To learn more, visit redcross.org/VolunteerToday.

    Brian Toll’s journey with the American Red Cross began in an aptly named locale: the Volunteer State. At his chapter, Heart of Tennessee, he assisted in community relations and capacity building in three local counties. (What is capacity building, you ask? It’s an ongoing process that equips people, partners, and the community to better deliver services in a crisis.) He then became emergency services director for Disaster Preparedness and Response and Service to the Armed Forces, and now serves as board chairman for the Red Cross’s Delaware Valley chapter. 

    Brian’s passion and devotion to advance the mission and vision of the Red Cross have been above and beyond since the very beginning. He has walked the walk, as they say. In the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac in 2008, he took on the role of warehouse and transportation manager, and he’s helped train, deploy, and empower volunteers in many disaster situations.

    “When Hurricane Isaac hit the Gulf Coast, I hopped into a rental car with a few of my volunteers and we drove to Memphis,” Brian says. “We didn’t know what we were going to do when we got there, just that we were going. I’m proud to say that my volunteers back then were ‘jacks of all trades and masters of some,’ so we had a lot to offer.” 

    Of the many memories Brian cherishes with his fellow volunteers and friends, his proudest accomplishment is the recent partnership that his team established with the Mexican Consulate to help Latino residents of Philadelphia feel comfortable reaching out to the Red Cross for assistance.  

    In addition to his work as a certified International Humanitarian Law instructor, Brian wears plenty of hats at the Red Cross. He’s had countless training hours and certifications under his belt—Shelter Operations, Logistics, Client Casework, Disaster Assessment, Operations Management, Service Delivery Site Management, Psychological First Aid, and more.

    Brian, his wife (who’s also a longtime Red Cross employee), and their young daughters make an amazing Red Cross family. His willingness to think outside the box to assist individuals, families, and communities struck by catastrophe have earned him well-deserved admiration and respect from his fellow Red Crossers. 

    Primary image description: Picture of Red Cross Volunteer Brian Toll, a Caucasian man with short brown hair and glasses wearing a dress shirt with a salmon-colored tie and a dark grey suit vest.

  • Local Heroes Honored with Red Cross Lifesaving Awards

    By: Alana Mauger

    This week, 11 people received the American Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action, or CEPA, for their heroic and lifesaving acts during two medical incidents in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The CEPA is awarded to people who step forward in an emergency situation to help save or sustain a human life.

    “These individuals exemplify the mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies,” said Guy Triano, CEO of Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “We commend them for their willingness to help others in distress.”

    The first award at the virtual ceremony on March 9 was presented to Jessica Halvorson. In 2012, Jessica was visiting friends in Philadelphia when one of them was injured by a vehicle during a hit-and-run accident. According to the detective on the scene, the man flew 15 feet in the air and 35 feet across the intersection of 39th and Chestnut Streets—just around the corner from the Red Cross House. 

    Jessica quickly assessed the situation and told her friends to call 911. She applied pressure to the man’s head wound and verified that he was breathing independently and could move his limbs. Then EMS arrived and resumed care.

    The next awards were presented to 10 people who acted together to help save a man’s life when he had a cardiac incident in Montgomery Township. On October 23 last year, a customer found the man hunched over a counter, unresponsive, in a retail establishment. Michael Kleban, an employee and firefighter, moved the man to the floor, began CPR, and told the customer to call 911. 

    That’s when members of Squad 18 from the Montgomery Township Department of Fire Services (Carmen Conicelli, Frank Colelli, Kevin Neubert, and Eoghan Lowry) sprang into action. They arrived on location, took over CPR and rescue breathing, and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to administer shocks. 

    Next, two ambulance crews from the Volunteer Medical Corps of Lansdale arrived. Shannon Pasquale, Jeff Owler, Mike Shearer, Derek Kreyenhagen and Mike Rennard assisted with CPR, AED, and rescue breathing. They deployed the LUCAS machine (a chest compression device) and administered medication.

    The efforts of all 10 of these people resulted in the man regaining his pulse and breathing before being transported to a local hospital.

    Lifesaving Award program

    The Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program comprises four awards. The oldest and most prestigious Red Cross award is the Certificate of Merit, signed by the U.S. President. The Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders and Healthcare Professionals is given to trained people who respond to emergencies as part of their work. The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action goes to people who lack Red Cross training but who step up during an emergency. Finally, the Lifesaving Instructor Award is given to instructors who teach the skills that help save or sustain lives. 

    You can nominate and recognize a person or group who have used the skills and knowledge gained in Red Cross training courses to help save or sustain a life. Visit LifesavingAwards.org to get started. 

    Primary image description: Recipients of the American Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action are shown in a screenshot during the virtual Lifesaving Awards ceremony on March 9, 2021.

  • From the Army Reserves to the American Red Cross: A Profile of Judith Alexis Smith

    By: Marta Rusek
    Thank you for your service! Judith Alexis SmithJudith Alexis Smith is uniquely qualified in her role as a volunteer for the American Red Cross’ Service to the Armed Forces Program, as she herself is a veteran of military service!

    She served her country as a reservist with the 4074th Reception Battalion, in Willow Grove, PA starting in 1985. For the next eight years, she performed her duties as a 71L (a clerk) once a month and two weeks annually. When she wasn’t serving as a reservist and working in a civilian role, she was engaged in what she describes as “the worthwhile cause” of donating blood to the Red Cross.

    Wanting to support our community beyond an exceptional military career, Judith became a volunteer for the Red Cross in late 2005, during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Though she was never deployed on-site to Louisiana, she put her experience and passion as a blood donor to good use by volunteering with local blood drives organized by the Red Cross.

    In the years since, Judith has become a valued member of the volunteer team, going wherever she is needed most. She has done it all, from setting up tables at community events to wearing the chapter’s mascot costume. She’s also enjoyed participating in Sound the Alarm events, serving as a greeter for the Red Cross Ball, and working the greeting cards station at the annual Holiday Party for families. She even strut her stuff as a model at a recent volunteer appreciation banquet, wearing a Red Cross uniform as part of a collection of uniforms from different periods in the organization’s history.



    While she has worn many hats as a volunteer, working with veterans and their families has been the highlight of Judith’s Red Cross service.

    “I felt that [joining the Service to the Armed Forces program] was an extension of my work with the community,” she said. “Even though I was a veteran, I think other veterans contributed so much more than me. The sacrifices of the men and women, along with their families, is gratefully and proudly recognized. If I can help in any way promoting that fact, I’m in.”

    Some of Judith’s favorite activities have unfortunately been postponed or massively scaled back as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, including volunteer shifts at parades and the VA medical center.

    “Volunteering at the veteran’s medical center and at parades is a joy,” she shared. “I would help at various functions and meetings, in the center. At the parades, I would walk and/or assist in them – before, during, and after – greeting the people, handing out information and snacks and, of course, water.”

    At 70 years young, Judith is as passionate and driven to working with service members and their families as she was when it came to her own service as a reservist. She looks forward to the day when the COVID-19 pandemic is over and she can jump into more active service.

    “I hope to contribute more than I am right now,” she explained. “My prayers are with all who can and do more.”

    Primary image description: A graphic that reads: “Thank you for your service! Judith Alexis Smith”. The American Red Cross logo appears at the top, and a circular photo of Judith, wearing a Red Cross volunteer vest and smiling from ear to ear as she proudly holds a picture of herself in her Army Reserves uniform.

    Secondary image description: Judith poses for a group photo at a recent Veterans Day parade with the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s CEO, Guy Triano and three staff members. They are all smiles as they hold American flags and stand in front of a Red Cross ambulance.

  • Red Cross Eastern PA Volunteer Opens Up About Experiences During Hurricane Florence Deployment

    Written by David Haas

    Isolated by high water for three days, a dedicated team of five Red Cross volunteers opened and maintained a shelter serving 900 people.  Outside contact was limited to helicopter deliveries. One of the five was an 84-year-old retired nurse with more than 30 deployments on her volunteer resume. “I am too busy thinking about other people, people who have lost everything” she says.

    Helicopter
    Red Cross volunteers personal belongings onto a national guard helicopter. They will fly to relieve shelter volunteers isolated by the effects of Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, NC. Photo credit: American Red Cross

    A Red Cross volunteer from Newport NC summed up the hurricane’s effect by stating that, “it looks like someone took a bomb and dropped it” on her hometown. We found the woman helping run a Red Cross blood drive, a higher priority for her than cleaning up the storm damage to her home.

    Flying over Elizabethtown North Carolina, a Red Cross volunteer saw “saw a silo and a barn roof sticking through the water, and knew there was a farm below that was surrounded by water.”  Four hundred pounds at a time, he worked with other volunteers to deliver 288,000 lbs. of supplies.

    These are just some of the inspiring stories told by the more than 2,350 Red Cross volunteers providing disaster response for Hurricane Florence. More than 70 Eastern PA volunteers and staff deployed as part of the national response and many are still there providing support in the coastal areas of North and South Carolina.

    As a public affairs volunteer during the first week following landfall, I witnessed the generous nature of Red Cross volunteers and the communities they support.

    For example, one of the 110 Red Cross shelters in North Carolina was located in Chapel Hill.  Housing 340 people at its busiest, the shelter received tremendous community support. This included volunteers reading to children, fire fighters showing off their trucks, boy scouts cleaning cots and the entire championship UNC-Chapel Hill basketball team.  It was hard to tell whether the shelter residents or the Red Cross volunteers were more excited by the visits, but it did wonders for morale in the midst of long days in the shelter.

    Basketball
    Red Cross volunteers take pictures with members of the championship North Carolina Tarheels basketball team during the team’s visit to a shelter in Chapel Hill. Photo credit: David Haas/American Red Cross

    More than 19 non-profit organizations coordinated with the Red Cross during the disaster. Members of the Southern Baptist Crisis Care Team worked in stand-alone kitchens to prepare 6,000 lunches and dinners each day. The meals were delivered by Red Cross volunteers to first responders, residents and survivors of the hurricane.  “The Red Cross and the Southern Baptists represent a unique display of partnership that is working well.”  Said spiritual care provider Kristen Curtis.

    Southern Baptist
    Red Cross volunteers load meals prepared by Southern Baptist volunteers at a mobile feeding station in Washington, NC. Photo credit: David Haas/American Red Cross

    Even American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern participated, spending two days visiting disaster assistance headquarters to listen to the issues faced by volunteers and thank them for their dedicated service. She stayed for a long time at each location until all questions were answered and all selfies were taken.

    Gail
    American Red Cross CEO Gail McGovern speaks with Red Cross volunteers staffing North Carolina District 2 disaster relief headquarters in Greenville NC. Photo credit: David Haas/American Red Cross

    We could not reach many areas until the water level on roads receded.  Then I saw firsthand the damage caused by Florence.  Traveling with a small team, we visited a shelter in New Bern, NC to meet with volunteers and determine what additional supplies were needed. En-route, we saw boats lifted onto dry land by the surge, trees ripped up by their roots from the wind, and hundreds of homes whose insulation flooring and furniture were lying in the road, removed because of flood exposure.  We could see the discoloration of water marks halfway up the sides of many buildings.

    damage
    The contents of historic homes in New Bern, NC are piled in their front yards after being inundated with water during Hurricane Florence. Photo credit: David Haas/American Red Cross

    Returning to regional headquarters, we learned of two Red Cross volunteers who left their 12-hour shift and were first on the scene of a serious car accident. A mother was trapped in the driver’s seat and her teenage daughter injured and hanging out of the passenger side window.  Using their Red Cross First Aid/CPR training, one stopped traffic to prevent a secondary collision while the other worked to stabilize the injured until first responders arrived.

    Still wearing his Red Cross T-shirt, the volunteer was able to calm the teenager. “What we did seemed natural” he said. “When you see a need, you help.”

  • Remembering the Red Cross Response to 9/11

    When the unspeakable happened on September 11th, 2001, the Red Cross was there in the immediate aftermath, and the years to follow. Immediately, the Red Cross:

    • Activated 6,000 Red Cross volunteers
    • Opened 13 Red Cross shelter
    • Sent Disaster Mental Health workers to shelters, crash sites, airports and hospitals
    • Set up a mental health hotline
    • Opened Respite Centers for firefighters, police officers, port authority workers and others
    • Received 1 million calls on the Blood Donation line (the previous record in one day was 3,000 calls)
    • Every chapter in the nation supported stranded passengers at airports as air space was shut down
    • Launched the Family Registration Web, a predecessor to today’s redcross.org/safeandwell
    • Sent teams of Red Cross workers door-to-door in the Restricted Zone for families who had chosen to stay
    • After one year, the Red Cross had served 14 million meals for disaster workers and victims, mental health services for more than 237,000 people, and health services for 131,000 people.
    • And much  more.

    The Greater New York Red Cross has put together a YouTube playlist of Red Crossers remembering that day, including this video about all the spontaneous volunteers who showed up to help out where they could:

    Remembering the Red Cross Response to 9/11

  • Red Cross Response to Flooding and How You Can Be Prepared for Next Time

    Written by Bryan Myers

    Flooding has been a major concern throughout Pennsylvania this summer, especially in the Central and Eastern parts of the state. After several rounds of thunderstorm on August 13th, communities began to flood and houses became inundated with water. Montgomery County’s Department of Public Safety reported that the Pennsylvania Turnpike was closed between Valley Forge and Norristown. The Schuylkill Expressway and PA Turnpike were also shut down due to flooding in the county. Portions of Berks, Delaware, Lackawanna, Schuylkill, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties were particularly hard hit.

    The Red Cross responded to the historic flooding in Delaware County by opening an evacuation center at the Darby Recreation Center for flood victims. Throughout the region, dozens of people fled the floodwaters into Red Cross shelters, which were opened in coordination with community partners.

    shleter

    As water levels receded, the Red Cross focus shifted to distributing emergency supplies, serving meals and working one on one with affected families.  In the first week alone, Red Cross volunteers served more than 2,100 meals and snacks and distributed hundreds of clean up kits and other flood related supplies.

    Five emergency response vehicles were deployed to the hardest-hit areas where volunteers could hand out food and emergency supplies door to door. Disaster Assessment teams were sent out to traverse neighborhoods while caseworkers went door to door to talk with affected families, providing more than 75 of them with assistance.

    flooding

    To be prepared for flood emergencies, the Red Cross recommends assembling an emergency preparedness kit and creating a household evacuation plan. You should ensure that you have access to NOAA radio broadcasts and keep insurance policies in a safe-deposit box or with pictures on a flash drive. Remember to take precautionary measures for your pets by downloading the Red Cross Pet First Aid app.

    Home protections might include raising your water heater or electric panels to higher floors, the addition of flood barriers around your house and waterproofing the walls in your basement. Check with your local municipality about the availability of sandbags prior to a flood watch or warning.

    You can read more about flood safety from the Red Cross by visiting the Red Cross Flood Safety website. Stay up to date with the latest alerts with the Red Cross Emergency App for iPhone or Android.

    Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management offers flood safety awareness with an outline of flooding hazards. At the state and federal level, a Pennsylvania Flooding Recovery Guide is also available.