Hurricane Earl « American Red Cross Disaster Newsroom

Story: Amateur Radio Operators Provide Vital Communications Links Between Red Cross Shelters During Hurricane Earl

September 7, 2010

This post is written by American Red Cross disaster volunteer Allen Crabtree.

Friday, September 3. 2010 – HYANNIS, MA – “K1PBO, this is W2BTA with the shelter status report from the Nantucket shelter.”

ARES member Tom Wruk (KB1QCQ) in the Cape Cod Chapter communications center receives a status report from one of the regional evacuation shelters on Cape Cod during Hurricane Earl.

Amateur Radio Technician Wini Lord Meservey was on duty at the communications room crowded with radios and computers in the basement of the American Red Cross Cape Cod Chapter in Hyannis, MA. She returned the radio call from the amateur radio operator located at the Red Cross shelters on Nantucket Island, one of many regional shelters opened in response to Hurricane Earl.

“W2BTA, this is K1PBO. I copy you,” Meservey replied. “Go ahead with your shelter report.”

One by one, each of the stations at the Red Cross shelters checked in with the count of residents and tourists who had sought shelter from Hurricane Earl. This information, along with current weather and reports of flooding, was gathered and then passed along to the Red Cross as well as the Emergency Operations Center and the nearby military base.

“Amateur radio provides communications to support the disaster relief efforts of the American Red Cross,” said Frank O’Laughlin (WQ1O). “When all other forms of communications go out, we are still on the air to keep vital emergency links open. This is particularly important here at the Cape. We are vulnerable here on our peninsula and on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard to storms and power outages.”

O’Laughlin is the Director of the local Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES – pronounced A-Rees) and is a veteran ham radio operator and trained Red Cross volunteer with twenty years’ experience. ARES is a program of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) that provides point to point communications between shelters, assists in recovery efforts, provides weather reports in weather disasters and sends messages where normal communications have failed or are overloaded.

Story: Cape Cod residents find shelter from Hurricane Earl

September 7, 2010

This post is written by American Red Cross disaster volunteer Allen Crabtree.

Bo Lawrence and his wife Shirley were safe and warm and sheltered from Hurricane Earl at the American Red Cross shelter in South Yarmouth, Cape Cod. They are shown here with Red Cross volunteer Allen Crabtree.

With Hurricane Earl threatening Cape Cod and the islands as a Category 3 hurricane on Friday, the American Red Cross opened several shelters there as safe places of shelter from the storm. The storm’s track was predicted to bring it very close to Nantucket. Remembering the havoc that past hurricanes have wrought to the area Nantucket residents and those on the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard were cautioned to be ready for the worst.

Beaches and boat landings were closed, ferry service to the islands suspended, and campers and beach goers asked to leave for higher ground. Businesses and residents boarded up their windows and boats returned to harbor and tied down. The Red Cross positioned cots, blankets, food and water at six regional shelters and trained Red Cross shelter workers mobilized to care for the nearly one hundred residents and tourists who took refuge there from the storm.

Two who took refuge from the storm were Bo and Shirley Lawrence from West Yarmouth, Cape Cod. With Hurricane Earl moving up the coast they were evacuated to the American Red Cross shelter set up at the Dennis Yarmouth High School in South Yarmouth.

Press Release: Red Cross Provides Comfort and Shelter from the Storm as Hurricane Earl Moves Up the Atlantic Coast

September 4, 2010

WASHINGTON, September 4, 2010 – The American Red Cross has provided help and shelter from North Carolina to New England as Hurricane Earl and its winds and rain moved up the Atlantic Coast.

Friday night, twelve Red Cross shelters in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave nearly 100 people a safe place to ride out the storm as Earl moved past Cape Cod with strong winds and heavy rain. Thursday night, a dozen Red Cross shelters in North Carolina gave more than 260 people comfort as the storm passed through that area.

The Red Cross deployed 500 trained disaster workers and 62 emergency response vehicles to North Carolina, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to be ready for Hurricane Earl, and had additional vehicles, staff and supplies on standby.

“The Red Cross provided shelter and comfort to people as Hurricane Earl moved up the coast,” said Joe Becker, senior vice president, Red Cross Disaster Services. “Just as we ask each of you to be ready for disasters, the Red Cross practices preparedness by having trained workers and supplies in position before hurricanes come ashore so we can be ready to help as soon as the danger passes. This time much of the East Coast was spared a direct hit by a powerful hurricane, but we’re going to take the steps necessary to be ready when severe weather threatens.”

According to area officials, Earl weakened to a tropical storm and had little impact on Cape Cod and the surrounding areas, causing no major damage and few power outages. The storm is now headed towards Canada, and is expected to weaken further.

The Red Cross worked closely with various state, county and local government officials along the Atlantic coast on emergency planning for the storm in states such as North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

While it has moved away, Earl is expected to continue to cause powerful rip currents that are likely to be seen along the Atlantic Coast throughout the Labor Day weekend. The Red Cross advises anyone visiting the shore areas to swim only on lifeguard protected beaches and within designated swimming areas.

To make a financial donation to the Red Cross to help people affected by this storm and other disasters here in the United States and around the world, people can click, call or text – visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. The storm may also impact blood collections in the affected areas. To find out how you can be a blood donor, visit www.redcrossblood.org.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

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Photos: Hurricane Earl on Cape Cod

September 4, 2010

All photos from Hurricane Earl

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Video: Hurricane Earl from Chatham, MA

September 4, 2010

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Governor David Paterson Visits Long Island Red Cross Operation

September 4, 2010

YAPHANK, N.Y., Sept. 3, 2010 – Governor David A. Paterson thanked American Red Cross volunteers Friday afternoon for their efforts to prepare Long Island for Hurricane Earl’s approach. At a press conference in the agency’s operations center, Paterson praised them,

“Not just for their response to this disaster but for all the months of work and training and preparedness that make it easy.”

The response on Long Island is being led by Robert Imbornoni, the chief response officer for the Metropolitan New York Chapters. Imbornoni credited the success of the effort to years of hard work and coordination between the local chapters. The disaster relief operation headquarters was established adjacent to the Suffolk County Chapter’s offices. Volunteers from throughout the region—Suffolk, Nassau County, and Greater New York—are leading the response with some volunteers coming from as far as Chicago.

And though most of Long Island seems to have dodged a bullet thanks to Earl shifting east, the Red Cross remains on the job. A shelter is open in Montauk, a small village located on the easternmost point of the island that is being pounded by heavy surf and rain. Coastal flooding remains a concern across the island as the storm passes.

“We will be here as long as we are needed,” stated Imbornoni.

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Story: The American Red Cross Has a Place for All Skill Sets on its Volunteer Team

September 3, 2010

This story was written by Red Cross volunteer Mary Jean Baxley.

Keith Savage, Red Cross volunteer with the Cape Fear Chapter, discusses technology issues with Louise Hornor, volunteer with the Elkhart County, IN Red Cross chapter.

“The American Red Cross truly is a place for everybody’s skill sets. We thought it was sheltering and feeding at disasters. Whether you are a taxi driver, CEO, nurse, computer technician or whatever, the Red Cross has a place waiting for every type skill,” said Louise Hornor, American Red Cross volunteer.

Louise and her husband Sean Welsh are a growing number of Disaster Operations Volunteer Escapees (DOVES) who travel as a couple in their recreational vehicle to help in times of disaster. They are both computer experts who are retired. They now lend their expertise to the American Red Cross.

They spent twelve weeks living in their RV in Baton Rouge La. after hurricane Katrina. And later went back for several weeks to help. They have now been to fourteen disasters in five years. Their home chapter in Elkhart, Indiana (Elkhart County Red Cross) will deploy them wherever they are needed. Elkhart is the RV capital of the world.

Five years ago, they were members of an organization called Escapees. They are people who live and travel in their RV’s. They also have many members who have learned about the DOVES through meetings. The Escapees have American Red Cross basic training courses at their rallies and new members learn about the opportunities available.

Shelter Update: Hurricane Earl

September 3, 2010

Shelter Update

Shelters in the New England area, especially the Cape Cod area, are open in anticipation of Hurricane Earl passing by later on Friday. All shelters in Raleigh, NC are closed at this point. Please visit www.redcross.org or click the “FIND A SHELTER” button on the right side of this page to search for open shelters in your area.

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Press Release: Red Cross Responds to Hurricane Earl Along the Atlantic Coast

September 3, 2010

Red Cross Responds to Hurricane Earl Along the Atlantic Coast

Public can donate to support Red Cross relief efforts with a click, call, or text message.

WASHINGTON, September 3, 2010 – The American Red Cross is responding with help to people affected by the winds, rains and flooding of Hurricane Earl in North Carolina and is ready as the storm moves up the Atlantic Coast.

A dozen Red Cross shelters were opened in North Carolina, giving more than 260 a safe place to ride out the storm last night as heavy rain and strong winds passed through the area. Today, after Earl moves out of the area, the Red Cross will be assessing damage left by the storm and helping people as they begin to cleanup. More than 183 Red Cross disaster workers have been deployed to North Carolina to support efforts there, along with 37 emergency response vehicles and two trailers of additional disaster relief supplies.

“Earl’s strong winds and heavy rain have been pounding the Outer Banks, and flooding, damage and dangerous waves are expected to stretch from the Carolinas to Maine as this storm moves up the Atlantic Coast,” said Joe Becker, senior vice president, Red Cross Disaster Services. “The Red Cross has shelters and relief supplies to help people hit by the storm, with shelter, staff and emergency response vehicles in position in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Residents of eastern New England must remain vigilant as the storm approaches and take steps to ensure they are prepared.”

Hurricane or tropical storm warnings and watches are in effect from North Carolina to Maine. Forecasters say the storm could push further out into the Atlantic before slamming into New England, with much of the attention on Rhode Island and Massachusetts, especially Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island.