October 2, 2009
Yesterday, a small group of Red Cross relief workers took flight to survey damage caused by this week’s earthquakes in Indonesia and deliver supplies and medical personnel to the hardest hit areas. Below are their initial assessments:
“The view from the air is quite misleading,” reported Patrick Fuller with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) after speaking with his colleague Bob McKerrow, who conducted aerial assessments of the quakes’ damage yesterday. “Roofs appear to be intact, but they are resting on the ground with collapsed walls underneath.”
Hundreds were instantly killed when hospitals, universities and other large structures crumbled around them.
“We surveyed the affected area by helicopter, and it was like a huge shockwave had come through and flattened houses, schools and mosques for as far as the eye could see”, shared disaster management coordinator Wayne Ulrich with the IFRC in Padang. “On some of the hillsides it was total devastation; it looked like entire villages had been swallowed up by landslides.”
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Indonesia Earthquake (2009), International Updates | Tagged: American Red Cross, disaster services, earthquake, IFRC, indonesia, international federation of red cross, landslides, Padang, patrick fuller, postcard, red crescent societies, red cross, response, shockwave, wayne ulrich | 
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Posted by amrecro
September 26, 2009
>>View entire photo set
I’ve been in the Atlanta area for a few days now and it has been great seeing all the work the Red Cross is doing. I was able to sit down with Johnie Chavours and talk about her stay in our shelter in the Cobb Civic Center. “All the donations are great” she told me, “we haven’t had to want for anything since we’ve been here.” This is the first time Johnie and her boys, Javaris, 14 and J’Danyl, 11, have stayed in a shelter. They had to evacuate their home because of the flooding. They were able to snag their play station from the house along with a few other items. “The kids are having fun” Johnie told me. The boys have set up their games in the middle of the shelter and are taking turns with the other kids. They look like they all are having a good time despite the circumstances. Johnie wanted to thank me and let me know how she felt, “without you guys [Red Cross], we would be out in the water floating, because that’s where we were, in the water floating. You guys gave us a place to lay our heads, you guys gave us shelter and we thank you for that. We thank God for that, we thank God for you.”
Johnie and her sons were one of the 1,250 people that received support, food, comfort and a place to sleep last night in a Red Cross shelter.
Leave a Comment » | Southeast Floods (Sept. 2009) | Tagged: American Red Cross, Cameron Ballantyne, cobb civic center, disaster services, food, georgia, Johnie Chavours, postcard, red cross, shelter, southeast floods | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
September 19, 2009
American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles distributed 3,500 disaster preparedness packs to school age children on a first-come first-served basis on Saturday, September 12th, at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church 5th Annual Back-to-School Giveaway & Health Fair.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: American Red Cross, Back-to-school, Bob Carey, do more than cross your fingers, First African Methodist Episcopal, los angeles, postcard, red cross | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
August 7, 2009
All photos are available for media distribution. Please click the photo for caption and courtesy information.
Red Cross volunteers in Honolulu, Hawaii help prepare for Hurricane Felicia.
Leave a Comment » | Disaster Alerts, Tropical Storm Felicia | Tagged: American Red Cross, cot, disaster alert, human interest, Hurricane Felicia, news alert, postcard, Preparedness, red cross, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
April 1, 2009
This morning I met Carla Hilterbrick, a health services volunteer from the Martin County, Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross. Carla is currently volunteering at the Red Cross special needs shelter in Casselton, North Dakota.
As a native Floridian, Carla isn’t used to the cold North Dakota weather. “I have NEVER been so cold” Carla told me.
Carla explains “I’m here because, as a local Red Cross volunteer I know what it’s like to need help. After experiencing a few hurricanes I know that ‘Oh my gosh, I am so happy to see you’ feeling when nationally deployed volunteers arrive to help.”
“I will deal with a blizzard and cold weather, even though they’re not my thing because many people, some of who may have not cared for the hot and humid weather of southern Florida, have come down to assist us when we were beat up.”
Carla is one of 560 volunteers, from 45 states, who are currently volunteering with the Red Cross in Minnesota and North Dakota.
3.30.09
Leave a Comment » | North-Central Flooding (Mar 2009) | Tagged: courtney johnson, floods, human interest, north dakota, postcard | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
March 31, 2009
Volunteering is a Family Affair
Today I met Steve and Robert Wolfe, Red Cross volunteers who are also brothers. They told me the Red River flood is not the first national disaster they’ve volunteered for – this is their fourth disaster – but it’s the first time they’ve volunteered together in the same Red Cross shelter. When I asked Robert how it was different to be paired with his brother, he told me: ‘While you develop great relationships with other volunteers, it’s nice to have your brother to lean on too. It’s another level of unconditional support.’ Robert’s comment reminded me of my wife and family in St. Paul, Minn. and how supportive and proud they are of my involvement with the Red Cross too.
Steve told me that he refers to Robert and himself as the ‘Wolfe pack,’ a term he says was coined by volunteers and staff of the Greater Indianapolis Chapter when the brothers, Steve’s wife and Robert’s 12-year-old son were all recognized for their involvement with the Red Cross. Steve and Robert are working in one of three public Red Cross shelters currently open for those affected by the Red River flood. Last night, the Red Cross sheltered 257 people.
Leave a Comment » | North-Central Flooding (Mar 2009) | Tagged: brothers, flooding, floods, human interest, postcard, postcards, red river | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
March 31, 2009
Missa (pronounced ME-sha) is not a typical Red Cross shelter resident. The 1-year-old German Shepard mix is Jacky Ogundeji’s service dog. Although pets are not allowed in Red Cross shelters, Missa’s status of a service dog allows her to accompany Jacky.
“I’ve had Missa for two months. Right away I was able to tell how much she helps me with my seizures and panic disorder” Jacky said.
Missa and Jacky are training with Service Animals of America and expect to finish their obedience classes soon.
“My life has been a lot easier and a lot less stressful with her in my life” Jacky says of Missa.
The Red Cross has opened 6 shelters in the Fargo Moorhead area and had a total of 286 shelter residents last night.
Leave a Comment » | North-Central Flooding (Mar 2009) | Tagged: fargo, flood, flooding, floods, human interest, pets, postcard, service animal, shelter residents, shelter service dog | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
March 29, 2009
“As a native Midwesterner spring floods are not foreign to me. Every year as the days get longer and the mercury slowly creeps up, it’s not out of the ordinary to see streams, lakes and rivers creep out of their banks. I have NEVER, however, seen anything like this.
The mighty Red River is immensely swollen. Bridges have been closed. Some roads are impassable. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes. This river and the flood prevention efforts that are taking place in this area are a common topic of conversation among everyone I meet.
Since arriving on Wednesday, I have spent the majority of my time at the Red Cross shelter which is located in the Moorhead High School. The shelter’s 70 residents, although they’ve been evacuated from their homes and face an uncertain future, are upbeat and friendly.
The attitude of the people from the flood affected areas is amazing. The people here will be fine because the Red River can’t take away what matters most… the attitude of this area’s terrific residents.”
Leave a Comment » | North-Central Flooding (Mar 2009) | Tagged: compassion, dike, flooding, floods, human interest, moorhead, optimism, postcard, red cross, red river, relief, shelter | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
March 24, 2009
“I’ve been a Red Cross volunteer since 1993, and have helped this community cope with several major floods. Preparing for and responding to this flood is the most emotionally intense activity I’ve experienced. The crest is projected to be higher than any flood in the history of this city. So, people are understandably anxious and fearful about it’s impact.
Yet, the resilience of the community, the vast outpouring of support for the flood-fighting effort, and the knowledge that we’ve faced difficult floods successfully in the past, contribute to an overall feeling of hopefulness and strength.
As mental health volunteers, we’re encouraging people to stay calm and focused, and to stay connected to friends and neighbors as we face this flood together. Although we can’t control the weather or where the water goes, we can control how we respond to the flood threat.”
Leave a Comment » | North-Central Flooding (Mar 2009) | Tagged: anxiety, emotions, flood, flooding, mental health, postcard, red cross, testimonial, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
March 2, 2009
Back-to-back disasters hit Salem, Alabama this weekend. The area was hit with several tornadoes on Saturday and a snow storm on Sunday.
Update from Jennifer Ryan, Executive Director of the Lee County Chapter:
“We had a F2 tornado touch down in Salem, Alabama on Saturday morning February 28 at about 7 am. The Lee County Red Cross responded as soon as we were cleared by local officials to go into the area.
We set up a feeding and warming center right away and began disaster assessment. We provided mobile feeding services throughout the weekend and caseworkers went door to door meeting with clients and leaving information about how to contact the Red Cross for assistance.
Today we continue to help those affected by the disaster pick up the pieces left behind by the storm.”
Leave a Comment » | Winter Storms (March 2009) | Tagged: al, alabama, f2, ice storm, lee county, photo, photograph, photos, postcard, salem, snow storm, tornado, tornadoes, twister | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
