May 3, 2010
Emotional Support Plus Disaster Relief Provided to Residents
LITTLE ROCK, May 1, 2010–American Red Cross Disaster teams are providing emergency disaster relief to communities around the state affected by last night’s destructive line of tornadoes and storms. Areas being responded to include, but are not limited to Beebe, Benton, Center Ridge, College Station, East End, Greers Ferry and Scotland. “We continue to field calls on damage reports as well as monitor the weather for the possibility of more storms moving through the area,” stated American Red Cross spokesperson Brigette Williams.
Red Cross mental health workers and nurses will make bereavement visits in response to the death of the Scotland resident, as well as check on the injured across the state as well as their families. “Unfortunately this is very much like a Yazoo City (MS) déjà vu with small tight knit communities who know each other or of each other, so the anguish of loss is felt by all,” Stated Williams. “This is where the special touches offered by our mental health workers and nurses are most appreciated by the affected families.”
Red Cross teams are conducting damage assessment to see what other specific disaster needs are called for, as damage can vary by area. In addition to conducting street by street damage reviews, Disaster Teams are equipped with tarps, work gloves, trash bags as well as snacks and water to provide immediate help to individuals working to clean up.
Disaster Teams have also identified areas in Osceola in eastern Arkansas flooding with water levels ranging from 2 inches to 2 feet. “We will provide those residents with clean up kits,” Stated Williams.
“In response to Arkansans calls to help, we ask them to make a donation to 1-800-RedCross or go to www.redcross.org where their contribution goes to provide disaster relief needed to help Arkansans after a disaster,” Explained Williams. Arkansans are also encouraged to go to www.redcross.org to review the emergency preparedness checklist for their individual preparedness for future disasters or emergencies that may occur.
Arkansans can keep updated on Red Cross work across the state on twitter.com/ArkRedCross or on facebook.com/American Red Cross of Greater Arkansas.
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Tornadoes (April/May 2010) | Tagged: American Red Cross, arkansas, assist, comfort, disaster, donate, give, help, hope, tornado, volunteer | 
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Posted by amrecro
April 29, 2010
One last hug was a request from Red Cross worker Vicki Donaldson to Myrtie Harris as they said good-bye outside a Red Cross shelter in Yazoo City. The elderly woman’s stay in the shelter was about two hours. Her home was destroyed in a tornado that ripped through the area. Her family brought her to the shelter while they dealt with the tragic news of a loved one who was killed in the storm. The victim was Harris’ grandson. The family says their grandmother is 101-years-old and had lived in the home she lost all of her life.
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Posted by amrecro
April 29, 2010
Katrina Fennell says she is thankful for the night she and her 9-year-old daughter Lily spent in a Red Cross shelter in Yazoo City. The shelter is located about 4 miles from their home that was destroyed by a tornado, but that’s not all they lost in the storm. Their uncle, 48- year-old Carlton Gould was killed when high winds tossed him while inside of his camper trailer home.
Thanks to a phone call warning Fennell to leave, she escaped with ten children. She recalls seeing from the rear view mirror of her car the debris flying around as she sped away.
“I think that was when the tornado hit” she said, “it was around ten minutes after the call.”
She went to another family member’s home for safety and that evening to the Red Cross shelter. There was plenty of food, water, and a snack for the Fennell’s when they arrived. Red Cross workers even had books and games for Lily. She and her mother smiled. Lily’s was the biggest.
“This is good for tonight, thank you,” said Fennell referring to cots the family pulled together to get some rest.
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Posted by amrecro
April 27, 2010
Photos from Yazoo City, MS response to tornadoes. Please click through for caption and courtesy information.
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Posted by amrecro
April 27, 2010
American Red Cross Service Delivery Update
JACKSON, April 26, 2010 – Following more than a dozen tornadoes and severe weather events across Mississippi, Red Cross workers are continuing to meet the immediate disaster caused needs of those impacted by the recent storms. This may include providing shelter, food, emotional support, and help with replacing medications.
Currently, three Red Cross shelters are open to anyone displaced by the storms. As of late Monday afternoon approximately 35 families had checked in to Red Cross shelters.
Red Cross emergency response vehicles are providing meals in the affected areas as well as working with community partners to serve meals at stationary sites. As of late Monday afternoon some 2,500 meals and snacks had been served.
Red Cross workers continue to gather disaster assessment information throughout the state.
Below are Red Cross shelter locations. Additional shelters are on standby if needed.
L.T. Miller Community Center
930 Lamar Avenue
Yazoo City, MS
Choctaw Community Center
895 College Street
Ackerman, MS
Lexington Municipal Complex
22521 Depot Street
Lexington, MS
For disaster safety tips, visit www.redcross.org.
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Posted by amrecro
April 26, 2010
All photos can be used with proper attribution. Click through for caption and courtesy information.
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Posted by amrecro
April 25, 2010
In addition to responding to the devastating storms in Mississippi last night, the Madison Marshall chapter in Alabama has been busy responding to damage done by tornado touchdowns in DeKalb and Marshall Counties.
The Red Cross opened 1 shelter and is providing material support to 3 others:
Boaz Senior Center
112 Church Street
Boaz, AL
The chapter has deployed Emergency Response Vehicles with shelter supplies to both Marshall and DeKalb Counties.
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Posted by amrecro
April 24, 2010
The Central Mississippi chapter is opening a shelter and there are Emergency Response Vehicles, shelter supplies, and volunteers en route from Jackson and surrounding areas.
Leave a Comment » | Disaster Alerts, Tornadoes (April/May 2010) | Tagged: American Red Cross, donate, help, mississippi, shelter, tornado, volunteer, yazoo city | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
January 20, 2010
Moments after a 6.1 aftershock, volunteer Winnie Romeril speaks with us from Haiti about the humanitarian relief effort.
>> Listen Now
>> Episodes 1-18 of Cross the Globe
You can subscribe to this podcast in iTunes by going to your iTunes Store and searching for “Cross the Globe.”
Leave a Comment » | Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010) | Tagged: aftershock, American Red Cross, audio, donate, earthquake, haiti, help, volunteer, winnie romeril | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
January 17, 2010
Relief materials are being delivered, and more help is on the way by air, land and sea.
Today (Sunday), the Red Cross is setting up a field hospital in Jacmel which will be able to treat approximately 200 people per day.
The Red Cross has already supplied medical kits to treat 2,000 patients, and hundreds of blankets and plastic sheets have also been distributed.
A Red Cross water trucking program is now providing clean water for about 1,000 people living in a makeshift camp in the Delmas neighborhood. Latrines have also been built in the same area to help address sanitation issues.
Over the weekend, three planes carrying Red Cross humanitarian assistance were expected in the region, delivering a field hospital and needed materials such as tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets, shelter supplies and kitchen sets.
Another 20,000 relief items should arrive Monday on a cargo plane provided in partnership with FedEx.
In the days ahead, the Red Cross will begin to provide temporary shelters in Haiti. Kits, containing tarps, rope and tools, as well as tents and blankets, will be made available for an initial 20,000 families.
American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern is going to Haiti on Monday with Red Cross leadership from around the world and will visit relief operations.
The Red Cross is training 40-100 Creole-speaking volunteers who will work as translators on the USS Comfort when Haitians will be brought aboard for medical care.
Leave a Comment » | Haiti earthquake (Jan. 2010) | Tagged: American Red Cross, donate, earthquake, haiti, help, relief, response, supplies, text, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by amrecro
