Nine WNY Volunteers Deploying Wednesday to Assist in Sandy Relief Efforts

Nearly 11,000 people across 16 states spent Monday night in Red Cross shelters

BUFFALO, NY, October 30, 2012 – The American Red Cross is continuing a major relief operation throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast to shelter and assist people affected by Superstorm Sandy. Millions awoke this morning to power outages, fallen trees, scattered debris, and flooded neighborhoods and the Red Cross is working hard to get help where it is needed.  Nine volunteers from the Western New York region will be deploying downstate Wednesday morning to assist the relief efforts in some of the areas hardest hit by the storm.

The nine volunteers will be leaving at 9am Wednesday morning from our Regional Headquarters, located at 786 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, and will be available for interviews at that time. The volunteers will be driving to the operational headquarters in White Plains, NY, where they will then be assigned to the affected areas. Nine additional volunteers were deployed in advance of the storm, bringing the total number of Western New Yorkers assisting in the Red Cross response to 18, and it is expected several more will be deployed in the coming days. Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) from Niagara Falls and Jamestown remain on alert, and are expected to be deployed with additional volunteers within the next 48 hours.

Below is a current list of Western New York volunteers who have been deployed to assist in the Red Cross response, with those deploying Wednesday listed in bold:

NAME, HOMETOWN                      FUNCTION                                                             

James Collingwood, Amherst                  External Relations/Government Operations

Tom Daley, Tonawanda                          Mass Care/Sheltering

Janice Davis, Friendship                          Disaster Health Services

Marianne Evans, Ransomville                Mass Care/Sheltering

Allison Hall, Buffalo                            Disaster Mental Health

Michael Hoplight, Niagara Falls             Mass Care/Shelter Supervisor

Tara Hughes, Amherst                             Disaster Mental Health Chief

Norman Kehl, Strykersville              Mass Care/Sheltering

Jose Latalladi, Buffalo                        Financial & Statistical Information

Rosalind Lind, Medina                       Mass Care/Sheltering

Margaret McGee-Smith, Kenmore         Disaster Mental Health

Diane Sargent, Lockport                    Disaster Assessment

Michael Schultz, Buffalo                    External Relations/Public Affairs
Beth Shook, Cuba                                     Staff Services

Katherine Story, West Seneca          Disaster Health Services

Peter Swales, Springville                   Disaster Assessment

Terry Sweet, P0rtageville                  Mass Care/Sheltering

Dawn Zaker, Niagara Falls                      Mass Care/Sheltering

In the Greater New York region, more than 2,000 residents sought shelter with the Red Cross Monday after Sandy caused widespread power outages, damaged homes and flooded neighborhoods, and those numbers are expected to increase. Nationwide, nearly 11,000 people spent Monday night in more than 250 Red Cross shelters across 16 states. The Red Cross has mobilized 1,700 disaster workers from all over the country who have served more than 25,000 meals and snacks so far. We have also activated 167 response vehicles and shipped in more than 230,000 ready-to-eat meals. This is a huge disaster, bigger than any one organization can handle and the Red Cross is working closely with multiple partners including a variety of civic groups, advocacy organizations, professional organizations and houses of worship to share their expertise and volunteers.

People can let their loved ones know how they are by using the “I’m Safe” button on the Red Cross Hurricane App which can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross. People can also register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to let loved ones know they are okay. To register, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

National Guardsmen from Connecticut Street Armory in
Buffalo load up Red Cross cots before assisting in Sandy
Relief efforts

FINANCIAL AND BLOOD DONATIONS NEEDED This is a large disaster with an even larger footprint. Financial donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Approximately 300 Red Cross blood drives have already been cancelled due to the storm, and more are expected. The Red Cross is urging immediate blood and platelet donations in areas unaffected by this storm and asks that people in the affected areas consider donating blood once the storm passes through and it’s safe to do so.

Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet height and weight requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height), and who are generally in good health may be eligible to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, please go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.