Seven WNY Volunteers and Two Emergency Response Vehicles Deploying Wednesday Afternoon

Red Cross helping people after storm affects lives in multiple states

Lavallette, NJ

BUFFALO, NY, October 31, 2012 – The American Red Cross has a huge relief response underway to Sandy, providing people across a number of states with a safe place to stay, food to eat and comfort during this difficult time. Thousands of people have spent the night in hundreds of Red Cross shelters since the storm began its onslaught on the country. The Red Cross has already served more than 100,800 meals and snacks and mobilized more than 2,300 disaster workers and almost 200 emergency vehicles so far and more are being deployed.

The Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) based in Niagara County deployed with two volunteers from the Western New York region Wednesday afternoon, and five additional volunteers and a second ERV deployed from the Jamestown office. They will be driving to the operational headquarters in White Plains, NY, where they will then be assigned to the affected areas.

A total of 25 volunteers from the Western New York region have been deployed to assist in the Red Cross response to Sandy so far. Below is a current list, with those deploying Wednesday afternoon 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

Martin Doster, Getzville               Feeding/ERV

Marieanna Elliott, Hamburg      Disaster Mental Health

Marianne Evans, Ransomville          Mass Care/Sheltering

James France, Amherst                Feeding/ERV

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

Hollyann Moffett, Dunkirk          Mass Care/Sheltering

Diane Sargent, Lockport                     Disaster Assessment

Michael Schultz, Kenmore                 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

William Tucker, Jamestown        Mass Care/Sheltering

SWNY Volunteer, Bemus Point   Feeding/ERV

SWNY Volunteer, Bemus Point   Feeding/ERV

Dawn Zaker, Niagara Falls                 Mass Care/Sheltering

“This response to Sandy is just getting started. The storm has left devastation in its wake and we will be helping people for weeks to come,” said Nancy Blaschak, Executive Director of the American Red Cross, WNY Region. “This will be very costly and the Red Cross needs help now. We ask everyone to support us as we help people recover from this massive storm.”

HOW TO HELP The response to Sandy is very large and very costly and the Red Cross needs the public’s help now. People can make a financial donation by visiting www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD The storm has also caused the cancellation of hundreds of Red Cross blood drives, resulting in a loss of as many as 11,000 blood products and people are eligible are asked to schedule a blood donation now, especially if they live outside the areas impacted by the storm.

To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood, people can visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To give blood, someone must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health. Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them.  Some states allow 16-year-olds to give with parental consent.

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.

Red Cross Shelter in Silver Creek Closed

Locations remain on standby across WNY as response to Sandy continues

BUFFALO, NY, October 30, 2012 – At approximately 11:30pm Monday, October 29, American Red Cross volunteers opened a shelter at the Silver Creek Central School following a non-mandatory evacuation order for areas along streams issued by the Chautauqua County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The shelter remained open overnight to accommodate evacuees, but no residents were served at the shelter and at the request of the EOC, the shelter was shut down at approximately 7:30 this morning.

The Silver Creek Central School is one of several potential shelter locations that remain on standby throughout the eight counties of the Western New York region. Red Cross Emergency Services personnel continue to monitor the situation and are in contact with local government agencies to coordinate the response to this storm.

Red Cross shelter in Pleasantville, NJ

Hurricane Sandy is a large disaster with an even larger footprint. Nearly 11,000 people spent Monday night in 258 Red Cross shelters in 16 states. Over 2,000 residents sought shelter in the Greater NY Region, and that number is expected to grow as there are widespread power outages, damaged homes and flooded neighborhoods throughout the NYC area.

Nine volunteers from the WNY region were deployed downstate ahead of the storm to assist in the Red Cross relief operations. It is expected that several additional volunteers from this area will be deployed once it is deemed safe for them to do so, and Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) from both Niagara Falls and Jamestown are on alert.

This will be a large, costly relief response across several states. 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.

Red Cross Responding to Hurricane Sandy

Nine volunteers deployed downstate; shelter locations and volunteers on standby across WNY Region

BUFFALO, NY, Monday, October 29, 2012 — The American Red Cross is responding across multiple states as Hurricane Sandy bears down on the East Coast. A High Wind Warning is in effect for all of Western New York from 5pm Monday until 2pm Tuesday, with winds gusting as high as 60mph, and these potentially damaging winds could cause widespread power outages. A Flood Watch is also in affect for the entire region during that same timeframe, with two to three inches of rainfall expected, and a Lakeshore Flood Warning is in effect for Niagara, Orleans and Chautauqua Counties.

The American Red Cross has potential shelter locations and volunteers on standby throughout the eight counties of the Western New York region, ready to respond as needed. The Red Cross is also working closely with government officials to plan and coordinate the relief response.

Important information about how to get ready for the storm – steps to take for emergencies like flooding, power outages, even winter weather - is available on the Red Cross web site. Videos are also available to help people get prepared, including information on severe weather preparedness and how to get ready for winter weather. To find a shelter, people can download the Red Cross Hurricane app, visit the Red Cross web site, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or check local media outlets. They should also register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website, a secure and easy-to-use online tool that helps families connect during emergencies. To register, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). This site also connects with the Twitter and Facebook accounts of users.

In addition, nine volunteers from the Western New York Region have been deployed to White Plains, NY to assist in the Red Cross relief efforts, and Emergency Response Vehicles (ERV’s) from both Niagara County and Jamestown are on alert. Here is a full list of local volunteers currently deployed to assist in the response to Hurricane Sandy:

·         James Collingwood of Amherst for External Relations/Government Operations

·         Tom Daley of Tonawanda for Mass Care/Sheltering

·         Janice Davis of Friendship for Disaster Health Services

·         Marianne Evans of Ransomville for Mass Care/Sheltering

·         Michael Hoplight of Niagara Falls as a Logistics Supervisor

·         Tara Hughes of Amherst as Disaster Mental Health Chief

·         Margaret McGee-Smith of Kenmore for Disaster Mental Health in Harrisburg, PA

·         Beth Shook of Cuba for Staff Services

·         Dawn Zaker of Niagara Falls for Mass Care/Sheltering

The large and powerful storm could affect as many as 60 million people in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and the Red Cross has workers and relief supplies in place to provide help to people in the path of Sandy.

The effects of the storm are already being felt with 128 people spending Saturday night in Red Cross shelters in North Carolina and Virginia. Red Cross workers are preparing to open and support more shelters today as the storm moves northward.

Almost 100 Red Cross emergency vehicles are mobilizing to distribute meals and relief supplies after the storm passes. Thousands of ready-to-eat meals and relief supplies such as cots and blankets are also being sent into the region.

HOW TO HELP  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. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Volunteer Diane Sargent in Florida
earlier in 2012

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD The storm has already caused the cancellation of Red Cross blood drives in the region, and more cancellations are expected. This has resulted in the loss of several hundred units of blood and platelets so far. The Red Cross has shipped blood products to hospitals in the affected area in advance of the storm as patients will still need blood and platelets despite the weather. If anyone is eligible, especially in places not affected by the storm, they are asked to please schedule a blood donation now.

To schedule a blood donation or get more information about giving blood, people can visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To give blood, someone must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health. 

Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them.  Some states allow 16-year-olds to give with parental consent.

RED CROSS APPS People should download the free Red Cross Hurricane and First Aid apps for mobile devices to have emergency information at their fingertips. The Hurricane App keeps people up to date on the situation with weather alerts, locations of Red Cross shelters, and features a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and alarm. The “I’m Safe” button lets someone use social media sites to tell family and friends they are okay. And it’s available in Spanish by changing the language setting on someone’s smart phone to Spanish before downloading.  The First Aid app includes expert advice for everyday emergencies. The apps can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.