Generous Spirits: Residents Keep Watch for One Another Across Puerto Rico

Editor's note: Volunteer Winnie Romeril from Wheeler, Steuben County, is currently in Puerto Rico supporting the Maria relief efforts. Click here to learn more about the response and how you can help. 

“You can’t get your Red Cross truck up the road to El Salto, it’s too steep,” said the people waiting in line for supplies in the wake of Hurricane Maria’s devastating blow to Puerto Rico. One after another echoed concern for these neighbors who weren’t present for the relief distribution of water, tarps, flashlights, baby formula, hand sanitizer and other items.

“El Salto” consists of 10 remote homes on a hilltop, all made of wood. It’s hard to imagine homes more remote than this valley. San Lorenzo, Morovis, is a town of around 1700 people, nestled deep in the center of the island. Red Cross relief workers drove for hours up and down mostly one lane roads to get here. Toppled electrical poles and broken bamboo forests, recently cleared mudslides and swollen, muddy waterfalls threatened this route around every dizzying, hairpin turn. 

If El Salto homes were all made of wood, this is bad news because the hurricane’s path

Red Cross distribution site in Barrio San Lorenzo

went directly over this area. Additionally, “home made of wood” is practically code for “I have no roof” across Puerto Rico. By and large, cement homes held up better, unless a tree or electrical pole fell on it. Everyone suffered water damage regardless, but Red Cross teams in this area were particularly targeting families missing a roof over their heads.

It’s dusk when the team finishes helping the last families in line. Still, none of the families from El Salto have appeared. Many hours of difficult driving on unlit winding mountain roads to get to a main artery leading to San Juan await the team. Suddenly, a pickup pulls up alongside Red Cross volunteers clearing away boxes and plastic wrapping from around empty pallets of unloaded supplies. “Please take this to another community that needs it more,” the driver points to the back of the truck. 

Volunteer Rut Gonzalez, Distribution Team Lead
in Barrio San Lorenzo

“They received more baby formula than needed by all the mom’s in this town,” explains 20 year-old distribution team lead Rut Gonzalez. “The military dropped it off and now they want the Red Cross to give it to people who are worse off than they are. All the mom’s here with infants say they have enough to feed their babies right now.”

“I am so touched by their selflessness,” reflects Rut, who joined the Red Cross after Hurricane Maria shut down her university. Her uncle is a Red Cross zone leader and encouraged her to get involved. She is working 15-hour days, 6 days a week, riding in the front of a box truck with a Teamsters driver, delivering supplies to town after town. Several cars of Red Cross volunteers together with Teamsters and FDNY volunteers complete each of the 15-20 convoys that spread out across the island each day. The Red Cross has reached every one of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities, but due to the limited supplies available until now on the island, more trucks and supplies are needed to adequately care for every affected community.

Just as the team is about to shut the door on the truck, a woman from El Salto is flagged down by San Lorenzo residents. At the Red Cross team’s request, and at the urging of her valley neighbors, she agrees to deliver 16’x20’ tarps to each of the families. Happy to have succeeded in helping Puerto Rican families people who needed help the most, the community members eagerly loaded the tarps into her car and disperse. As darkness falls in the mountain valley, and the Red Cross departs for San Juan, only the truck’s headlights— and the flashlights the team just handed out— light the night. 

-Story and photos by Winnie Romeril, American Red Cross

Three Regional Volunteers Deploying to Support South Carolina Flood Relief

22 Western and Central NY volunteers have been part of relief efforts

Sunday, October 18, 2015— As people in South Carolina continue to clean up after the recent devastating flooding, the American Red Cross is working alongside community partners to provide help and support throughout the affected communities.

Three additional Western and Central New York volunteers have or will be deploying to South Carolina this weekend, making a total of 22 Regional volunteers who are supporting the relief efforts. James Segerson of Rochester deployed on Saturday, while Lucille Frisicano of Webster traveled on Sunday. Both Frisicano and Segerson will be working in Health Services.

Jay Bonafede, a Tonawanda resident and Marion, NY native, will be deploying to South Carolina on Monday to volunteer in Public Affairs. 

More than 800 Red Cross workers and 45 response vehicles have been deployed to South Carolina to help. Many residents have been able to return home, but as many as 190 people spent Thursday night in four Red Cross and community shelters in South Carolina. The Red Cross is working with community partners to distribute meals and relief supplies both at central distribution sites and throughout affected communities. Items include comfort kits containing personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies such as tarps, flashlights, trash bags, shovels, rakes, bleach and work gloves, as well as hot meals. Since the flooding began, the Red Cross has distributed thousands of relief items and more than 100,000 meals and snacks.

Red Cross caseworkers are meeting one-on-one with people to create recovery plans, navigate paperwork and connect them with resources. In some situations, the Red Cross is providing direct financial support to people who need extra help. The Red Cross is also providing health and mental health services, offering comfort and helping to replace lost eyeglasses and medications. Recovering from a disaster takes time and the Red Cross will be on the ground helping residents in the weeks and months ahead as they get back on their feet.

The Red Cross relies on financial contributions to provide help and comfort to disaster victims anywhere, anytime. You can help people affected by disasters like floods, home fires and countless other crises by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. 

Meet John Dowd

Volunteer John Dowd of Auburn recently returned from Oklahoma, one of over a dozen Western and Central NY volunteers who have deployed in the past month to help in Red Cross relief efforts following severe weather across the country. The public affairs team in Oklahoma caught up with John on his last day with the operation:

John Dowd on assignment in Oklahoma

ARDMORE, OK June 19, 2015 -- Standing in the doorway of the Ardmore Red Cross office, John Dowd extends his hand and offers a warm welcome to fellow Red Crossers walking through the front door.

"Hello there, I'm John.  Nice to meet you. Welcome!" His blue eyes beaming sincerely smiling.

John is a caseworker for the Red Cross.

After Tropical Storm Bill, John accepted the opportunity to deploy.  Accepted the challenge of uprooting his life, putting his personal affairs on pause.  He accepted the challenge to help those suffering in Oklahoma.

One community impacted, Ardmore. He's responded and assisted families who were hit hard by the heavy rain the damaging flood waters.

Two weeks.

Fourteen days.

Today he's heading back.  Today he's going home to New York. Syracuse.

"I guess...I feel a connection with Oklahoma now.  I'm going to go home, but Oklahoma will always be with me.  We gave them a little hope I think," he said, removing his Red Cross hat as he wiped his brow.

"I'm looking forward to seeing my dog again," he continued, taking out his phone, flipping through photos of a delighted Beagle.

What makes the Red Cross one of the world's most prestigious non-profits is its ability to respond to disasters. Its ability to mobilize volunteers at a moment's notice.  John exemplifies that power -- a volunteer from New York responding to assist those suffering.

There are countless volunteers like John making a difference helping those impacted by disasters stand on their feet again.

For more on the Red Cross response to recent storms, visit http://www.redcross.org/news-events/news?tag=Severe+Weather+2015. To learn how you can help by becoming a Red Cross volunteer, visit http://www.redcross.org/ny/syracuse/volunteer

Volunteers Deploying to help in Flooding, Wildfire Relief Efforts

Two volunteers from the Western and Central New York Region are deploying this week to assist in American Red Cross relief efforts across the country.

Lorraine Morris of Bath, NY is deploying to Alaska Friday, where she will serve in Disaster Services Technology/Computer Operations in the response to recent wildfires. 

Herbert Wolfe of Rochester traveled to Louisiana Thursday to serve as Disaster Assessment Manager in the flood relief efforts. Wolfe will take teams into some of the hardest hit areas to assess the need and make sure relief is provided where it is needed most.

Lockport, NY's Diane Sargent in Oklahoma in May 2015

Across the country, relentless rain and raging wildfires have forced people from their homes, and the Red Cross is there providing support and comfort. Just this week alone, the Red Cross has helped people in 14 states affected by floods and wildfires.  Almost 250 people impacted by the flooding and fires spend Wednesday night in Red Cross shelters in Texas, Alaska, California, Arizona, Indiana and Idaho. Over the past few weeks, more than 2,790 trained Red Cross workers have served more than 590,000 meals and snacks, distributed 150,000 relief items and opened more than 85 shelters, providing 3,400 shelter stays.

HOW TO HELP A donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief can help provide food, water and shelter for someone who has to leave their home. Help people affected by disasters like floods, wildfires and other emergencies by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

DOWNLOAD THE EMERGENCY APP The Red Cross “Emergency” app can help keep you and your loved ones safe by putting vital information in your hand for more than 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts, including flooding and wildfires. You can find it in smartphone app stores by searching for American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

Seven Regional Volunteers Spending Holiday Serving in Storm Response Efforts

American Red Cross volunteers Lucille Frisicano of Webster and Diane Sargent of Lockport are deploying to Oklahoma Monday to assist in the Red Cross relief efforts following recent tornadoes and severe weather. Frisicano will serve as a Health Services Supervisor, while Sargent will be a Disaster Assessment Supervisor

Frisicano and Sargent become the sixth annd seventh volunteers from the Western and Central New York Region deployed to help in the Red Cross response to severe storms across the country:

NAME, HOMETOWN                   LOCATION               ACTIVITY

Lee Campfield, Apalachin                 Texas                          Feeding Supervisor

Tom Daley, Tonawanda                    Texas                          Client Casework

Lucille Frisicano, Webster                Oklahoma                   Health Services Supervisor

Greg Langen, Pittsford                      Texas                          Disaster Assessment

Donald Nelson, Endwell                   Texas                          Sheltering Supervisor

Sarah Perkins, Pittsford                    Texas                          Disaster Assessment
Diane Sargent, Lockport                   Oklahoma                  Disaster Assessment                  

The American Red Cross continues to help people affected by the ongoing severe weather, providing shelter, food and support as those impacted by the storms figure out what to do next.

 

Red Cross shelters are still open in Oklahoma and Texas. Red Cross workers have been providing shelter and food, cleaning supplies, health and mental health services, helping with damage assessment and meeting with families to help plan their next steps. Emergency response vehicles are traveling through the affected areas, bringing people food and relief supplies and Resource Centers are also open where people can come to be helped by multiple organizations. In the days and weeks ahead, the Red Cross will also provide health services and emotional support as residents begin to recover from the storms.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Nearly every second of every day, the Red Cross delivers help and hope. And we couldn’t be there without the generous support of the American public. On June 2, join the American Red Cross for our inaugural Giving Day, a 24-hour fundraising campaign to support those in need in communities across the country. Together, let’s go “all in” and make one day count. Schedule your donation today for Giving Day at redcross.org/givingday. You can also help build awareness by using the hashtag #allin1day on Twitter and Facebook.

Jennifer's deployment story

Jennifer Schaefer

Jennifer Schaefer of Syracuse recently returned after spending a week in Oklahoma, volunteering with Health Services as part of the Red Cross response to recent severe weather. We asked the registered nurse, who volunteers regularly with the Greater Rochester Chapter, to share her experience. Even though she says, "I always hate when people ask what I do on a deployment. I usually forget exactly what I do, to be honest. It is just a blur of days, people, late nights and early mornings," she provided this first-hand account of just one day on a deployment.

Deployment Day Two - Oklahoma City Disaster Response Operation:

Oklahoma Tornado damage. Photo credit: Jennifer Schaefer

It is always hard to describe what I do when people ask. I hold people's hands while they cry about losing their homes, family heirlooms, pets and loved ones. I make sure that the elderly woman who has not eaten in two days because she is living in a home with no electricity or working gas gets a hot meal, a promise of more hot meals and the option of a safer place to stay. 

I talk to other volunteers. I genuinely want to get to know my fellow Red Cross friends, but being a nurse puts a twist on social interaction. Being a nurse on a deployment means every interaction is evaluated, every person's needs are checked. I ended up pulling a volunteer off the job today because he was trying to work his shift after having an eye exam that left his vision blurry. These volunteers never think about themselves, so it is my job to always ask and evaluate.
As a nurse, there is no "downtime." I am checking on my roommate as she shares about her day. I ask my waitress at breakfast how the storms have affected her life and community. I even self-check. I    make time to go to the gym or talk to my family. I give hugs, rides to fellow volunteers and advice. I say, "Thank You. Thank You. Thank You." 

Oklahoma Tornado damage. Photo credit: Jennifer Schaefer

It is hard to worry yourself, about your own problems, when you see the destroyed homes and children's toys broken and upturned. It is difficult to hold back the tears sometimes, but most of all it is difficult to not be grateful. I can see how lucky I truly am and that is what keeps me coming back.

I not only help others rebuild their lives but I rebuilt my own. I started volunteering after I lost two loved ones, a job and a relationship in a short period of time. I was lost and more depressed then I had ever been in my life. That was over a year and a half ago. Today, I have my dream job working with the New York State Department of Health. I get to help children be safer and healthier every day, and you know why I got the job?  The people I interviewed with valued my volunteer service. The American Red Cross turned my life around and helped me find my true calling in my darkest moments. So what else can I say but thank you...


No, Jennifer. Thank YOU for all you do for the Red Cross and the community. Welcome home!

If Jennifer's story has inspired you, click here to learn more about how you can become a Red Cross volunteer!

Two from Western & Central Red Cross Deploying to Help in Winter Storm Relief

UPDATED: A third Regional volunteer is also deploying to assist in the efforts

A third American Red Cross volunteer from the Western and Central New York Region is deploying to Boston, MA to help in the winter storm relief efforts. Diane Sargent of Lockport will be doing Disaster Assessment, going into affected areas to gauge where help is needed most.

Sargent joins Regional Disaster Program Officer Kenneth J. Turner of Buffalo, who will serve as Divisional Management Response Team (DMRT) Director, and volunteer Sarah Perkins of Pittsford, who will serve as Disaster Assessment Lead. All three recently served in leadership roles during the response to the Western New York Snowstorm in November 2014.

As people begin to dig out from the Northeast blizzard, the American Red Cross is helping, making sure people have food and a safe place to stay. The Red Cross opened or supported 24 shelters in Massachusetts, where more than 340 people spent Tuesday night in Red Cross and independent shelters. Red Cross workers also served more than 4,800 meals and snacks in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

While this storm did not affect Western & Central New York, the American Red Cross urges everyone to take this time to prepare themselves and their loved ones for disasters like winter storms. The Red Cross is partnering with New York State to offer free Citizen Preparedness Corps Training. A trained Red Cross representative will provide a comprehensive overview on how to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural and man-made disasters. A 15-minute online version of this program is also available at http://prepare.ny.gov/online-citizen-preparedness-training  (select Red Cross from the referral dropdown menu), or to schedule an in-person Citizen Preparedness Corps training, please contact Individual and Community Preparedness Specialist Veronica Chiesi Brown at 585-241-4405 or veronica.chiesibrown@redcross.org.

The Red Cross relies on financial contributions to provide help and comfort to disaster victims anywhere, anytime. You can help people affected by disasters like winter storms, home fires and countless other crises by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. 

Red Cross to Distribute Clean-Up Kits in Storm Affected Areas

The American Red Cross will be distributing free clean-up kits and other materials to help residents as they begin to recover from last week’s devastating lake effect snowstorm. Clean-up kits-including brooms, buckets, work and rubber gloves, bleach, tarps, shovels and more- will be available while supplies last, along with information on what to do after a flood and specially-trained Disaster Mental Health volunteers to help area residents deal with the emotional impact of this storm.

WHAT:          Red Cross clean-up materials distribution

WHEN:         Wednesday, November 26, 2pm-5pm

                        Friday, November 28, 11am-2pm

WHERE:      Iroquois Middle School, 2111 Girdle Road, Elma

                        St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran, 3512 Clinton Street, West Seneca                   

The Salvation Army will be providing hot meals at both locations on both Wednesday and Friday as they continue to support the relief efforts. The Salvation Army has provided over 2,000 meals since the relief efforts began last week. Volunteers from the Southern Baptists will also be supporting the distribution, joining some of the 114 Red Cross staff and volunteers currently working on the relief efforts.

The Red Cross continues to operate a shelter at Iroquois Middle School, where six people spent Monday night. Four Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) have been bringing food, water and additional support directly into the hardest hit areas, and Disaster Assessment teams have been assessing the damage and helping guide the response efforts.

The Red Cross continues to work with emergency officials at the state, county and local level to monitor developments and ensure that community needs are being met as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.

Winnie's Philippine Relief Diary Part 2

Editors note: Our own Winnie Romeril is currently in the Philippines, volunteering with the Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts. Below is part two of a running diary Winnie is sharing about her experience there. Click here for part one. 

Today I sat with Tito Aure and Lady B. Tito is a university professor who sits on the local Red Cross board and acts as their MC at important events, such as today’s visit of Richard Gordon, Chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross. The microphone Tito grips is repaired with cellophane tape and the cord is woven through his fingers in a special pattern, the only way it will work. “This microphone is a survivor of Yolanda, just like us,” he flashes a wry smile, using the name Philippinos call last November’s killer-storm Typhoon Haiyan.

Tito sent his family to Manila before Yolanda hit. He stayed in Tacloban, working late into the night pre-landfall with hundreds of other Red Cross volunteers packaging food and other relief items for distribution post-landfall. “We knew it was a big storm coming, but we did not understand this term ‘storm surge.’ It’s even hard for us to say, ‘storm surge,’” he slowly enunciates.

“Lady B” as she is known on the air, a.k.a. Evelyn Baccol, owns a local TV channel in Tacloban, Anaton Channel 7, AAC-24. She quickly agrees about the confusing term. “We reported on the storm surge, but no one really understood how it would look. If they had explained to us that it would be like a tidal wave or a tsunami, we would have reported it that way. Then the people would have understood and moved inland. Lives could have been saved.” The storm death toll stands at 6,200 with 1,785 still missing.

Lady B lost all her possessions in the storm- in her home and, it seems more importantly to her, at her office, including all her equipment for broadcasting, interviewing and video recording. She doesn’t talk about the night Yolanda made landfall. I can only imagine why. Harrowing accounts of narrowly escaping from fast-rising ocean waters in your living room and treading water in the dark while your neighbors corpses float by are practically commonplace here in Tacloban. “I was so badly traumatized I could not report on the situation.” She left the city for a while to stay with her parents in Samar, the island to the north. “I am back now, but I still go home often. Having family is so comforting,” she says holding a professional grade camera in one hand, a gift from her daughter who works in Oklahoma.

I ask, “May I take a photo? I want my friends to meet you.”

They lean in for the shot. A pink banner in solidarity with Tacloban from Red Cross chapters across the Philippines serves as a backdrop. “Tell them we are smiling, not like victims, but as survivors. We have survived and we will rebuild,” Tito says. “Please tell everyone you talk to how grateful we are for their prayers, support, every little show of solidarity has meant so much to us. Thank them all.”

“Tell them we are smiling, not like victims, but as survivors. We have survived and we will rebuild,” Tito Aura of the Red Cross says.

Red Cross chapters across the Philippines signed this banner to show their solidarity with Tacloban, ground zero for Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda.

Philippines Typhoon relief, first hand

Winnie Romeril in Palo. Leyte in the Philippines

There's a lot of people I'm proud to have gotten to know during my three-plus years with the American Red Cross. One of the best is Winnie Romeril. In addition to serving as the NYS Disaster Public Affairs Lead, Winnie travels all over the world to work on International Red Cross relief efforts. I first got to know Winnie as she shared the story of her time helping earthquake victims in Haiti in 2010. Now, she's oversees again, this time helping victims of Typhoon Haiyan as part of the ongoing Red Cross relief efforts.

Below is Winnie's first hand report, shared on her Facebook page, of her first days helping the people devastated by last November's storm. We will continue to keep you posted on the work Winnie and her fellow Red Cross volunteers are able to do, thanks to your support. And Winnie, thanks for all that you do, and stay safe!!
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Impressions at 4 a.m. Entering Day Two

I can’t sleep. My mind is filled with vivid images from yesterday. 

From Winnie Romeril:"Typhoon-damaged building on the east coast 
of the Island of Leyte."

We drive through miles of lush green rice paddies punctuated by graceful white herons. Occasionally we see people working the fields, cows finding shade under storm-felled coconut trees, the brightly-colored Philippine flag twisting in the hot, humid breeze. It looks deceptively refreshing. It is not. The heat here is impressive. We stand in the sun for hours with the Philippine Red Cross volunteers organizing and carrying out the relief distributions. I sweat off my sunscreen in minutes. Reapplying it is futile. I feel very far away indeed from my snowy home 13 time zones away.  

The smiling chorus of “Thank you, mam’! Thank you for helping us!” evaporates my petty discomfort. 

The full relief package is too much for one person to carry, especially for the elderly and pregnant women. So village men join the Red Cross volunteers ushering their neighbors through the line with their arms full of mats, mosquito nets, tarps, boxes and bags of food, and other relief supplies. When everyone has received their goods, the men get their turn.

From Winnie Romeril: "Relief supplies are precariously
piled up on this bicycle taxi. Volunteers form the community
help the elderly, pregnant women and other vulnerable people
get the relief supplies to their homes."

Relief distributions need lots of space— for people to assemble, trucks to line up, and for survivors to gather up their supplies. Every barangay (town) has one perfect space for this. THE singular most important outdoor meeting space in every village is… (drum roll, please)… the basketball court. I had no idea Philippinos love basketball so much! 

Last November’s Typhoon Haiyan, known here in the Philippines as Yolanda, was the strongest storm in history to make landfall. The basketball courts, being flat and made of cement, weathered the torrential rains and devastating winds better than any other structure. 

Many inland villages were 70-95% destroyed by the typhoon. Survivors tell stories of their houses being swept away by raging rivers or blown away by the gale-force winds. The more highly populated costal cities were served first. It’s disaster triage. Care for the highest number of survivors in the quickest way possible. 

From Winnie Romeril: "As in other recent disasters,
like Haiti, The Red Cross decided not to place our logo
on the emergency shelter tarps handed out in the immediate
aftermath of the storm. The light grey tarps with dark
grey stripes are from us. Survivors form previous disasters,
such as the 2004 tsunami, complained that it was
undignified to have our logo on their home. Sworn to uphold
dignity, we have decided as a global Red Cross movement
to no longer label our tarps. In Haiti, all sorts of reporters
and congress people said they didn't see the Red Cross
relief anywhere as they posed for interviews
with thousands of our tarps as their backdrop."

Locals are making notable progress nearly three months on. Here and there alongside the rice paddies we see newly framed out structures of freshly milled coconut wood- not normally a common construction material since the wood is soft. However with 33 million coconut trees damaged or destroyed, people are using what they have available. It will take years to fully recover, but today they got a boost to help them along the way.

Returning Volunteers Share Stories of CNY Relief Efforts

Diane Sargent of Lockport sent this picture
of the flooding in Onieda during the first of
her two deployments to assist in the relief efforts.

Once again, our incredible volunteers have come through to help our neighbors in need, this time a little closer to home. A total of 29 volunteers from the Western New York and Finger Lakes Regions have deployed as part of the flooding relief efforts in Central New York. While many of them--including Chief Disaster Officer Ken Turner, who is leading the operation in CNY--remain deployed, some of the volunteers have started making their way back home.

"I saw people in different stages of exhaustion," Carmella Bartimole, a Disaster Mental Health volunteer from Olean, said of her first deployment. "Some had just finished cleaning up, and then were flooded out again. People told me they had lived there their whole life and never seen anything like this."

Volunteers hand out water and clean-up items to area residents

"When I was out in the community doing Disaster Assessment, I saw some houses with water in their first floor, others whose basements were full of water," said Norm Kehl of Strykersville, who also worked in Bulk Distribution during his deployment to the Little Falls and Herkimer area. "We went to a store parking lot with 3-4 trucks filled with water, clean-up kits and other items. They were wiped out. People were very receptive, thinking us for being there."

"I think it was a source of comfort for people to see the American Red Cross on the scene," added Bartimole, who says she is looking forward to deploying again. "It refurbished my faith in people, seeing the community come together like that."

WNY Red Cross Volunteer Deploying to Oklahoma

Tornado relief will continue over Memorial Day Weekend

BUFFALO, NY, May 24, 2013 – An American Red Cross volunteer from Western New York is deploying to assist in the tornado relief efforts in Oklahoma. Tom Daley of Tonawanda is scheduled to leave Saturday and will serve in Client Casework, meeting one-on-one with affected residents to determine their needs. 

 A Red Cross volunteer gives supplies to a soldier from
Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma who is helping
families clean up after the tornado.
Photo by Jason Colston/American Red Cross 

The American Red Cross tornado relief effort in Oklahoma will continue through the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Emergency aid stations and shelters will be open and disaster workers will be handing out food and relief supplies to those affected by this week’s devastating storms.

Ten emergency aid stations are open where people can come to get food, relief supplies, health and mental health care and information about what other help is available. In addition, meals are available at feeding sites and being distributed throughout the community, along with relief supplies.

Red Cross and community shelters are open in Oklahoma and Texas following tornadoes over the past week, and more than 600 people spent Thursday night in those shelters. The Red Cross has also:

• Provided more than 24,000 meals working with its partner, the Southern Baptist Convention.
• Distributed more than 5,000 relief items including personal toiletries and recovery items like coolers, buckets, gloves, dust masks, trash bags, flashlights, tarps, shovels, rakes and blankets.
• Provided more than 200 health and mental health contacts. Health services volunteers are working with the Medical Reserve Corps to visit the injured in local hospitals and helping people replace prescriptions and other medical items at emergency aid stations. Mental health workers are providing emotional support in shelters and emergency aid stations.
• Mobilized more than 350 Red Cross workers from all over the country to help the people in Oklahoma.
• Deployed 41 Red Cross emergency response vehicles to distribute food and relief supplies throughout neighborhoods.
• Helped comfort those affected through its spiritual care teams.

HOW TO HELP Those who would like to help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations help provide food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by disasters.

Celebrate Safely This Memorial Day

These are busy times for us. Of course, our hearts go out to the people of Moore, OK and everyone affected by this week's devastating tornadoes. The Red Cross relief efforts will continue throughout the holiday weekend and the days and weeks ahead.

Here in Western New York, we're also getting ready for the 15th Anniversary of The BASH, which believe it or not is two weeks from today. During your long holiday weekend, take a look at some of the great auction items that will be up for bid this year, and then get your tickets for the party of the summer!

Of course, many people consider Memorial Day Weekend to be the unofficial kickoff to summer. Thousands of people will be hitting the roads, firing up the grills, and hitting the water (as hard as that may be to believe with our temperatures in the 40s right now). Here's some safety tips everyone can follow not just this weekend, but throughout the summer months ahead!

DRIVE SAFELY With more people on the roads, it’s important to drive safely. Be well rested and alert, use seat belts, observe speed limits and follow the rules of the road. If plans include drinking alcohol, designate a driver who won’t drink. Other tips for a safe trip include:

• Give one’s full attention to the road.  Avoid distractions such as cell phones.
• Don’t follow another vehicle too closely.
• Use caution in work zones.
• Make frequent stops. 
• Clean the vehicle’s lights and windows to help the driver see, especially at night.
• Turn the headlights on as dusk approaches, or during inclement weather. Don’t overdrive the headlights. 

GRILLING SAFETY The Red Cross offers these tips to stay safe while cooking those tasty cookout treats:

Ombudsman volunteer Ray Boehm safely works the grill
with fellow volunteers at a recent recognition picnic.

• Never grill indoors – not in the house, camper, tent, or any enclosed area.
• Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use, and make sure everyone, including the pets, stays away from the grill.
• Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, deck, tree branches or anything that could catch fire.
• Keep the chef safe by using the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill.
• Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
• Be ready to close the lid and turn off the grill to cut off the fuel if necessary.
• Keep a fireproof pan under the grill to catch any falling ash or grease.
• Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.
• Wash one’s hands in hot soapy water before preparing food, after touching raw meat and after any interruptions such as using the bathroom, handling pets, stopping to do something with children.

SWIMMING SAFETY Learning to swim is one of the best steps someone can take to be safe around water. People can contact their local Red Cross chapter and learn how to swim as well as get the facts about water safety, home pool safety, first aid and CPR classes. Other swimming safety tips include:

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
• Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. 

POOL SAFETY It’s important to constantly supervise children when they are near water, and in WNY we've already seen an unfortunate example of the dangers this spring. Never leave a young child unattended near water, and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water. Avoid distractions when supervising children around water. If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. 

The Red Cross and National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF) have developed an online safety course for pool and hot tub owners. Home Pool Essentials helps people understand the risks of pool ownership, how to maintain a safer and cleaner pool, what safety equipment is appropriate, how to prevent pool and hot tub entrapment hazards, and how to respond to an emergency.

DOWNLOAD FIRST AID APP Another thing people can do is download the free Red Cross first aid app which puts expert advice for everyday emergency at someone’s fingertips. The free app is available for direct download from the Apple or Google Play for Android app stores.

Still helping, three months after Sandy

You may not see it in the news daily anymore, but Superstorm Sandy continues to affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, especially in New York and New Jersey. Last week, the American Red Cross issued a progress report on its work to help people in the first three months after the storm struck the East Coast as well as its plans for longer-term recovery.

Click here to watch a video from Red Cross President & CEO
Gail McGovern regarding the response to Sandy

Our Regional Executive Director, Nancy Blaschak, is currently on an interim assignment to lead those recovery efforts in New York City and Long Island. Even as we continue to serve thousands of meals and snacks to people in affected areas daily, we are working closely with government partners on long-term recovery efforts, and the first part of the Red Cross recovery work is already underway. Just last week, a $15 million mold remediation project between the Red Cross, the Mayor's Fund and Robin Hood Foundation was announced. 

For the next several months, a big part of the Red Cross recovery effort will be working one-on-one with families who need some extra help making recovery plans and accessing available resources. Some need help finding child care, or understanding insurance paperwork. Red Cross case workers will help guide them through the recovery process. The Red Cross is also supporting the work of several other relief groups, such as helping to fund several local food banks in New York to boost their capacity to serve more meals and help ensure people who need food have access to it, as well as support for Operation Hope’s work to provide assistance and financial counseling to survivors.

The Red Cross has deployed a total of more than 16,800 disaster workers in the past three months to help those affected by Sandy, including 49 volunteers from right here in Western New York. Three months after landfall, more than 1,000 Red Cross workers remain on the scene, providing food, water and emotional support to people in need. Since Sandy made landfall, the Red Cross has:

• Served more than 11 million meals and snacks.
• Distributed more than 6.9 million relief items like blankets and cleaning supplies.
• Provided more than 109,000 health and mental health contacts for those affected, many of whom lost everything they owned during the storm.
• Provided nearly half (81,000) of the total 163,000 shelter stays by a range of groups. 

All of this amazing work is only possible thanks to the generous support of this community and the American public. The Red Cross has received more than $254 million in donations and pledges for Sandy.  By January 31, the Red Cross will have spent or made commitments to spend an estimated $145 million, and the remaining Sandy donations will be used to help individuals and communities affected by this storm with their long-term needs. More information on the Red Cross work on the Sandy emergency relief and recovery can be found at www.redcross.org/sandy-response.

Executive Director Nancy Blaschak to Manage Sandy Recovery Project

46 WNY volunteers and staff members have deployed to assist relief efforts

Nancy Blaschak, Executive Director
of the American Red Cross, Serving
Erie & Niagara Counties

BUFFALO, NY, January 15, 2013 – Nancy Blaschak, Executive Director of the American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties, has been asked to manage the Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts of the Red Cross in New York City and Long Island. Blaschak will be leaving on Wednesday, and is planning on spending the next several weeks working out of the operational headquarters in Manhattan.

“The focus is now turning toward long term recovery, getting people impacted by Sandy into permanent housing and making necessary home repairs,” Blaschak said. “We have a great team here, so I have no worries leaving for a while to help out downstate. The Western New York Region couldn’t be in better hands.”

Blaschak is the 46th person from the eight-county Western New York region who has deployed to assist in the Red Cross relief efforts since Sandy devastated the East Coast in late October. Nine volunteers have returned for multiple assignments since the operation began.

Even as the Red Cross continues to provide food, comfort and assistance to thousands of people impacted by Sandy, the organization is working with government partners and other nonprofits as part of a comprehensive response to help Sandy survivors recover. This assistance could include assistance with home repairs, rent or utility deposits; helping fill out paperwork for insurance claims; and connecting people with social service and other programs for Sandy recovery.  For more information regarding the Red Cross response to Sandy, please visit www.redcross.org.