Red Cross Opening Shelter after Multi-Unit Apartment Fire in Buffalo

45 people spent Friday night in seven Red Cross-operated storm shelters across region

The American Red Cross is opening a shelter for those displaced by a multi-unit apartment fire on Lafayette Street in Buffalo early Saturday morning. That shelter will be located at St John’s Grace Episcopal Church, 51 Colonial Circle in Buffalo.

45 people spent Friday night in seven Red Cross-operated storm shelters across the Western and Central New York Region following high winds that left thousands without power and displaced many others. Volunteers are providing residents in need with a safe, warm place to stay as well as food and water. Health Services and Disaster Mental Health volunteers are also available, and caseworkers will meet with individually with families to assess their needs.

Anyone in need of assistance can come to one of the shelters or call their local Red Cross Chapter. Shelters are currently open at the following locations (new locations in bold):

FINGER LAKES CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 607-936-3766):

     ·         Cross Creek Church (three overnight residents)
3259 Canandaigua Road, Macedon

GREATER ROCHESTER CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 585-241-4400):

     ·         David Gantt Center (40 overnight residents)
700 North Street, Rochester

     ·         Monroe Community College, Building 10 (One overnight resident)
1000 East Henrietta Road, Rochester

WESTERN NEW YORK CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 716-886-7500):

     ·         Batavia Veterans Administration Hospital, Building 4 (Zero overnight residents)
222 Richmond Avenue, Batavia

     ·         Kendall Town Hall (Zero overnight residents)

1     873 Kendall Road, Route 37, Kendall

     ·         Varysburg Fire Hall (One overnight resident)

2446 Route 20A, Varysburg

Additional community shelters are being operated by other agencies and many are receiving Red Cross support. A total of 110 people spent Friday night in 13 shelters across Western and Central New York. The Red Cross remains in constant contact with emergency officials across Western and Central New York to coordinate the most efficient and effective response to this disaster, and is prepared to open additional shelters and provide additional relief services as needed.

With cold temperatures predicted throughout the weekend, the Red Cross encourages families to take precautions to stay safe:

     ·         Never use a generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area. Locate unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.

     ·         Keep all potential sources of fuel, including paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves or fireplaces.

     ·         Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended.

     ·         Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

     ·         Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

     ·         Run water at a trickle to help prevent pipes from freezing

     ·         Download the free Red Cross Emergency App, which offers additional safety tips, as well as real-time weather alerts, shelter locations and more.

You can help people affected by disasters like home fires, power outages 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-REDCROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. 

Red Cross Opening Storm Shelters across Western and Central New York

New shelters open at Monroe Community College, Kendall Town Hall

The American Red Cross is opening a storm shelter at Monroe Community College and has relocated the previous shelter in Orleans County to the Kendall Fire Hall. Volunteers continue to operate five additional shelters across the Western and Central New York Region following high winds that left thousands without power and displaced many others.

Volunteers are providing residents in need with a safe, warm place to stay as well as food and water. Health Services and Disaster Mental Health volunteers are also available, and caseworkers will meet with individually with families to assess their needs.

Anyone in need of assistance can come to one of the shelters or call their local Red Cross Chapter. Shelters are currently open at the following locations (new locations in bold):

FINGER LAKES CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 607-936-3766):

·         Cross Creek Church

3259 Canandaigua Road, Macedon

GREATER ROCHESTER CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 585-241-4400):

·         David Gantt Center 

700 North Street, Rochester

·         Monroe Community College, Building 10

1000 East Henrietta Road, Rochester

WESTERN NEW YORK CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 716-886-7500):

·         Batavia Veterans Administration Hospital, Building 4 

222 Richmond Avenue, Batavia

·         Frontier Fire Hall 

2176 Liberty Drive, Niagara Falls

·         Kendall Town Hall

1873 Kendall Road, Route 37, Kendall

·         Varysburg Fire Hall

2446 Route 20A, Varysburg

Additional community shelters are being operated by other agencies and many are receiving Red Cross support. The Red Cross remains in constant contact with emergency officials across Western and Central New York to coordinate the most efficient and effective response to this disaster, and is prepared to open additional shelters and provide additional relief services as needed.

As temperatures are predicted to fall well below freezing tonight, the Red Cross encourages families to take precautions to stay safe:

·         Never use a generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area.

Locate unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.

·         Keep all potential sources of fuel, including paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves or fireplaces.

·         Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended.

·         Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

·         Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

·         Run water at a trickle to help prevent pipes from freezing

·         Download the free Red Cross Emergency App, which offers additional safety tips, as well as real-time weather alerts, shelter locations and more.

You can help people affected by disasters like home fires, power outages 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-REDCROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. 

Becoming an American Red Cross Volunteer

Becoming a volunteer is a different process for everyone. Maybe you want to help the community, build your skills, learn more about an organization or just want something to fill up your time. Whatever it may be, your volunteering is always welcome and wanted. At the American Red Cross your time and talent can make a real difference in people’s lives.

The volunteers at the Red Cross help people prevent, prepare for and recover from disasters in America; support for members of the military and their families; blood collection, processing and distribution; health and safety education and training; international relief; and development.

90% of the American Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers, so as you can imagine the Red Cross is always looking for more.

Once you become a volunteer you’ll get your own profile online where you can log hours and set yourself goals.  

Even if you don’t want to become a volunteer you can always donate or give blood.

Being a volunteer doesn’t just mean being on the front line, it is also about being behind the scenes. This could range from writing grants and getting the Red Cross story out to the community to administrative work and stocking supplies. The volunteer opportunities at the Red Cross are endless, and every little bit helps.

Joining the Red Cross was one of the best decisions I have made. I joined as an Intern because I was interested in the work they do and the people they help. I have only been here for a couple weeks and I love it. I am not on the front line at the moment but I know whatever you do here at the Red Cross helps, and I know I will stay on to be a volunteer for a long time.  

Check out some more Red Cross stories and see why you should sign up to be a volunteer today!

--Emma Reeve, Communications intern

"I'm grateful for the Red Cross"

This is what was left of Martinez's Bailey Avenue apartment
complex after an early-morning fire

Like all of the tenants of her Bailey Avenue apartment complex in Buffalo, Miriam Martinez was sound asleep when a fire broke out early Saturday morning.

"It all happened so fast," Martinez says. Luckily, she was awoken by a smoke alarm that had been installed by American Red Cross volunteers only three weeks earlier.

"That will save you're life," she said, explaining that she encourages others to have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors installed. Unfortunately, Martinez knew the importance of being prepared, as Saturday's incident was the third house fire she's suffered in her life.

"I'm grateful for Red Cross, they came immediately," she told us when this latest fire broke out in her apartment. She was also pleasantly surprised to recognize some of the volunteers from her previous experience with the Red Cross as they responded to the scene of this latest disaster. She says having familiar faces around her helped her feel more at ease.

Miriam Martinez with her family and other tenants of the
Bailey Avenue apartment fire

In addition to that comfort, the Red Cross provided food, clothing and support for 17 people, including Martinez, after this fire. Volunteers also provided some residents with temporary housing, but Martinez was staying with her son and his girlfriend, who invited other tenants to stay with them as well. The residents of the Bailey Avenue complex are are one big family, all concerned for each other. Despite the tragic events, everyone was keeping a positive attitude, and in addition to the Red Cross, other community groups were also coming to help. The atmosphere was positive in a tragic event.

"This truly is the City of Good Neighbors," Martinez says.

The Red Cross Home Fire Campaign helped saved the life of Miriam Martinez and the other residents of this apartment complex. Experts say you have as little as two minutes to safely escape a burning home, and working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a house fire in half. The Home Fire Campaign offers free smoke alarms with installation as well as fire preparedness education.If you want to learn more or sign up for a free installation then you can click here.

--Emma Reeve
Communications intern