RED CROSS PREPARES FOR HEAVY RAINS; 

URGES OTHERS TO DO THE SAME

Heavy rains expected to soak already saturated ground 

 

June 27, 2013 -- The American Red Cross of Vermont & the New Hampshire Upper Valley is urging people to be alert and take steps in advance of the heavy rain expected over the next 24-hours.  A few steps taken before, during and after potential flooding will help ensure people weather the storm safely.  The Red Cross is heeding its own advice as it takes steps to prepare for a potential response to anticipated flooding. 

Already saturated ground that is expected to receive significant rain in the coming days creates a potential need in communities across the region.  The steps being taken by the American Red Cross of the Vermont & the New Hampshire Upper Valley to ready itself include: 

• Red Cross volunteers have been asked to advise of their availability through the weekend; more than 60 have already responded
• Vehicles and equipment are being readied
• Outreach has begun to potential shelter sites
• Lines of communication are open with State and local emergency planners
• Red Cross disaster services workers are being lined up to staff the State Emergency Operations Center

As conditions warrant, the Red Cross will look to open shelters to serve communities that may be hard hit by the anticipated severe weather.  Additional services to impacted towns will be assessed in consultation with local and state officials. 

While the Red Cross, locally, is hard at work to ensure it is prepared should the need for its service arise, the organization is urging individuals to take steps to prepare for the potential for rapidly rising water along streams, rivers and in low-lying areas.  The Red Cross suggests: 

• Before -- Ensure that you have available and ready to go items that you may need if you must evacuate your home.  This includes everything from a flashlight, to a fully-charged cell phone, baby and pet supplies, medications and more.
• During -- Stay informed and safe during a flooding event by ensuring you have a crank or battery-powered radio; head to higher ground as warranted; stay away from flooded roads while driving; and keep curious children away from flood waters.  Just six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep a person off their feet and a car can be swept away in less than two feet of water.
• After -- Only return home after it has been declared safe; look for and avoid downed power lines; wear protective gear (gloves, boots, mask) during clean up; and ensure your water supply is safe.

A great deal more preparedness information is available at www.redcross.org.  The Red Cross strongly encourages people to go to this site, take the time to review their safety plan, create an emergency kit for their home and car and to stay informed before, during and after storms.  To put much of this helpful information right at your fingertips, the Red Cross also encourages people to download its free First Aid and other preparedness apps from the iTunes Store or Google Play for Android users.

SHAFTSBURY FAMILY OF FIVE LOSES HOME TO FIRE

Red Cross Volunteers Provide Hope and Help to those Displaced 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE … (Shaftsbury, VT – June 9, 2013)  Last night, a Shaftsbury, VT family of five, including three children ages 5 to 15, lost their home to fire.  The Cleveland Avenue blaze devastated the home, causing the family to lose everything.  Red Cross disaster services volunteers with the organization’s Bennington County Disaster Action Team took action to extend a helping hand. 

Knowing that a displaced family’s recovery begins the moment disaster strikes, the volunteers responded quickly to determine the family’s emergency needs.  The Red Cross made arrangements for the five to stay in a local hotel for the next few nights and provided financial assistance to replace food and clothing lost in the fire.  With these immediate needs addressed, the trained Red Cross caseworkers set a follow up meeting for today to determine what other forms of assistance or referrals can be offered to help in the recovery process. 

“This family, as with each family that loses their home to fire, faces a difficult road ahead,” said Doug Bishop, spokesperson with the Vermont & the New Hampshire Upper Valley Region of the American Red Cross.  “We are thankful for the work of our volunteers and for the support of others in the community that help ensure a Red Cross response is there for each family in need.” 

Red Cross volunteers with the 12 Disaster Action Teams throughout our region strive to meet with disaster victims as soon as possible, ensuring that both emotional support and immediate assistance are available.  In addition to the lodging, food and clothing support that is traditionally provided, volunteers can connect the displaced with Red Cross disaster health and disaster mental health services and offer referrals to state, local and charitable resources in the area that can help the impacted residents as they begin their difficult road to recovery. 

A vibrant volunteer corps helps the organization maintain its ability to provide timely and compassionate assistance to people across our region that have been impacted by disaster.  To be a part of our group of dedicated volunteers, no prior experience is necessary and all the training that is needed is free and will be provided.  To learn more about the American Red Cross volunteer experience, go to www.redcross.org/vermont or contact Angela Russell at 802-660-9130, ext. 107 or angela.russell@redcross.org. 

To help people affected by fires as well as devastating natural disasters, a donation can be made to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief.  Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org, call 802-660-9130, ext. 111, or mail your contribution to American Red Cross, 29 Mansfield Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401.

 

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NEWS RELEASE 

RED CROSS CONDUCTING OUTREACH TO FLOOD-AFFECTED TOWNS

Volunteers to perform damage assessment and provide client casework

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE … (Jericho/Underhill, VT – May 31, 2013)  A week ago, heavy rains and flash flooding struck several Vermont towns, perhaps none as hard as the communities of Jericho and Underhill.  While a few affected families have reached out to the Red Cross for assistance, the anecdotal reports of damage would suggest that greater need remains to be addressed.  Tomorrow, the Red Cross is sending three teams of volunteers to Jericho and Underhill to conduct damage assessment and provide client casework services as needed.

 Volunteers working out of the Underhill Town Clerk’s office at 12 Pleasant Valley Road as their base of operation for the day’s work will be supported by three teams going directly into the field.  The damage assessment data will help inform the Red Cross as to what additional supports may be needed in the affected communities.  Members of these volunteer teams will also provide client casework services as necessary, sharing information as to how the Red Cross may be able to support recovery and offering information about other resources that may be available to help a family through the recovery process.

WHO:       American Red Cross

WHAT:     Damage Assessment and Support to Communities Impacted by Recent Flooding

WHEN:     Saturday, June 1^st, 9am – 5pm

WHERE:   Jericho and Underhill Vermont

HOW:       3 Mobile Teams and an Operations Headquarters at the Underhill Town Clerk’s Office  (12 Pleasant Valley Road, Underhill).  Community members in need can look for our mobile teams, go to the Underhill Town Clerk’s Office or contact a temporary hotline (tomorrow only) of (802) 355-1209.

While the focal point of the mobile teams will be Jericho and Underhill, members of surrounding communities impacted by last week’s flooding can stop by the Underhill Town Clerk’s Office between 9am and 5pm or call our temporary help line (tomorrow only) at (802) 355-1209.

RED CROSS MOBILIZES IN WAKE OF DEVASTATING STORMS

Moore, OK tornado and other recent storms create need

The American Red Cross is working around the clock to provide food and shelter to all of those whose lives have been affected by the deadly tornado in Moore, OK, as well as other tornadoes and storms over the past several days in Texas, Kansas and other parts of Oklahoma.  Shelters, food, supplies and other resources have been, and will continue to be, brought to bear.

Key Red Cross Activities in Affected Areas:

• Shelters are open and emergency aid stations will be open where people can get food and snacks, mental health and health care services and information about what help is available.
• More workers, supplies and equipment are on the way to help the people of Oklahoma. Almost 30 emergency response vehicles are enroute to distribute food, water and relief supplies to people in need.
• The Red Cross is working with the Southern Baptist Convention, a frequent disaster relief partner, who is making two kitchens available with the ability to make tens of thousands of meals a day. The Red Cross also has kitchen support and relief supply trailers on the way to help those forced from their homes.
•  Red Cross disaster mental health workers are available to help people cope with the aftermath.
• We also are operating shelters and supporting people affected by Sunday’s storms in Shawnee and other parts of the Oklahoma City area.
• The Red Cross will be on the ground in these affected areas for the foreseeable future to help people get back on their feet.

Activities in our Region:

• For those who are looking to support the relief operations in Moore, OK and other areas hard hit by tornadoes over the past few days, donations can be made at www.redcross.org, by texting REDCROSS to 90999, or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS.
• Red Cross volunteers across the country, including our own region, have been asked to update their availability status so that this information is known as additional resources are mobilized in the coming days.
• Our experience is that after a large disaster, many people have the impulse to learn more about how they can volunteer.  Throughout the region, over the next two weeks, we are offering a class entitled “Disaster Services:  An Overview.”  This introductory class is the first step in becoming a Red Cross volunteer.  It runs 3 hours and is being offered on the following dates and locations:
• Burlington, VT – May 28^th at 6pm – 29 Mansfield Avenue (Red Cross office)
• Rutland, VT – June 3^rd at 6pm – 117 Strongs Avenue (Red Cross office)
• Brattleboro, VT – June 4^th at 6pm – 81 High Street St. (Red Cross office)
• Bennington, VT – June 4^th at 6pm – 120 McKinley Street (Bennington Rescue)

To sign up for these classes, go to www.redcross.org/vermont and click on “Volunteer.” 

Reconnecting with Friends and Loved Ones:

The Red Cross “Safe and Well” website is active, helping to reconnect people with loved ones in the storm affected areas.  To access Safe and Well, visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell.  Once at that site, you can click on “Search Registrants” to see if your friend or loved one has registered.  Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Safe and Well website.

Coping with Disaster: 

In addition to bringing mental health resources to bear in Oklahoma for victims of recent tornadoes, the American Red Cross knows that those far from the scene of a disaster can be impacted emotionally.  The following tips may be helpful to consider as we continue to hear the news of devastation: 

• People may be experiencing a variety of difficult feelings and thoughts – fear, anger, confusion, shock, disbelief, sadness and grief. These are all normal feelings associated with experiencing a disaster like this.
• Reacting to a disaster like this can affect not only how someone feels, but the way they think and what they think about, their sleep, their daily lives and the way they interact with others. Children and the elderly are especially at risk.
• People should try to limit their exposure to the disaster.
• They should reach out and accept help from others and stay connected with family and other support systems.
• Allow children to feel upset and encourage them to express their feelings and thoughts.
• Return to a daily routine as much as possible.

Red Cross and the blood supply: 

 

·    The Red Cross stands ready to help meet the blood needs of patients in and around Oklahoma City if needed. There is currently enough blood on the shelves to meet patient demands.

·    Type O negative blood is often used during emergencies, when there is no time to determine the patient’s blood type. A situation like this highlights the importance of already having enough type O negative blood on hand at a moment’s notice. We encourage eligible donors with O negative blood to make a blood donation appointment as soon as they are able.

·    The Red Cross has the ability to move blood around the country to where it is needed most during shortages, or in times of natural or man-made disasters. Through its national inventory system, the Red Cross is able to support the shipment of blood and blood products wherever and whenever they are needed.

·    We depend on generous volunteer blood donors to provide lifesaving blood for those in need – each and every day – not only during times of national disaster.  Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.

Texas Tornadoes -- Red Cross Supporting Response and Recovery

Since the storms passed Wednesday night and even into Thursday afternoon, the American Red Cross has been working to open shelters, assess damage and plan for the days and weeks ahead in more than five counties across Texas. Thanks to generous supporters like you, we have been able to shelter dozens of people in two Red Cross emergency shelters, serve nearly 1,400 meals and snacks, and mobilize nearly 100 trained disaster responders to support relief efforts caused by the 12 tornadoes now reported. Five emergency response vehicles circulated the affected counties, handing out needed items and providing health and emotional support.

The Red Cross has established a Disaster Assistance Hotline for anyone across Texas who has sustained damage to their homes as a result of last night’s storms. Affected residents are urged to call 866-505-4801.

Red Cross teams have spent the bulk of the last two days assessing damage across the area. In the Ranch Brazos community in Hood County, teams discovered that nearly 100 homes were affected with more than half of them being destroyed or unlivable for an extended amount of time. An additional 130 homes across the North Texas area have damage of some nature, but teams are still working on the damage breakdowns. These assessments assist the Red Cross in determining where the need is greatest.

The Red Cross is also working with community partners such as Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, Islamic Relief USA, and the Southern Baptist Convention to ensure that families get what they need to help. Red Cross caseworkers are also on hand to point those impacted toward recovery resources.  

The Red Cross is planning to distribute thousands of needed relief items for clean-up over the weekend. Relief items can include things like shovels, rakes, work gloves, trash bags and more. Areas will be established in impacted neighborhoods so that residents can pick up their supplies near their homes.

With the threat of more severe storms across Texas, the Plains and the Midwest over the weekend, the Red Cross continues to prepare and be ready for what’s to come.

 

Red Cross' Anita Foster public affairs, discusses the damage assessment survey with Ray Fishencord (left) and Alan Sloan (right) Nearly 100 homes were impacted in this neighborhood.

 

 

 

Vermont has experienced several brush/wildfires in just the past week.  Red Cross volunteers have responded with support for firefighters in the form of food and hydration.  Allow us to share prevention tips from the Vermont Department of Public Safety.

Vermonters can help prevent and prepare for wildfire:

• Obey all local and state laws or restrictions on open burning.

• By state law, a “Permit to Kindle Fire” (an open burning permit) MUST be obtained from the Town Forest Fire Warden and is REQUIRED before you start to burn any natural wood or vegetation outdoors. The fire warden will issue a permit if the weather and fuel conditions are favorable for a controlled burn.
 

• Avoid burning on dry, windy days or when Fire Weather Watches or Red Flag Warnings are issued by the National Weather Service.

• If you can legally and safely burn: Burn small piles; gradually adding to the fire as it burns down. Large piles of burning debris generate intense heat capable of carrying burning embers up and into other areas.

• Clear all dry grass and weeds from around your burn area, and around your home and out-buildings.

• Always have tools handy while you burn - including water, a hose, a rake and a shovel.

• If burning a large agricultural area, please check with your local fire department for advice about burning it safely.

• CALL 911 or your local fire department if your burn gets out of control and becomes a wildfire. If you delay calling for help, you may have disastrous results.

• DO NOT attempt to suppress a wildfire, if it cannot be done EASILY with the tools and water you have on hand.

• DO NOT burn household trash. The use of burn barrels to burn trash is illegal in Vermont.

A WEEK TO REMEMBER IN CALEDONIA COUNTY

What starts wtih a drill turns quickly to reality

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE … (Caledonia County, VT – April 27, 2013)  Just a week ago, the Disaster Action Team in Caledonia County conducted a drill.  Such an exercise helps to build skills and allows the team to maintain a degree of readiness.  As they concluded the drill, it would have been hard for them to imagine all that they would be called upon to accomplish in the week ahead.

Mirroring the real-life experience of an American Red Cross volunteer, the drill was not held at a convenient time.  In fact, last Saturday night’s drill started at 11pm.  Team members assembled and with the help of others, they practiced how they would respond to a house fire in Danville.  The volunteers provided assistance to their imagined fire victims and organized support for the non-existent first responders on scene at the mock fire.  With a few unexpected twists thrown in by the drill organizers to keep them on their toes, the team performed exceedingly well.

What followed this week put their skills to the test in some very real world situations.  On Monday, the first of several calls came in for assistance.  A Concord family of five was displaced from their home by fire. Volunteers trained in client casework met with the affected family to help assess their emergency needs.  Support was provided to replace food and clothing lost in the fire.

On Wednesday, the pace really picked up.  A tragic boating accident on the Passumpsic River in Barnet left a canoeist missing.  The Red Cross was asked to provide support at the scene.  Food and beverages were the direct assistance delivered to first responders and family, but it was the warmth and compassion of the volunteers that was probably the most important element of their work.  Over the course of two and a half days, the corps of Red Cross volunteers remained on scene to lend support.

Wednesday also brought another fire to the region, this time striking two homes in Lyndonville.  Again, volunteers met with the displaced and provided financial support to replace lost food and clothing.  This response took place while other team members remained on scene at the search and rescue.

A bright spot for the tired team came on Thursday as they spent the day with the K-12 students of Concord talking about preparedness and displaying several of the Red Cross tools used in disaster response.  This included an Emergency Response Vehicle from which food and supplies can be delivered across our region during times of disaster.  That same vehicle only recently returned from a long stint in New York in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.  In addition, the team set up an all-in-one trailer and tent Emergency Response System (ERS) built by MMIC, a Caledonia County business that has loaned the ERS to the Red Cross.

Today, team members are back at it with another fire response.  Last night, the home of another Concord family was struck by fire.  While it appears they have made arrangements for lodging, they will be provided support for food and clothing.

In all, at least 11 Red Cross Disaster Action Team members from Caledonia County engaged in this week’s activities.  Judy Kennedy and Barb Byrne, the Co-Coordinators for the Caledonia County team have devoted considerable time in recent months to ensuring the readiness of their team.  This week, that work paid off for the people of Caledonia County.

American Red Cross staff work hard to ensure that the material and financial resources needed by our volunteers is there when it is needed most, but it is the hard work, compassion and tireless dedication that the volunteers bring to their work that allows the Red Cross to deliver the kind of service provided in Caledonia County this past week.  In all, 90% of the American Red Cross disaster services workforce is comprised of volunteers.  Without their efforts, the organization simply could not deliver on its mission.

To support the work of Disaster Action Teams like this one across our region, a donation can be made to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief.  Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org, call 802-660-9130, text REDCROSS to 90999, ext. 111, or mail your contribution to American Red Cross, 29 Mansfield Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401.