Disaster Services
____________________________________
See highlights of
our annual Disaster Response Exercise...
on the "News & Events" page
under Chapter News
_________________________________________________________
|
|
|
You can
support the American Red Cross |
|
Response
to Disasters in the US |
|
Spring
Floods & Tornados in the South, etc. |
|
by
making a contribution to the |
|
American
Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund |
|
|
|
AND |
|
|
|
You Can Support the International
Disaster Response |
|
for the HAITI
Earthquake, etc. |
|
By Making A Donation To: |
|
The
"International Response Fund" |
|
|
|
By
calling the Danville Area Chapter: 275-1441 |
|
ARC
Website: www.redcross.org |
|
ARC Phone:
1-800-REDCROSS |
|
|
International Family Links
Website
|
For anyone trying to locate friends or
family members in Haiti, |
|
the International Committee of the Red
Cross has a Family Links Website |
|
where you can register to contact
your loved ones. |
|
|
|
please use the following link:
http://www.icrc.org/familylinks |
|
|
US
Family Links Website
If you have been
affected by a disaster, this website provides a way for you to
register yourself as “safe and well.” From a list of standard
messages, you can select those that you want to communicate to
your family members, letting them know of your well-being.
Many organizations are
working with the American Red Cross to provide families a variety
of services and tools to communicate with loved ones during times
of emergency. In addition to using this website, also consider the
services offered by the agencies listed on the page.
Concerned family and
friends can search the list of those who have registered
themselves as “safe and well.” The results of a successful search
will display a loved one’s First Name, Last Name, an “As of Date”,
and the “safe and well” messages selected.
In response to
the Swine Flu H1N1 Outbreak, the American Red Cross has partnered
with the Mexican Red Cross so that citizens of Mexico can use the
Safe and Well Website. A registration
allows loved ones to search for posted messages and see that
individuals living in the affected area are safe and well. Those
who search need the registrant's full name, address, and/or phone
number. Using this tool, loved ones can gain peace of mind while
still protecting registrants' privacy. Registration on this site
is carefully safeguarded and the information entered will not be
provided to any governmental or outside agency.
________________________________________________________
H1N1 Flu
- Information that you should be aware of
Up to date information about H1N1 is
available from the following sources:
The National American Red Cross
- Preparedness Fast Facts
Flu
Checklist
Taking Care of
People with the Flu
The Pennsylvania Department of
Health
at
http://www.h1n1inpa.com/
________________________________________________________
So many
things compete for our attention these days that sometimes it’s
hard to prioritize things that are good for us. While it may seem
overwhelming or unimportant to get prepared, we know from
experience that taking steps to prepare ahead of time can help you
respond better and stay safer in an emergency.
Take a few moments to see the
Be
Red Cross
Ready
on-line educational video presentation that will assist you to
"Get A Kit
“ – “Make A Plan“
– and “Be Informed“
Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you
to evacuate your neighborhood, workplace or school or can confine
you to your home. What would you do if basic services – water,
gas, electricity or telephones – were cut off?
Chapter Disaster Activities
Planning for Disaster Response
Every Red
Cross chapter works continuously to be ready to respond by
coordinating and collaborating with its disaster partners. Each
chapter’s disaster response plan identifies what it will take to
respond to various disasters, what resources are needed, and how
they will be coordinated and used.
As part of
the planning process, our Red Cross chapter practices by
participating in drills and exercises with the
Montour County Emergency Management
Agency.
this planning enables us to respond efficiently and effectively.
As part of this process, we have worked with our community
partners and have identified places to set up shelters, vendors
for needed supplies, and other services needed to provide the
necessary response to those with disaster caused need.
Disaster Response & Relief
It is the job of Disaster Services to
provide emergency assistance to those who have disaster caused
needs. Disasters that are common to our area are single
and/or multi- family house fires, interstate/traffic accidents,
winter storms, and floods.
The Red Cross enables people
affected by disaster to resume living independently by providing
what is desperately needed. From the emergency assistance that is
given immediately following a disaster to help with food,
clothing, and shelter, to help with long-term recovery assistance
such as rent, emergency home repairs, transportation, household
items, medicines, and tools, the Red Cross is there.
The ability to respond immediately
also depends on having people who are trained and ready.
Our chapter Disaster Action Team (DAT)
is composed of volunteers who take turns carrying disaster kit and
a pager for a month at a time. If we are requested by
emergency personnel, the pagers are activated from the Emergency
Management dispatch center. We answer calls 24 hours per
day/7 days per week.
Our disaster response program also provides canteen support for
emergency service personnel, fire fighters and police, during
major disaster responses. We are very fortunate to have
community partners, such as Dunkin Donuts and the Giant Food
Store, who are very generous in assisting us to provide food and
beverages to the emergency responders.
Become a Disaster Volunteer
Every year fires, floods, tornadoes
and other natural disasters randomly strike thousands of families
in states across the country. The lives of those affected are
changed forever as people lose homes, cherished possessions and
even family members.
You can help by becoming a Red Cross disaster volunteer.
There are many activities involved in
a successful disaster response. Training courses are
available, and if you are so inclined, you can also deploy to
National Disasters as a DSHR (Disaster Services Human
Resources) member. National Disaster Response assignments
are 2 to 3 weeks in length.
If you would like additional
information, please contact Holly at 275-1441.
Please consider a donation to the
Danville Area Chapter Disaster Relief Fund to assist us to
continue helping the folks in our community with disaster caused
needs. Please see the "Donations" page.
