How Can the Red Cross Help You Help Your Community?

By Jerry DeLuca, Red Cross State Relations Disaster Liaison

As a longtime volunteer firefighter, former Assistant Chief, and current Deputy County Fire Coordinator, I have been at the scene of many fires. Admittedly, calling the Red Cross was not on my mind when a household was impacted. I often thought that if the people had insurance they were in good shape and would not need the help of the Red Cross. I did not always think of the full impact a home fire has on the residents.

Now that I am working with the Red Cross, I have become very much aware of the immediate and long-term impact a home fire can have on the residents of your community. The Red Cross can and will provide many services to those impacted by a home fire. Whether that fire is a single-family home or multi-family apartment building, the Red Cross can and wants to assist the fire victims to recover from what may be a devastating loss. The Red Cross operates on seven fundamental principles: Humanity; Impartiality; Neutrality; Independence; Voluntary Service; Unity and Universality. These principles mean that no matter the circumstances of the fire victims, the Red Cross is there to assist.

Red Cross Disaster Action Teams (DAT) assist the victims in many ways. Help may include ways that you have thought about and may have even called upon the Red Cross for. Help such as providing immediate financial assistance or temporary housing in a shelter or hotel may be the most frequent reason that a fire department will call the Red Cross for help. There are many more services that the Red Cross can and does provide to fire and disaster victims. Often overlooked at a fire scene is the fact that the resident cannot access necessary medications.

Our Disaster Health Service (DHS) volunteers can assist in replacing needed medications lost in the fire. They will work with the victim to get a list of their medications and assist to contact their pharmacy to obtain replacements. Assistance may also be provided to aid with costs if insurance is unavailable to provide replacement medications. The DHS volunteer can also assist in replacing necessary medical devices such as walkers, wheelchairs and even items such as C-PAP machines.

Many people impacted by a fire or other disaster may also need comforting or mental health services. The Red Cross Disaster Action Team can also activate a Disaster Mental Health (DMH) Team to provide immediate assistance to help victims cope with the loss of their home or worse, the loss of a loved one. The DMH Team will work with the victim for immediate needs and assist them in obtaining long term help.

Others may not need direct mental health assistance but could and benefit from the support of the Red Cross Spiritual Care Team. The Spiritual Care Team is available to those who seek spiritual care. The team does not proselytize or impose any particular view but and is available to those who desire spiritual comfort. This team can also assist those who lost a loved one navigate their way through the process of planning a funeral. These are just some of the many services that the Red Cross can provide to fire and disaster victims. If you find yourself at the scene of a fire, we want you to call us. Your dispatchers most likely have the appropriate number to call, but you can also call 800-RED-CROSS to activate our Disaster Action Team. The Red Cross is here to assist.

The Sound the Alarm Campaign is another program of interest to fire departments. The fire service understands fires double in size every thirty seconds. Educating the public about fire prevention, fire safety and early detection of a fire greatly increases the potential for residents to survive a home fire. The American Red Cross not only responds to fires but has a long and deep commitment to fire safety and fire prevention. Red Cross Volunteers help Sound the Alarm in at-risk communities by:

• Educating people nationwide about home fire safety.
• Helping families create an escape plan to practice their two-minute drill.
• Partnering with fire departments to install smoke alarms by appointment.
• Ensuring that everyone has working smoke alarms is a shared priority of the Red Cross and fire departments across New York State.

The Red Cross is looking for your assistance with the Sound the Alarm Program. We need partners in the volunteer fire service to assist us in identifying people in need of free smoke alarms and if possible, assisting the Red Cross to install new smoke alarms in homes within your response area.

The Red Cross will supply the alarms, and we will often have volunteers in your community willing to assist in installation. If your department is interested and willing to work with the Red Cross on the Sound the Alarm Program, please contact the Red Cross representative listed below …

• Greater New York – joe.spaccarelli@redcross.org
• Eastern New York – 315-405-6112, Cortney.shatraw@redcross.org
• Greater Rochester – brianna.freeman@redcross.org
• Southern Tier – jessica.cappelletti@redcross.org
• Western New York – jessica.cappelletti@redcross.org

Jerry DeLuca is State Relations Disaster Liaison for the American Red Cross in New York State. He formerly was FASNY Director of Training and Education and NYSAFC Executive Director.