The American Red Cross – Heart of Tennessee Chapter has deployed three local volunteers to the Northeast, to assist in the relief efforts in areas ravaged by Superstorm Sandy.  Volunteers James Goodman and Jan Schilling departed Wednesday morning for Tinton Falls, New Jersey, where they will be joining other volunteers from Middle Tennessee in managing a local shelter for disasters victims who have been displaced from their homes.  Volunteer Jan Freeman left Friday morning for White Plains, New York, where she will be joining the relief effort as a nurse.

“After such a large, devastating event like Sandy, there are a lot of people who need a lot of help.  We’re very proud to have volunteers from our local Chapter as part of this relief effort,” said Mike Cowles, CEO of the Heart of Tennessee Chapter.  “The people in the storm-impacted areas are sure to benefit from our volunteers being there.  And our communities back home will also benefit when our volunteers return home.  They will be more experienced, and better prepared to lead and to help when disasters happen right here, in our own backyard.”

MASSIVE RESPONSE

Nearly 6,800 people spent Thursday night in almost 100 Red Cross shelters in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio. Thousands more are in their homes without power, water or heat. More than 3,800 Red Cross disaster workers are operating shelters, distributing food and relief supplies in affected communities and providing health services and emotional support.

The Red Cross has:

• Deployed 12 mobile kitchens capable of making 198,000 meals a day and shipped more than 852,000 ready-to-eat meals to the area. Almost 215,000 meals have been served so far.

• ·         Activated more than two-thirds of the entire Red Cross fleet of response vehicles, which are beginning to distribute meals, water, snacks and relief supplies in neighborhoods.
• ·         Mobilized 60 trailers loaded with relief supplies such as personal hygiene items, clean-up kits, rakes, shovels, tarps, dust masks and work gloves
• ·         Deployed specialized workers who have already provided more than 5,000 health services and emotional support contacts to people affected by Sandy.

The Mexican Red Cross is also helping. Ten delegates are supporting American Red Cross health services activities in New York, focusing on providing health care and first aid services and referrals for clients in Red Cross shelters and emergency aid stations. 

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER REGION RESPONSE

After today’s deployment, the Tennessee Volunteer Region of the American Red Cross will have deployed 40 workers and 5 Emergency Response Vehicles.   Red Cross workers from the Tennessee Volunteer Region including Chapters located in Davidson, Madison, Montgomery, Rutherford, Shelby, Warren, and Williamson Counties are currently traveling to or are already working in various locations throughout the northeast.  More Red Cross volunteers and staff are expected to continue to deploy to help with relief efforts over the next few days, once it is safe to travel to affected areas.

HOW TO HELP

The Red Cross response to Sandy is very large, and will be very costly. People can make a financial donation in support of Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. They can also use the “donate” feature on the free Red Cross Apps for mobile devices to support this relief response. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD More than 360 Red Cross blood drives have been cancelled due to the storm, representing a loss of as many as 12,000 blood and platelet products. People who are eligible,especially in places not affected by the storm, are asked to schedule a donation appointment in the days and weeks to come.

To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood, people can visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To give blood, someone must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health. Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them.  Some states allow 16-year-olds to give with parental consent.