Red Cross Helps Arkansas Tornado Survivors with Shelter, Food and Relief Supplies

As severe weather threat continues, people should prepare and use free app alerts 

Tornado damage, Mayflower Arkansas 27April2014. Early reports and images show that Mayflower Arkansas suffered heavy damage.

The American Red Cross is helping people in Arkansas and several other states affected by Sunday’s devastating tornadoes.

More than 200 people spent Sunday night in shelters in Arkansas that were opened or supported by Red Cross workers. The Red Cross is also providing health and mental health services and Red Cross emergency vehicles will be distributing food throughout the affected areas.

“Our thoughts and sympathy are with all those impacted by these horrific tornadoes,” said Richard Reed, senior vice president, Disaster Cycle Services for the Red Cross. “Red Cross disaster teams are helping now and will continue to help for weeks to come.”

RED CROSS SENDS BLOOD The Red Cross provided several units of type O negative blood to two hospitals in Arkansas before the storm and supplied 40 units of plasma this morning to help treat those who were injured. The hospitals say they have a sufficient blood supply to handle the situation at this point. The Red Cross stands ready to assist with any additional blood needs. Anyone interested in donating blood should call 1-800-RED CROSS or your local blood bank to schedule an appointment in the weeks ahead.

The Red Cross also has shelters open in Oklahoma and is responding in northern Louisiana where flooding occurred after yesterday’s storms. Shelter and services also are being provided in North Carolina, which was hit Friday night by tornadoes.

SEVERE WEATHER NOT OVER The chance of severe storms is moving eastward today and could impact people in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Red Cross chapters in those areas are preparing to respond by readying shelters, supplies and volunteers.

DOWNLOAD TORNADO APP People should download the Red Cross tornado app onto their mobile devices. They can use the app’s “I’m Safe” button to let loved ones know they are okay and find the location of Red Cross shelters. The app also includes a high-pitched siren and warning alert that signals when a tornado warning has been issued, as well as also an all-clear alert that lets users know when a tornado warning has expired or has been cancelled. The Red Cross sent out 2.1 million severe weather notifications over the weekend through its tornado app for tornado and thunderstorm watches and warnings.

If someone needs to find a shelter, they can contact their local Red Cross chapter or access the Red Cross shelter map which is updated every 30 minutes with shelter locations by address, city, state and/or zip code.

HOW TO HELP Those who would like to help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting http://www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.

Wisconsin’s Tornado and Severe Weather Week – April 21-25

It’s not a nursery rhyme, Mother Nature can huff and puff to blow your house down. In fact, Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually!  Last year, 16 tornadoes were reported, in Wisconsin, by the National Weather Service, including six during the night of August 6, 2013. The strongest tornado, rated an EF2, hit near New London in Waupaca and Outagamie Counties and required a significant response for our Disaster Action Teams.

To help everyone refresh their tornado awareness, the National Weather Service will test our knowledge on Thursday, April 24th.

• At 1:00p.m. they will issue a mock tornado watch for the entire state. A ‘tornado watch’ means tornadoes are possible. Residents in the watch area should remain alert for approaching storms.
• At 1:45p.m., they will issue a mock tornado warning. A ‘tornado warning’ means a tornado has been sighted or indicated on weather radar. Residents should move to a safe place immediately.
• The tornado drill will end at 2:00p.m.

The National Weather Service will conduct the drill even if the sky is cloudy, dark or rainy. If actual severe storms are expected, anywhere, in the state, the tornado drill will be postponed until Friday, April 25 at the same times. If severe storms are possible Friday, the drill will be cancelled. To help refresh your memory of safest places to be, what watch & warnings mean, emergency kit items to have and even audible alerts for where you live, please download the FREE Tornado APP.

Let us know how you have prepared during the week and we will let you know the results of the tornado drills, at our offices, too!

Northeast Wisconsin Board Member Spotlight – Mary Walch

Get to know our board members from the American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter. We thank Mary for sharing her story, and we are proud to have her part of our leadership team.

Current Location: Green Bay, WI

Career History: I have worked in the banking industry for 25 years in the areas of Retail Management, Consumer, Mortgage and Business Lending, and Private Banking.

Volunteer History: I started volunteering right out of high school. My first experience volunteering was working in a program called REINS, a therapeutic riding program for individuals with special needs. I immediately felt a connection with the individuals I was working with and was humbled by the experience. I continued to work volunteering into my life from helping a couple hours at a run, joining planning committees for large events benefiting non-profits, and board positions for non-profits.

Board Member Since: Fall 2012

Responsibilities/Duties as a Board Member: We are truly a fundraising board from spreading the word of the Red Cross and all the good that the organization does to the connections we have helping raise funds for the Red Cross. I am also on the Annual Heroes Golf Tournament and Dancing with Our Stars planning committees.

How did you become involved with the Red Cross? My first experience was in my early 20’s. I had an interest in helping others and took disaster training courses. I thought it would be interesting and was looking to get involved in ways to make a difference. While I never had the opportunity volunteer for a disaster, I was moved by what I learned about the Red Cross and the teams of volunteers that leave their families to help others.

What motivates you as a volunteer and board member? Seeing how my efforts impact people. When part of a planning committee for an event, seeing the attendees get enjoyment out of being there and raising money is a rush.

Mary and her son Craig on a skydiving adventure.

What do you hope to accomplish by being a board member? Meeting new friends and helping others in need. Being part of a team/group with likeminded goals of helping others and making a difference.

Where do you feel the Red Cross can grow while a board member? Through growing fundraising events and recruiting others – whether as board members, volunteers, or financial supporters. And sharing the history/story of the Red Cross and how the Red Cross impacts all our lives.

How does Northeast Wisconsin benefit by the services offered by the Red Cross? I think everyone sometime in their lives will benefit from the Red Cross. Whether through natural disaster, medical needs, or safety education, the Red Cross touches all our lives.

 

 

Fond du Lac Fire Department ‘Tames Flames’ for Red Cross

Local Disaster Relief Partnership Announced

Last year the Brat fry raised $4,006.38 for local disaster relief!

Once again this year, the Fond du Lac Fire Department will be “taming the flames” of the barbecue grill to help the American Red Cross help our community.

When: Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Where: Main Street Fire Station (815 S. Main St.)

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The Red Cross and the Fire Department are partners on several community initiatives from emergency education to disaster relief and recovery. Emergency responders have requested Red Cross assistance at 24 fires the past year alone! This is the largest number in recent years; a few years ago, it was only seven requests for help. With two recent larger apartment fires, the number of people being assisted is at an all-time high!

“The Red Cross is a tremendous asset to our entire community so we want this event to be our biggest and best yet,” stated Fire Chief Peter O’Leary.

To help the cause, you can pre-order brats and burgers by calling the Main Street Fire Station’s non-emergency number at 920-322-3800 by 9:00 a.m. on April 22.

Delivery is available for orders over 20 items. You can also place an order in-person between 10:00 a.m. – 2:00p.m. at the Main Street Fire Station and enjoy our cuisine at the picnic tables.

Elton Peterson – Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Congratulations to Elton Peterson – Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement Award Winner at the WPS Awards. The Heart of Gold Award is awarded to a volunteer whose lifetimes of service exemplifies notable achievement in community service! 

Elton Peterson has been a volunteer driver for American Red Cross Transportation Services since July 1993. During his almost 21 years of service he has volunteered 5,670 hours and has provided approximately 10,080 rides to clients over the age of 60 and/or disabled.

“I have had the privilege of working with Elton since the day he started,” said Tina Whetung, Transportation Manager. “He is a very dedicate and caring person who really enjoys helping others, without people like Elton this much needed service would not be provided.“

Elton is also an active volunteer driver with the American Red Cross Blood Services.  For the past 16 years, Elton has generously volunteered his time to help deliver blood and blood products to patients in need at area hospitals.   Over these years, he has volunteered hundreds of hours to answer the call when the need to get red cells to a hospital in need of blood products.  We are thankful and proud to have Elton on our Red Cross team!

Get to Know: Paul Fruit, Regional Logistics Specialist

Kayleigh Kaminski and Kaylee Kuhn are seen handing over the greeting cards to Nick Cluppert (left) and Paul Fruit, from the Red Cross

Hello everyone!  My name is Paul Fruit and I’m the Regional Logistics Specialist for the American Red Cross.  I’m excited to be able to share a little bit regarding my continuing career evolution within this remarkable organization and how I ended up in my current position, as it has been one amazing journey.

I grew up in a little town outside of Madison, and graduated from UW-Madison in 2009 with a degree in Economics.  Having absolutely no real idea as to where I wanted to begin my career, and willing to explore a wide range of options, I was particularly intrigued by an AmeriCorps service listing with the Red Cross in Oshkosh to help provide service and support to military members, their families, and the VA facilities that support them.  Knowing very little information about the Red Cross, I dove in headfirst and was quickly exposed to both the wide array of humanitarian services this organization provides, as well as the incredible volunteers that support them.  All I can say is that it was love at first sight!

My experiences as an AmeriCorps member were enough for me to know I wanted to stay with the Red Cross in any capacity I could, and when my two years were up, I accepted a position in Appleton working with a local community program and managing the local office.  I continued in this role for two more years before accepting my current position in disaster services, a position I very much enjoy.  I’m responsible for material resources and volunteers that support 28-counties including vehicles, shelter trailers and warehouses.

Each and every day, I wake up knowing that our organization has the most dedicated, intelligent, and caring volunteers on the planet, and I’m lucky enough to be able to work and engage with them on a daily basis as we continue our mission.  The last 4+ years have been the best years of my life, and I look forward to many more!

National Volunteer Week!

This National Volunteer Week, April 6 – 12, the American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter is celebrating its volunteers and the work they do in the community to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.

One thousand volunteers serve within the 20 counties of the Northeast Wisconsin and our upper Michigan border communities. Nationally, the Red Cross has nearly 400,000 volunteers, which represent more than 90 percent of the Red Cross workforce.

“Our volunteers respond to house fires, teach lifesaving skills, support our military members in the community and much more,” said Jody Weyers, Director Volunteers and Communications. “They help us fulfill our lifesaving mission every day, and we are overwhelmed with gratitude for their service.”

Across the organization, the Red Cross has an average of 14 volunteers for every one employee. According to the Independent Sector, the 2012 value of volunteer time is $22.14 per hour, further evidence of the tremendous value and impact volunteers hold for nonprofits such as the Red Cross.

Last fiscal year, Red Cross volunteers provided food, shelter, comfort and hope to thousands who faced home fires, tornadoes, winter storms and other emergency situations. They trained 49,003 people in lifesaving skills and provided emergency services to families of military members serving around the globe. In addition, we presented 50,000 holiday cards to Veterans and active duty members along with supporting multiple Veteran programs.

They also helped collect 33,872 units of blood which helps support 46 Wisconsin hospitals. On average, the Red Cross must collect about 15,000 pints of blood every day from volunteer blood donors to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,700 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.

We also provided 63,893 rides in 2013 to those 60 and over or with a disability get to needed medical, nutritional or employment opportunities in the Brown County area.

The Red Cross invites the public to sign up to volunteer and be a part of the lifesaving work it does. The Red Cross is looking for diverse volunteers of all ages and skill levels.

People can go to:  www.redcross.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how to submit a volunteer application. Those interested in hosting a blood drive or scheduling an appointment to give blood can visit redcrossblood.org.

Thank You to Maple Grove Countryside 4-H Club

We want to say THANK YOU to the 29 youth members from the Maple Grove Countryside 4-H club, in Pulaski, for making tied blankets for the American Red Cross.

Our Red Cross workers hand-out these blankets to children and adults who have been impacted by a disaster. These blankets provide more than just warmth, they provide comfort and hope to our clients!