Mass Care Newsletter: First Issue

From international disasters such as the devastating earthquake in Haiti, to local emergencies such as house fires and floods, the American Red Cross is iconic as a shelter and feeding authority when it comes to emergency situations. The Red Cross commonly refers to this service as “mass care.”

This past January, the Red Cross has put out, for the first time ever, a publication for this crucial service. Reading through the first issue of Mass Care Messenger, I noticed that Deborah Tyler-Cook, our own Oregon Trail Chapter volunteer, wrote an article on her upcoming Avon Walk for Breast Cancer event!

In addition to our local spotlight, I found a few other newsletter features to share:

1. An article highlighting pet-friendly shelters (such as our incredible warming centers), offered a great quote on why this is such an important consideration:

“Lessons learned after Katrina show about 50% of pet owners stated not being able to take their pets was the reason they did not seek a safe shelter,” writes Darla Hesse, Disaster Manager, Midway-Kansas Chapter.

2. A volunteer spotlight on Okay Thomas Hill (who has seen action on 26 natural disasters) writes what it means to be a mass care volunteer from his recent deployment to the tsunami in American Samoa:

“In Samoa, a family lost an aunt. They were grieving her. I sat and talked with them. They were overwhelmed. That’s part of what we do. We listen. We try to let others know they matter. Giving to people is 10 times more satisfying than taking.”

To read the Mass Care Messenger yourself, email Scott Meyer at meyersc@usa.redcross.org.

Photo shows Oregon Trail Chapter Mass Care volunteers at our Damascus Shelter Exercise

One thought on “Mass Care Newsletter: First Issue

  • What does anyone expect in case of loss (hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood, fire, etc.)?

    The disaster itself is news. What happens after the dust settles is the story.

    Insurance policyholders, and more importantly disaster survivors, need to be informed of access to basic rights and information. Much is available, gratis! It just takes looking: http://www.disasterprepared.net/info.html

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