While summer is a time to enjoy the weather and spend quality time outdoors, it is also a time for disasters. Here in Northern Ohio, summer means severe storms and tornados. During COVID-19, the American Red Cross has also seen an increase in local disasters, such as home fires, due to more people staying at home. In addition, experts are warning that the United States can expect busy hurricane and wildfire seasons this summer. To help respond to these disasters, the Red Cross needs volunteers from the region, who are willing to travel when necessary, to lend a helping hand.
“The coronavirus pandemic will make it challenging to deploy trained disaster volunteers to other parts of the country should an emergency occur. In light of this, the Red Cross is asking you to be ready to help your community and communities across the country when disaster strikes,” said Tim O’Toole, disaster program manager for the Red Cross of Northern Ohio. “Train now to be a Red Cross volunteer and answer the call to help if the need arises here in our region or elsewhere across the country.”
SHELTER HELP NEEDED
There is a special need for volunteers to support sheltering efforts. Because of COVID-19, the Red Cross is placing those needing a safe place to stay in emergency hotel lodging when possible. If hotel stays aren’t possible, then the Red Cross will open traditional shelters. To help keep people safe, we have put in place additional precautions and developed special training for our workforce.
We need volunteers to help staff shelter reception, registration, feeding, dormitory, information collection and other vital tasks to help those we serve. We have both associate and supervisory level opportunities available.
HEALTH SERVICES SUPPORT NEEDED If you are an RN, LPN, LVN, APRN, NP, EMT, paramedic, MD/DO or PA with an active, current and unencumbered license, the Red Cross needs your support. Volunteers are needed in shelters to help assess people’s health. Daily observation and health screening for COVID-19-like illness among shelter residents may also be required. RNs supervise all clinical tasks.
Roles are also available for Certified Nursing Assistants, Certified Home Health Aides, student nurses and medical students. We need volunteers who can provide care as delegated by a licensed nurse in shelters. This could include assisting with activities of daily living, personal assistance services, providing health education and helping to replace medications, durable medical equipment or consumable medical supplies.
FURRY FRIENDS NEED HELP TOO
When people leave their homes during an emergency, they take their pets with them. The Red Cross is looking for established partner organizations to support the pet sheltering effort.
FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING
If you are interested in helping our community should a disaster occur, please go to redcross.org/volunteertoday or contact Gail Wernick at (216) 431-3328.
