Hurricanes aren’t the only disaster to prepare for

By Eilene Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

Here we are on August 1^st, the beginning of high season for hurricanes.

Are you ready?

I know, I know. Here in northern Ohio, we’re lucky: We don’t suffer the way they do on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, where 2024 has already started to be a memorable hurricane year.

But that’s not to say we’re immune from summer/fall disasters: tornadoes, flash flooding, even human-caused emergencies.

So, it’s a good time to review American Red Cross preparedness advice:

• Build a kit of things you’ll need to grab if the unexpected occurs;
• Have an evacuation plan that you’ve reviewed with your family recently;
• Stay informed about your community’s risks and how local officials will alert you with important information. Plus, download the free Red Cross Emergency app for weather alerts and more safety tips.

But there’s one more thing you can do right now: Get ready to be a disaster responder.

Joe Guilfoyle of Cleveland did that: After he retired from teaching and coaching, “I wanted to do something that had meaning, purpose. That would help people.” So, he linked up with the Red Cross.

“Most of my training was virtual,” he said. “The (training) programs were spot on,” so when Hurricane Ian hit Florida in September 2022, he felt ready to go.

“Ian was very destructive,” he said. “People lost everything. To see so much devastation was heartbreaking… It’s a great thing to be involved with helping people.

“One other thing I didn’t expect: Working with the other volunteers. You meet some tremendous people.”

“Today, the Red Cross is responding to more large disasters – almost twice as many – than we did a decade ago,” said Jessi Caruso, who manages disaster volunteer engagement across the northern Ohio region. “With natural disasters coming at us one right after another, we need more volunteers trained and ready to support families who are suddenly in need.

“We’re committed to being sure that volunteers have a positive experience. By connecting with new volunteers in advance, we can answer questions and share the knowledge and training that will make for a good fit.”

Disaster volunteers provide shelter, comfort, hot meals, health services and recovery support across the country. There are also roles in logistics, transportation, damage assessment (That’s what Joe did.), volunteer support, lodging and liaison with other response partners. Some jobs can even be done remotely, by people who can’t leave home.

The Red Cross is always looking for new volunteers who are team-oriented and want to make an immediate difference. That’s why taking the free on-line training is so important.

“They’ve put a step-by-step plan together, to respond to these situations,” Joe Guilfoyle said. “They can bring folks together from all over to get the job done.”

If you’d like to be ready to help those near home or across the country who have been hit by a disaster, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday. If you need help filling out the volunteer application, send an email to  NEOVolunteer@redcross.org, or call 216-431-3328.