Red Cross Helps Cleveland Family Displaced by Fire

Posted on November 16, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Children Receive Stuffed Toys to Help Them Through Crisis

Cara Hunt was at home with her three young children when their upstairs caught fire in September.

The Cleveland family escaped unharmed, but the fire stripped them of their basic necessities and left them with no place to sleep.

As firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, two American Red Cross workers responded to offer relief. They gave each child a stuffed animal toy to help calm their fears, and provided financial assistance to cover temporary lodging for the family, whose home was deemed unlivable.

Cleveland Fire Battalion Captain Chris Posante, who connected Hunt with the Red Cross workers, underscored the importance of this support.

Red Cross worker Mark Cline offers assistance to resident Cara Hunt

“These are good people who are suffering through no fault of their own,” Posante said. “The help you give them is much needed.”

You can help people who have been driven from their homes by fire when you donate to Red Cross Disaster Relief, at redcross.org/donate, or by calling 1-800 RED CROSS. You can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Red Cross worker Jeremy Bayer offers stuffed toys to children driven from their home by fire

‘It Was a Relief’: Red Cross Helps Residents Displaced by Fire

Posted on October 25, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

North Olmsted Residents Receive Red Cross Assistance

Christine Kisela needed a place to stay after her apartment building in North Olmsted recently caught fire.

A ceiling fan in one of the units sparked the blaze, which spread quickly to the building’s attic. Firefighters had to use so much water to put out the fire that all eight homes became uninhabitable.

Displaced without food and belongings, Kisela had many questions and no sense of when she could return to her daily life in North Olmsted, Ohio.

To help Kisela and her neighbors navigate their next steps, four workers from the American Red Cross Greater Cleveland Chapter arrived to meet one-on-one with residents to discuss their needs and connect them with available resources.

“I thought it was great when the Red Cross showed up,” Kisela said. “Not knowing when we could get back into our apartments, it was a relief to get some answers and some assistance.”

Resident Christine Kisela assisted by Red Cross volunteer Gary Grano

Her neighbor, Keith Kasprzyk, agreed.

“To see the Red Cross here was great,” Kasprzyk said. “The help they gave us will definitely be put to good use.”

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Red Cross volunteer Taylor Ley assists resident Keith Kazprzyk and dog Lola

The Red Cross responds to nearly 66,000 disasters every year, with the vast majority of them home fires. People can help residents in their darkest hours by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.

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Resident Joan Kravetz receives assistance from Red Cross volunteer Mark Cline

Recovery Continues on East Coast

Posted on October 18, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Twelve days have passed since Hurricane Matthew made landfall in the United States. Many areas remain flooded. 26 Red Cross shelters remain open, with over 1,400 individuals seeking lodging there on Monday night.

As waters begin to recede, the second stage of the Red Cross recovery efforts will begin. We will start to work with those affected to provide navigation through the web of assistance available to them, not just through the Red Cross, but through other organizations such as FEMA.

Some of our volunteers are out in communities – as conditions permit – across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida to provide warm meals and relief supplies. Some are on the ground accessing the damages to homes (a step necessary for a family to obtain financial assistance), while others begin to meet with families and individuals to help them map out their own recovery process.

All told, the Red Cross has mobilized almost 5,000 disaster workers, 235 response vehicles, 19 partner-supported kitchens as well as truckloads of water, ready-to-eat meals, cots, blankets, kitchen items, cleaning supplies and comfort kits, insect repellant, gloves, masks, shovels, rakes, coolers and more.

Overall, Red Cross and community partners have served more than 931,000 meals and snacks, distributed more than 187,000 relief items, supported more than 19,000 health and mental health services, and provided 93,000 overnight stays in shelters.

How can you help?

MAKE A DONATION – The Red Cross depends on donations to provide immediate relief. Help people affected by Hurricane Matthew by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word MATTHEW to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

GIVE BLOOD – We’d also like to ask public to remember the blood needs of the Red Cross. Hurricane Matthew has already forced the cancellation of many blood drives along the East Coast, and more could be cancelled. If you’re in an unaffected area, please give blood or platelets now, so we can continue to help patients in need. Go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER – People can make a difference in someone’s life by becoming a Red Cross volunteer. To join us, visit redcross.org/neo and click on VOLUNTEER today to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how to submit a volunteer application. To learn more about national deployment, read this story.

Volunteers from Across the U.S. Help in N.C.

Posted on October 14, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Red Cross volunteers have come from all over the U. S. to help residents affected by flooding following Hurricane Matthew. About three dozen workers are from Northeast Ohio

Flooding in North Carolina is expected to persist through the weekend, as rivers continue to crest six days post-hurricane.

At the Western Prong Baptist Church in Whiteville, North Carolina on Thursday, October 13, volunteers from several states arrived in Emergency Response Vehicles to deliver meals prepared at the mobile kitchen set up by the Southern Baptist Convention.

A dozen states were represented by Red Cross volunteers, who traveled to North Carolina, some of them driving for days, to help residents by distributing food, water, and clean-up kits.

Volunteers came o the kitchen in ERVs from Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. They have been trained by the Red Cross to help deliver mass care during disasters.

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New volunteers can be trained to drive ERVs, run shelters, and many more essential services provided by the Red Cross during times of crisis. If you’re interested, log onto redcross.org/neo and click the volunteer tab to begin the application process.

From the Titanic to Service: Dispatches from the East Coast

Posted on October 13, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

img_2098-2 Dori Baumwart is passionate about service to others.

She is a Red Cross volunteer from Greenville, SC, assisting with sheltering in the southern part of the state during the Hurricane Matthew disaster relief operation. Dori has a smile that is contagious, and even while waiting for her shelter assignment, she constantly asks, “What else can I do for you?”

Dori traces her love of helping strangers cope with disaster to her paternal grandmother, Amy. When Amy was in her early twenties in 1912, her doctor told her she needed to leave her home in Great Britain to a warmer climate, so she booked a second-class passage on a ship headed for America. As an unmarried woman traveling alone, Amy was an oddity on the Titanic but she was excited about starting her new life.

amy-stanley As the Titanic sank into the cold, Atlantic waters, Amy found herself standing on the deck as the lifeboat in front of her was filled to capacity. However, a young man who had a seat saw her there, and without any pressure from other passengers, he leaped out and offered his spot to her.

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the sacrifice of this unknown gentleman,” says Dori. “My grandmother eventually met and married my grandfather in the United States. What’s really neat is that the survivors from the Titanic were housed at the Met Life building in New York City after the Carpathian rescued them. I worked for Met Life, so I always felt like everything came full circle.”

Today, as Dori prepares to head to the shelter to care for evacuees, she proudly shares the story of how her grandmother survived so that she could pay it forward.

If you are interested in volunteering with the Red Cross, get started on your application today at http://www.redcross.org/neo and click on Volunteer!

Story and Photos by Michelle Hankes/American Red Cross from redcrosssc.blogspot.com

Volunteer Stories: Why They Give Back

Posted on October 12, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

North Carolina Residents Help Their Neighbors Following Hurricane Matthew

Leween and James McIntosh joined hands with members of a family who had taken refuge from Hurricane Matthew inside a shelter at a school in Bergaw, North Carolina, and said grace. The Red Cross volunteers then joined the family for a Sunday dinner of Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and beans, prepared by school cafeteria workers.

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It will be some time before the family of India Davis will have a home cooked meal. Their home was destroyed by a tree that fell during the storm.

“It’s a miracle no one was hurt,” said the grandmother of two rambunctious boys.

The McIntoshes are Red Cross caseworkers who helped the Davis family obtain initial assistance, and who will help them develop a plan for recovering from the losses they suffered. They have been Red Cross volunteers for just over a year.

Following Sunday supper, Red Cross volunteers Luis Diaz and his son Eric got busy assembling cots for the night ahead, while Luis’ wife Anabela completed required paperwork. The Diaz family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina from New York several years ago, for the lower cost-of-living and better schools. Luis says he began volunteering with the Red Cross 10 years ago. He started as a community relations liaison, and now helps people during disasters.

“I wanted to give back to the community.”

It wasn’t long before Anabela began to volunteer as well. She, too wanted to give back.

“I liked the activities, what he was doing, and what he was giving to the community.”

Their son Eric became a volunteer when he turned 18.

Volunteers like the McIntosh and Diaz families are essential to the mission of the American Red Cross. More than 90% of the Red Cross workforce is comprised of volunteers, people who, like the McIntosh and Diaz family help their neighbors when disaster strikes.

Log onto redcross.org to learn more about becoming a volunteer.

In addition, we will host a four hour session on how you can volunteer to assist those affected by Hurricane Matthew, and other disasters, this Friday, October 14 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Greater Cleveland office at 3747 Euclid Ave.

Reserve a seat by emailing luis.rivera@redcross.org or call 216-426-7549.

Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

Northeast Ohio Natives Ride Out Hurricane Matthew in a Red Cross Shelter

Posted on October 10, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

People, Pets Provided with a Safe Place to Stay, Warm Meals to Eat

“I feel safe.” Southport, North Carolina resident and Northeast Ohio native Sue Fogle made a point of seeking out Red Cross workers at the shelter at a shelter in Shallotte, North Carolina on Friday, October 7, 2016 to express her appreciation for the treatment she and her husband and son received from the Red Cross and its partners.

She and her husband Gary and son Randy were taking refuge from Hurricane Matthew at the storm bore down on the southeastern part of the state.

“It’s not like I’m living in the lap of luxury, but it’s more than I expected,” Sue said as she spoke with Red Cross volunteer Margo Smickles. She said she expected to sleep on the floor, and did not expect to be fed, but she and all the residents at the shelter received cots, blankets, and three warm meals a day during their stay.
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In addition to the 120 people at the shelter, there were 12 dogs, 3 cats and two birds. The animals were kept separate from the human population, in a room far from the sleeping area, and were monitored by Animal Protective Service Officers. Almost 100 residents stayed in the shelter Friday night, as strong winds and heavy bands of rain began to pound parts of southeastern North Carolina. By mid-afternoon on Saturday, 120 residents were taking refuge at the shelter. Many were drawn by the shelter’s long-running offer to house pets.

Red Cross Volunteer Pat Kern holds Lila, the pet of a shelter resident

“It’s just something Animal Protective Services has been doing for a long time,” said Lori Bork, Shelter Manager. Other partners assisting the Red Cross with shelter operations included Brunswick County Social Services, Brunswick County Health and Human Services, the Brunswick County School District and the Brunswick County Sheriff’s office.

By Saturday morning, the Fogle family were among more than 18,000 people who woke up in 183 Red Cross and community evacuation shelters across four states, more than during the height of Superstorm Sandy.

Sue and Gary Fogle

More than 2,200 trained disaster workers, including more than two dozen from Northeast Ohio, were mobilized to respond to the needs of residents in the path of Hurricane Matthew. More volunteers are needed. If you are interested in helping the residents affected by Hurricane Matthew, click here.

The Red Cross also deployed 95 emergency response vehicles, 4 from Northeast Ohio, and pre-positioned 94 trailers stocked with relief supplies including water, ready-to-eat meals, cleaning items and comfort kits, insect repellent, gloves, masks, shovels, rakes, coolers and more. As soon as it is safe to do so, the Red Cross will be coordinating with partners to support people as they return home.

The Red Cross depends on donations to provide immediate relief to residents affected by disasters like Hurricane Matthew. If you’d like to help, visit redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word MATTHEW to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

NEO Volunteers and Staff Head to the East Coast for Hurricane Matthew Response

Posted on October 7, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

emily-probst “My name is Emily and I am the Disaster Program Specialist for the Greater Cleveland Chapter. I am heading out on my first deployment to assist with disaster relief for Hurricane Matthew. I am very excited to get down to Florida and make a direct impact to the community. I started working for the Red Cross because I wanted a job where I was making a positive impact everyday! I am more then ready to take this next step in my work and hit the ground running upon my arrival. “

Including Emily, nineteen NEO Red Cross workers have deployed to the East Coast, and many more are expected to leave in the coming days.

The Red Cross has launched a massive sheltering operation in response to Hurricane Matthew with more than 27,000 people seeking refuge in almost 200 Red Cross and community evacuation shelters across three states Thursday night. This included 133 shelters in Florida with more than 22,000 people; 18 shelters in Georgia with more than 2,100 people; and 47 shelters in South Carolina with more than 2,500 people.

More than 1,800 Red Cross disaster workers from across the country are on the ground or traveling to the southeast to support evacuation shelters and response efforts. In addition to providing a safe place to ride out the dangerous storm, the Red Cross is preparing to deliver relief supplies and help people recover from Matthew as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Red Cross has deployed numerous emergency response vehicles and 35 trailers filled with items like water, ready-to-eat meals, shelter and kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies and comfort kits, insect repellant, gloves, masks, shovels, rakes, coolers and more. The Red Cross is also working in close collaboration with government officials and community partners to make sure people get the help they need.

If someone you know needs to find a shelter, they can visit redcross.org, check the Red Cross Emergency App or call 1-800-768-8048. Anyone who plans to stay in a Red Cross shelter should bring prescription medications, extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies, important documents and other comfort items. They should also include any special items for children, such as diapers, formula and toys, or for family members who have unique needs.

Donations help those affected by disasters, big and small. To donate today, visit www.redcross.org/donate.

After Escaping Home Fire, Family Finds ‘Great Help’ from Red Cross

Posted on October 3, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Christine Stevens was making coffee on a September morning when her Cleveland home caught fire.

As the smoke alarm sounded, Stevens and her teenage son and daughter fled to safety. The Cleveland Fire Department put out the blaze, but the family was suddenly left homeless with no immediate return in sight. A sparking electrical box caused the fire, and firefighters advised that the wiring for the house—which Stevens rented—needed to be brought to code.

“I was scared,” Stevens said. “Where am I gonna live? What am I gonna do?”

She learned that the American Red Cross was on the way to offer help, which “kinda calmed me down.”

Upon arriving, Red Cross Disaster Program Specialist Emily Probst and volunteer Mike Gaynier met with the family, providing snacks, personal hygiene items, initial financial assistance and the reassurance of follow-up support for their recovery.

Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

Stevens, whose family is staying with her mom and a friend, was grateful for the Red Cross assistance to help get back on her feet. “They gave me some money [and] gave me some food and toiletries, which is a great help,” she said.

All Red Cross disaster assistance is free. We rely on the generosity of donors to respond to families like Christine’s. If you’d like to donate to disaster relief, log onto redcross.org and click donate, or call 1-800-RED CROSS. You can also text the words RED CROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

October is National Fire Prevention Month. It’s a great time to safeguard your family against home fires. To receive a free home fire safety inspection, information about preventing home fires, help with creating an escape plan, and free smoke alarms for your home, log onto our Operation Save-A-Life page.

Residents of Cleveland can call 216-361-5535. Akron-area residents can call 330-535-2030.

And you can download the Red Cross Emergency App, which has helpful information about preventing home fires.

Remembering the Red Cross Role on 9/11

Posted on September 9, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

The attack on America 15 years ago, on 9/11, 2001 brought out the best in people.

“Within the first 48 hours, the Red Cross in Northeast Ohio had deployed emergency response vehicles and workers (most of them volunteers) to both New York and Pennsylvania,” according to Debbie Chitester, Disaster Program Manager for the Red Cross of Summit, Portage and Medina Counties.

Debbie went to New York with about two dozen other workers from Northeast Ohio. In this video, she recalls the role the Red Cross played in the days immediately after the attack at Ground Zero, where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were brought down. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum now stands at the site.

“It’s still very emotional for me,” Debbie added, “especially at this time of year.”

Northeast Ohio Red Cross Workers were also deployed to Shanksville, Pa., where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed after the passengers fought the terrorists who had hijacked the plane. The role the Red Cross played is acknowledged at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, which is about a three and-a-half hour drive southeast of Cleveland.

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In 2009, Congress designated September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. In honor of the sacrifice so many made on that day, many people donate blood at one of the numerous Red Cross blood drives held across the country, not only on 9/11, but also on the days preceding and following the anniversary of the attack.

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If you feel so inclined to donate blood, in honor of those innocent Americans who lost their lives in the attacks 15 years ago, you can find the blood drive nearest you at redcrossblood.org.

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American Red Cross of Northern Ohio Region

Category Archives: Disaster Response