Safeguarding your home ahead of the colder months

Posted on October 27, 2026 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Eilene Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

It’s lovely to bask in the bright sunshine of October, but we all know that colder weather is right around the corner. With that – unfortunately – comes the prospect of more home fires.

You may not think of a home fire as a “disaster,” but if it’s your home, believe me, it is!

The American Red Cross knows that too.

“The vast majority of the more than 60,000 disasters the Red Cross responds to every year across the U.S. are home fires,” said Barb Thomas, who heads up Red Cross disaster response for the 31 counties of northern Ohio. “In just the year ending July 1, the Red Cross was called to help nearly 4,500 people who were driven from their homes by fires in our region.”

Help keep your family safe by providing at least three feet of space around all heating equipment, testing your smoke alarms monthly and practicing your two-minute home fire escape plan.

“Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires in this country,” Barb said.

If you must use a space heater, never leave it unattended. Put it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Don’t put it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes.
Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets — never into an extension cord. Turn the space heater off every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
Keep children, pets and anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Make sure embers in the fireplace are cold before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace.
Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves inspected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary.

Smoke alarms save lives. That’s a fact: Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.

That’s why the Red Cross teams up with local fire departments and community volunteers to install free smoke alarms in homes across our region. Contact your local Red Cross chapter if you need one (or more).

But alarms don’t do any good if they’re disconnected (probably in the wrong place) or if the batteries are dead. Test yours every month! And check the dates on your alarms. If they’re more than 10 years old, they need to be replaced because the sensors get less sensitive over time.

Think through and practice a two-minute home escape plan with your family. (Don’t forget your pets!)

To create a worthwhile home fire escape plan, include at least two ways to get out of every room (through doors, windows) and then practice it until every member of your family, old and young, can do it in two minutes or less. Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and what to do in an emergency. (Don’t hide! And don’t assume it’s a false alarm!)

If you’d like to become a trained Red Cross volunteer, to bring comfort and support to people struck by disaster in your community or across the country, go to redcross.org/volunteer. We welcome you!

From home fire to happy

Posted on March 6, 2026 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Toledo mom grateful for Red Cross assistance following devastating fire

By Jim McIntyre, American Red Cross volunteer

“This is the first time in my adult life I’ve actually been content.” That quote may not seem to make much sense, coming from someone who suffered a home fire less than a month before. But that’s not how Ashley Jackson sees it.

“Everything happens for a reason, even the bad stuff,” said the Toledo school bus driver, referring to the fire that destroyed much of her home on January 29, 2026. “So many blessings have come from it.”

Ashley Jackson (bottom right), Okikechukwu Emeana (left), Chibueze Emeana (center)

Ashley was able to escape safely with her two young sons and their cat at about 4:30 the morning the fire tore through the upstairs of their home. She said she had no idea what to do or where to go. She had no insurance, and she thought she and her children were going to have to sleep in their car. That’s when she was told to call the American Red Cross, where she connected with a caseworker.

“You guys jumped right into action,” Ashley said, by helping her stay focused and calm. “I thought I was OK, but I just busted out in tears, and she (the Red Cross caseworker) stayed on the phone with me the entire time and consoled me and helped me stay strong for my kids. Because once I started crying, they started crying!”

The Red Cross was able to give Ashley immediate financial assistance for an extended stay in a hotel, where she and her children spent the first week following the fire. She said they also connected her with other resources for clothes and basic necessities.

“They were checking up on me about every day, maybe twice a day, through calls and text messages. Just being very kind, and, I don’t know…human.”

Like many people, Ashley was unaware of the help the Red Cross offers to people in her situation.

“I thought it was like some organization that helped foreign countries,” she said.

In Northern Ohio alone, the Red Cross responds to more than 3 home fires every 24 hours, offering the same compassionate care and financial assistance that Ashley and her family received. And most of that help is provided by volunteers.

And now, Ashley is considering becoming a Red Cross volunteer.

“I’m happy. Everybody’s safe. We’re getting back into a routine. Being on the receiving end, I want to give back.”

Anyone who wants to give back and help their neighbors in need can visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more about the many ways the Red Cross offers to help make our communities safer and more resilient.

Red Cross response recognized by Austintown Township partners

Posted on February 6, 2026 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross

On Saturday November 22, 2025, an explosion displaced dozens of residents at the Phoenix House senior living apartment complex in Austintown Township, Ohio.

Red Cross MRV outside the Phoenix House apartment complex in Austintown Township after an explosion displaced dozens of residents.

Red Cross volunteers were on scene quickly, providing immediate needs for those residents who were left out in the cold. Within hours, our Disaster Action Team members from across the region were in Austintown Township, coordinating with first responders, local leaders, and community partners to best serve these residents.

A staging area was set up at the local senior center and the Red Cross went to work. When it was deemed safe, the Red Cross set up tents outside of the apartment complex to triage residents going into the complex to retrieve essentials such as medicine, personal belongings, and more.

Our volunteers were out in the freeing temperatures and rain for days, assisting residents with not just this process, but opening cases for these people to get much-needed financial assistance. This relief effort lasted weeks, and our volunteers and DAT team members worked tirelessly through the Thanksgiving holiday to make sure that these people, who were living through their worst nightmare, had what they needed when they needed it most.

Austintown Township Trustees recognizing the efforts of the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio and other community partners and organizations for their efforts in the wake of the Nov. 22, 2025, explosion at the Phoenix House apartments.

On February 2, 2026, in recognition of those efforts, the Austintown Township Trustees issued the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio a Letter of Commendation, highlighting the collaborative efforts of our team and our community partners.

The commendation reads, in part, “In the face of an unexpected crisis, your business exemplified the true spirit of community,” which is what the Red Cross of Northern Ohio does best. Shoutout to our region’s Community Disaster Program Specialist, Lisa Friend-Timko, who led the charge and coordinated one heck of a relief effort.

Full Circle: A Hurricane survivor joins the Red Cross mission to help others

Posted on December 22, 2025 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By: Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

In 1996, two hurricanes made landfall in North Carolina: Hurricane Bertha, a category 2 storm, followed 8 weeks later by Hurricane Fran, a category 3 storm. The combined damages produced by these storms in North Carolina totaled over 2.5 billion dollars and caused the evacuations of over a million people.

Natalie Whitmer, American Red Cross volunteer

Natalie Whitmer, an American Red Cross volunteer based out of Canton, Ohio, was one of those evacuees. She was living in North Carolina at the time and experienced firsthand being displaced to an evacuation shelter run by the Red Cross.

Following the storms, she and her husband returned home to assess the damage. “We found that the front half of our mobile home was destroyed. That’s where my daughter’s bedroom was, so a lot of their clothing and their bedding and all of that stuff was lost.” Natalie explained.

The Red Cross had also deployed ERV vehicles, or Emergency Response Vehicles, which drove through their neighborhood and provided food and water after the storm.

“They had set up an office, and they just asked the address, where we lived, what happened, what I’m missing, what I need help with, and they gave me a voucher to be able to go and get diapers and clothing for my children, which was amazing…I think it was like six weeks we were without water and electricity.”

Her story came full circle when in 2024, now Red Cross volunteer, she was deployed to another pair of hurricanes, Helene & Milton, that hit within a 2-week timespan. There she manned a Red Cross ERV and supervised an evacuation shelter. Regarding that time, she reflected, “It’s amazing that I’m (now) on this end of it (and) able to do the same.”

Since joining the Red Cross in 2023, Natalie has deployed multiple times to a variety of disasters, assisting in sheltering, feeding, and other vital roles. She also now works as a Casework Supervisor Coordinator for the Northeast Ohio Chapter.

“It’s extremely fulfilling and it’s just so comforting knowing that we have an organization out here that has all of this to offer,” she said. “I never knew Red Cross had so much until I started working with them, and it just blows my mind. It’s just an absolutely beautiful organization, their mission and everything, and the people that run it, all the volunteers.”

This holiday season, consider giving back to others by donating your time as a volunteer. Click HERE to find out more about becoming a Red Cross Volunteer and all of the opportunities available at the Northern Ohio Chapter.

Canada wildfires: One Northern Ohio Red Cross volunteer’s deployment story

Posted on September 5, 2025 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross

As part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, national societies often support disaster response in neighboring countries. The American and Canadian Red Cross have a long history of this kind of collaboration, including sending volunteers to support sheltering and other disaster response work.

This summer, the American Red Cross deployed more than 115 trained disaster volunteers to help the Canadian Red Cross’s effort amidst the worst wildfire season in the country in the past 30 years.

Northern Ohio volunteer Paul Hiszem (second from right) with other Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross volunteers providing relief during the Manitoba wildfires, July 2025.

One of those volunteers is Paul Hiszem, from the Northern Ohio Region. Paul’s been a Red Cross volunteer for about five years and has been on nearly a dozen deployments. This one, however, was slightly different.

“We were expecting about 4,000 residents, but we only got about 400,” Paul said of the shelter he was working at in Winnipeg. “Residents of the affected communities were being evacuated by plane.”

Residents from outside Manitoba may not have had damage to their home, but were in mandatory evacuation zones, so they hopped on small planes and were taken to Winnipeg, where Paul and other Canadian Red Cross and American Red Cross volunteers and shelter workers were waiting for them.

“A vast majority of the people we were working with were indigenous,” Paul said. “Some of them didn’t speak English. Emotionally, that was a big challenge because they’d been away from home for so long. We interacted some, trying to keep them apprised of different schedules and things, but it was different, a different setup than a lot of the shelters I’ve worked before.”

With more than 100 volunteers joining the massive relief operation, it marked the largest support effort on behalf of the American Red Cross in Canada. Prior to this summer, in 2016, the American Red Cross supported relief efforts when an Alberta wildfire forced more than 88,000 residents of Fort McMurray and surrounding areas to leave their homes in search of safety.

Canadian Red Cross volunteers are no strangers to supporting disaster relief efforts in the U.S., either. In recent years, 56 Canadian Red Cross volunteers have deployed to disasters across the United States. The American and Canadian Red Cross are two of the 191 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that make up the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the world’s largest humanitarian network. Often referred to as National Societies, their roles differ country by country, but they are all united by our Fundamental Principles and all strive for the good of humanity.

And that’s what Paul is doing as a volunteer – striving for the good of humanity and working to prevent and alleviate human suffering in emergencies. Hear more of Paul’s story on the latest episode of our Be a Hero podcast here. And click here to sign up to be a disaster volunteer.

As extreme weather events increase, so does the need for Red Cross services and volunteers

Posted on May 31, 2024 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

2024 is predicted to be an extremely active year

By Tim Poe, American Red Cross Volunteer

Polyrhythms of raindrops drum at the window, accented by rolling bellows of thunder, a severe late May storm approaches. Lights flicker. I am relieved the roof, damaged weeks ago, has finally been repaired. Yet as a Northern Ohio resident I am fortunate, as the region is less prone to natural disasters. Earlier, I watched reports from the latest of this spring’s tornado outbreaks. Amidst the catastrophic scenes, as always, American Red Cross volunteers and staff members are there, ensuring those impacted have food, shelter, care, comfort, and resources to begin recovering.

March 30, 2023. Amory, Mississippi. Red Crosser Eric Besson examines damage to a home on Thursday in Amory, Miss. As many as 2,000 structures across Mississippi received major damage or were destroyed by tornadoes on March 24. More than 380 trained Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground in Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama, as the nonprofit organization works with partners to make sure everyone has a safe place to stay, meals, emotional support and comfort in the aftermath of deadly tornadoes on March 24. Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross

As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe–and 2024 is predicted to be an exceptionally active year–the need for Red Cross services is increasing. Already, the Red Cross responds to almost twice as many large disasters than it did a decade ago, and in just the last 10 months, 125 volunteers from Northern Ohio have assisted residents affected by hurricanes and wildfires across the U.S. Four Northern Ohio volunteers are currently deployed to Texas and Iowa.

As eventful as 2023 was, with weather-related disasters forcing an estimated 2.5 million people from their homes, one-third of them for longer than a month, according to the New York Times, 2024 may be even more severe.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that, as of May 8, 2024, the US has had seven confirmed weather/climate disaster events, each with losses over $1 billion, resulting in the deaths of 70 people. The NOAA also states there were 384 preliminary tornado reports in April, more than double the 1991-2020 average and the second highest April count on record.

March 31, 2023. Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Red Crosser Yolanda Gainwell visits with Karebya Christmas on Friday outside Christmas heavily damaged home in Rolling Fork, Miss. Christmas was home with her three children ranging in age from 2 to 11 years old when the tornado arrived. Just like Christmas grandmother taught her, she brought the family into the bathtub and put a pillow on top of them. No one was injured, but her home suffered major damages, disrupting their lives, as well as the self-owned business she ran from the home. On Friday, Christmas received help at a drive-through distribution center, where the Red Cross and partners distributed rakes, shovels, totes, clean-up kits, flashlights, batteries and more. Displaced, Christmas is staying at a hotel in Ridgeland, Miss. until at least Monday. As she finished talking with Gainwell, Christmas thanked her for coming to talk with her at her home, but with the damage rendering it uninhabitable, she hesitated to call it a home. I dont know what to call it my blessing in disguise, maybe, she said. Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross

As summer approaches, the likelihood of an extremely active hurricane season and above-average wildfire season looms. Jim McIntyre, Regional Communications Director for the American Red Cross, Northern Ohio Region, recently conducted an interview with meteorologist Trent Magill of WEWS News 5. Jim and Trent discussed recent events, the need for planning and Red Cross services, and the outlook for the hurricane and severe storm season. Trent states, “everything we’re seeing shows above average intensity,” and that “it’s going to be a rough season.” Continuing, Trent says “Everyone should have a plan.”

Hopefully, you are wondering what you can do. For one, make sure you are prepared and have a plan. For another, please consider volunteering with the Red Cross. Volunteers account for 90% of the Red Cross workforce and represent a wide array of cultures, backgrounds, ages, gender identities, lifestyles, and beliefs, just like those we serve. Everyone is welcome, and free online training is provided.

April 9, 2023. Little Rock, Arkansas. William Burkey, a member of the Red Cross disaster mental health team, and Jamie Harms, a member of the disaster health services team, work together to bring comfort and hope to Paula Rocha, whose home was damaged by a tornado that struck Little Rock, Arkansas, and several nearby towns. Photo by Kevin Suttlehan/American Red Cross

Three key positions are especially needed: Disaster Action Team volunteers, who help families in need following a disaster; Shelter Services volunteers, who support day-to-day activities in an emergency shelter; and Disaster Health or Mental Health Services volunteers, who use their professional skills as licensed healthcare providers to assist those impacted by a disaster. Please consider joining, as I can personally attest you will work alongside outstanding people and the see difference Red Cross services provide.

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

National Volunteer Week Profile: Tom and Gwen Johnson

Posted on April 23, 2024 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

They help get Red Cross resources where needed

By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

A little under six years ago, Tom Johnson decided to help after a disaster, contacted the
American Red Cross, and was soon assisting at a Florida shelter in what would become his first of 18 deployments thus far. A few months later, Tom was heading to the Red Cross’s Heartland, Stark, and Muskingum Lakes (HSML) chapter, when his wife, Gwen, decided she would like to help, too.

Since then, Tom and Gwen have taken on enough roles to fill this page, but Tom is primarily the logistics lead for the Northern Ohio region, while Gwen helps engage volunteers and forge shelter agreements. In short, they ensure people, supplies, facilities, and vehicles are ready whenever and wherever needed.

They are also responders on the Disaster Action Team (DAT) and help install smoke alarms.

Much of the Red Cross’ ability to quickly, effectively provide assistance -whether during a disaster, supplying blood to hospitals, aiding the U.S. Armed Forces, or other lines of service -is due to volunteers like Tom and Gwen.

Mike Parks, Kim Kroh, Tom and Gwen Johnson

Kim Kroh, Executive Director the HSML chapter, said, “Tom and Gwen have amazing stamina and are some of the most philanthropic people I have ever met. Gwen is one of my Community Volunteer Leaders (CVLs) and has helped me immensely, including archiving the history of seven counties. Tom is always willing to help around the chapter, whether that is loading the Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) for Hall of Fame activities, volunteering at our fundraising events , or reaching high places (Tom is super tall). It is a blessing to have Tom and Gwen representing the HSML chapter, and an honor to call them my friends.”

Tom and Gwen bring a lifetime of experience to the Red Cross. In addition to raising two
children, Tom worked in telecommunications for 40 years; Gwen most recently worked in retail. They have three grandchildren, enjoy traveling, hiking, and animal watching.

Being creative, lifetime learners, they have continued to hone skills and explore new avenues as Red Cross volunteers. While Tom had known about several Red Cross services, including being assisted when he was in the service and his father passed, he was still surprised how many opportunities and classes the Red Cross offers. (Another of Tom’s roles is helping at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery).

It is a good fit for them. Tom and Gwen both like to remain busy. It is one of the things Tom enjoys about logistics, especially during deployment, as the days are filled with activity. Gwen enjoys talking with and helping people, although she jokes part of her job is sending them away (on deployments).

While Tom and Gwen modestly describe themselves as being “behind the scenes,” joining to help rather than receive pats on the back, they have seen the positive effects of their work: a young lady hugging a blanket other HSML volunteers had sewn, saying she will cherish it forever; an older woman who couldn’t believe they travelled 90 minutes at night to help just her; a shelter resident initially nervous being around others developing friendships; the appreciation of having someone listen and help after losing their homes.

They have also met a lot of nice people, enjoy the diverse experience and perspectives of their fellow Red Cross members, and being able to help when it is most needed.

For anyone considering becoming a Red Cross volunteer, Tom and Gwen point to the many opportunities, the ability to discover new perspectives and see the world differently, the enjoyment, the friendships, and even the T-shirts. And if you join in the HSML chapter, they will likely be among those helping you begin.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Bringing help and hope: Volunteer nurses find sharing their skills rewarding

Posted on May 8, 2023 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Honoring professional healthcare volunteers during National Nurses Week

By: Kelly C. McClure, MLS, BSN, RN, American Red Cross volunteer

What does a disaster look like? There’s no rough blueprint or an all-encompassing definition for the word, but for those who have lost everything in a fire, flood, earthquake, or hurricane, it can look like complete despair. In the United States alone, a disaster occurs approximately every eight minutes. Stretched out, that’s more than 60,000 disasters each year that the American Red Cross will deploy volunteers to help victims by supplying clean water, food and shelter. But what happens when there are physical injuries, wounds or medical conditions that need immediate attention? The Red Cross’ team of volunteer nurses are there to help.

Beth Kartman-Orgel, RN, Red Cross volunteer

The volunteer nurse corps for the Red Cross include an amazing team of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) who undergo many hours of training to become Service Associates (SAs) with the Red Cross’ Disaster Health Services. In addition to learning first aid, providing care at a shelter, psychological first aid, mass casualty education and deployment training, they also learn how to reunify families that have been separated. Once deployed, they not only provide physical assessments of injured victims who may need to be transported to a hospital for a higher level of care but also provide valuable health care education to victims.

One of the many dedicated nurses in the volunteer nurse corps is registered
nurse, Beth Kartman-Orgel, who has been a nurse for 46 years and a volunteer nurse with the Red Cross for six. During this time, she has deployed to many disaster sites including several in Florida after hurricanes and some in California during wildfires.

“Being deployed is a whole lot different than being a regular nurse,” Beth said. “You need to be able to think on your feet, make do with little to no equipment or support and, at times, without electricity, running water or supervisors because there is no internet or phone service.”

Any nurse will tell you that each day brings with it a whole new set of challenges. However, as a volunteer nurse in the Red Cross, those challenges look somewhat different.

“I love the challenges we face on deployments — the different ethnicities,
languages, and belief systems among staff and clients,” she explained. “I always loved camping, so showering in a truck, washing at a sink with bottled water, if need be, using flashlights to make rounds or give meds or change dressings is all in a day’s work.” Undoubtedly, Beth loves what she does for the Red Cross and has also completed Disaster Health Services supervisor training, which she hopes to utilize on her next deployment.

Deploying to a disaster area after a hurricane or wildfire isn’t the only way nurses can be involved with the Red Cross. Registered nurse, Cindy Russo, has been a volunteer with the Red Cross for 30 years and began her journey in Blood Donor Services at blood drives. Here, she completed donor registrations and medical histories and obtained blood pressure and hemoglobin tests before blood donation. In more recent years, Cindy has predominantly worked in Disaster Health Services, assisting victims after home fires to obtain new prescriptions for their medications and necessary medical equipment like wheelchairs, walkers and oxygen machines. In the past, Cindy has also deployed to regions affected by hurricanes and has even helped install smoke alarms in local homes. After 30 years of volunteering, she has found the work to be extremely rewarding.

“Helping those in a time of need is the most rewarding part,” she said. “It is a great extension of what many nurses do every day and is a way to use their skills and talents to help others.”

If you’re a nurse and want to volunteer with the Red Cross, browse through the listings of volunteer opportunities and complete an online volunteer application.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer
Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

From disaster volunteer to engagement coordinator to mascot

Posted on April 17, 2023 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Chris Gearig takes on a multifaceted role in her chapter

By Doug Bardwell, Red Cross volunteer

Christine Gearig hails from Wauseon, Ohio, about 45 minutes due west of the Toledo
office of the American Red Cross’ Western Lake Erie Chapter (WLE). Having lived there
for 30 years, she’s used to the driving to the Toledo office, where she goes at least
twice a week.

She and a partner take turns as Disaster Action Team (DAT) supervisor and associate (SV and SA) responding to calls from fire departments for seriously damaged homes.

“One case always sticks out from the many cases we’ve been called to. It was a totally devastated home, and we were talking to this huge man, who had lost everything,” recalled Chris. “The more we talked, the more the realization crept in that he had lost it all, and tears began to well up in his eyes. I’d never seen such a large man in tears before, but we realized everyone handles grief differently.”

Chris also serves as the chapter’s Disaster Workforce Engagement (DWE) coordinator. She has created a newsletter for updates on training, recognition, and whatever else is timely for the month.

Apart from the Red Cross, Chris keeps active with two grown daughters, five
grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Add one cat, and they all keep her young.

After retiring, while watching TV, she looked at coverage of a national disaster and saw
Red Cross volunteers comforting the victims amid the destruction. She thought to
herself, “Well, I could do that. I love talking to people and being with people, so it
seemed like it would be the perfect match.” She went online, where to sign up,
and completed her application.

“Chris has been an invaluable asset to the WLE chapter,” said Deb Pressley, Disaster
Program manager. “She has taken on various roles for us, including DAT SV, DWE
coordinator, Mass Care Sheltering SA – and has most recently agreed to be our Pedro
the Penguin mascot! When Chris commits to something, I know I can depend on her
to do it thoroughly. She is dedicated, even committing to her duties while out of
town. She asks good questions and brings new ideas, especially to her role as DWE
coordinator. I really appreciate Chris and all that she brings to our team!”

When asked what she would tell someone looking for volunteer work, Chris said, “I
would tell them just to come aboard; it’s not like a permanent commitment, but just try it
out. A good friend, who is also retired, said she didn’t want to commit as much time as I
did, but she came aboard and is now a Blood Drive ambassador, working occasional
drives.”

To explore all the ways Red Cross enables you to help others, start your volunteer
exploration by clicking here.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

The family disaster that launched one volunteer into action

Posted on April 16, 2023 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Ryan Lang, Red Cross Board Member and volunteer

“Being able to see the immediate impact the Red Cross can have when someone’s going through one of their worst experiences – that’s what’s kept me going for the past six years.”

For Brian Glasscock, it was personal when he started volunteering for the American Red Cross. He was still living in California and his family was forced to evacuate their home due to a wildfire. That was the moment Brian decided he wanted to help people in similar situations.

Brian’s been a part of the Disaster Action Team since he began volunteering six years ago. He’s moved up to Coordinator for Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties and serves as the Disaster Response Supervisor for the region.

“When the Red Cross shows up, something is going really quite wrong in someone’s life,” Brian said. He knows – he’s been there and he’s seen the impact the Red Cross can immediately have in those moments. It’s why he does it.

Brian has since found many other perks in his volunteer work. “Being a disaster volunteer with the Red Cross has helped me learn to communicate with diverse groups of people. It has exposed me to the richness of Northeast Ohio,” he said. “Volunteering for the Red Cross has opened up a whole new lens to the community I live in.”

But like many Red Cross volunteers, Brian has a full-time job – one that requires him to travel quite a bit. How can he fit in volunteering on top of everything else? “You can do a shift every weekend, or even every other weekend,” Brian explains. “With the Disaster Action Team, you can do both – have a career and give back to the community by volunteering with the Red Cross.”

To find out how you can volunteer with the Red Cross or other ways to help, click here!

NOHredcross

American Red Cross of Northern Ohio Region

Tag Archives: Disaster Action Team