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Reaching Remote Areas with Disaster Relief
Red Cross Partners with PenAir to Fly Disaster Relief to Remote Villages
Linda Mack, Special to RedCross.org
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 — ANCHORAGE, Alaska – How does the American Red Cross fulfill its mission to provide relief to victims of disasters when those victims live in isolated rural villages? In Alaska, disaster relief is made possible by partnerships such as the one between commuter airline PenAir and the American Red Cross of Alaska.
PenAir pilot Robert Nanalook looks over American Red Cross disaster relief supplies; each pound must be calculated for the safety of the plane, October 2005.
(Photo Credit: Clark James Mishler/American Red Cross)
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Over the course of two days in February 2006, rains and winds gusting up to 110 mph battered the communities of Dutch Harbor and Unalaska, both on the western tip of the Aleutian Islands.
With the force of an earthquake, wind tore through an unstable snow pack, sweeping mudslides from a nearby volcanic mountain into a bunkhouse occupied by four families—eight adults and 11 children. Clothing and other emergency supplies got to the 19 mudslide victims due to the combined efforts of PenAir’s Chief Operating Officer Danny Seybert and Alaska Red Cross chapter emergency services manger John Ramsey.
In September 2005, as much of the nation was focused on the damage left by hurricane Katrina, the most common type of disaster – single family house fires – struck in Ekwok, Alaska. Ekwok is a village of 130 people located near Bristol Bay; the community is sometimes inaccessible for two or three days at a time.
A single mother and her 14-year-old daughter were asleep when the oil stove keeping them warm ignited, engulfing the tiny cabin in flames. PenAir and the Red Cross of Alaska again teamed up to provide needed relief.
Using an all terrain vehicle, Deborah Tague transports Red Cross disaster supplies she has received, October 2005. (Photo Credit: Clark James Mishler/American Red Cross)
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In the State of Alaska, victims of fires, floods and other disasters desperately need the help of the Red Cross. Many small villages do not have 9-1-1 emergency services, volunteer fire and emergency response crews are poorly equipped and extra basics such as food and clothing are not available without travel to a larger hub community.
In addition, the only way to reach disaster victims in isolated communities is by air. That’s why PenAir’s support of the Red Cross response to disaster victims is critical. The company has waived freight charges on more than 2,500 pounds of disaster supplies and has delivered them to dozens of communities in Western Alaska.
Alaska commuter pilots are the only link between rural Alaska and the rest of the country that is on the road system. These dedicated professionals fly from one isolated location to another providing safe efficient transportation where no other means of travel is available. The American Red Cross of Alaska values the contribution of these community-spirited volunteers.
Linda Mack is the Donor Relations Manager for the Alaska Chapter of the American Red Cross in Anchorage.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Updated March 31, 2006 -- The closing paragraph of this story has been updated for clarification.
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