Volunteers Needed, Will You Help?

Experts predict this will be a very busy year for wildfires and hurricanes. Because of this, the American Red Cross needs your help.

We need more volunteers to be ready to respond to these potential disasters. Will you join us and help provide relief and hope to someone affected by an emergency? If you are interested in becoming a Red Cross Disaster Cycle Services volunteer, these are our most-needed disaster volunteer positions:

• SHELTER SUPPORT: Help at a shelter during a large disaster by welcoming residents, serving meals, setting up cots, distributing blankets and personal hygiene kits, and providing information and other assistance to people in need.
• HEALTH SERVICES: Use your professional skills as a licensed health care provider to deliver hands-on support, including care and education to people staying at a shelter during a large disaster. Qualified licenses include RN, LPN, LVN, EMT, Paramedic, MD, DO, PA, NP and APRN.
• DISASTER ACTION TEAM: While big hurricanes get the most news coverage, smaller disasters such as home fires are no less devastating to those affected. Join your local Disaster Action Team to help families in need by providing food, lodging, comfort, recovery assistance and other support.
   

BLOOD SERVICES VOLUNTEERS ALSO NEEDED The Red Cross also needs volunteers to support blood collections to help fulfill the ongoing need for blood products and platelets. Blood donor ambassadors play an important role by greeting, registering and providing information to blood donors throughout the donation process. Blood transportation specialists provide a critical link between blood donors and blood recipients by delivering blood to hospitals in our communities. 

The relentless pace of severe disasters has created additional and ongoing emergency needs, especially for families who have been displaced year after year by extreme weather events. The need to help during disasters has never been greater. Visit redcross.org to sign up now.