FAIRBANKS, AK, October 15, 2019 —The American Red Cross of Alaska, a nonprofit organization committed to providing relief to victims of disasters and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies, will present at the 8th Annual Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) - National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Tribal Conference on October 16 in Fairbanks, Alaska, and will also exhibit at the AFN Convention from October 17-19.

The Red Cross looks forward to collaborating with Alaskan Native communities on ways to further develop partnership opportunities and training for disaster response, as well as opportunities to strengthen individual and community emergency preparedness.

“This week we have an opportunity to be a part of and learn from this celebration of the cultures and traditions of Alaska’s first peoples,” said Tanguy Libbrecht, Red Cross of Alaska CEO. “The Red Cross of Alaska is proud to have a statewide presence through our outreach efforts and strong collaborations with state and local government and tribal leaders, and we look forward to continuing to listen, learn and partner with all of our communities across the state in the months and years to come.”

The Red Cross of Alaska responds to calls for assistance, on average, more than once a day state-wide. In fiscal year 2019, the Red Cross of Alaska responded to 435 disasters and assisted 1,096 people across 50 Alaskan communities. This is a 29 percent increase in cases opened and a 19 percent increase in individuals assisted over fiscal year 2018. The number of communities served also increased by 16 percent from 42 to 50.

Red Cross of Alaska Schedule of Events

Wednesday, October 16: 8th Annual AFN-NCAI Tribal Conference

Morning Session
Topic IV: Emergency Preparedness with Red Cross of Alaska CEO, Tanguy Libbrecht
Time: Approximately 10 a.m.
Location: Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center (3605 Cartwright Ct., Bldg. C, Fairbanks)
Details: Libbrecht will be a guest speaker during the morning session. Libbrecht’s 10 to 15-minute presentation will provide an overview of Red Cross support to Alaska Native communities during times of disaster and will discuss additional ways to partner with the Red Cross in order to better prepare for disasters that may occur in the future.

Thursday, October 17 - Saturday, October 19: 2019 AFN Convention

Red Cross of Alaska Informational Booth
Time: Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Carlson Center (2010 2nd Ave, Fairbanks) - Booth #1 on the first floor of the Prow
Details: Red Cross volunteers will be present to provide preparedness tips, discuss the fundamentals of what to include in an emergency preparedness kit, and talk with residents about volunteer, partnership and community training opportunities.

Interview Availability: Libbrecht will be present at the convention and available for interviews to address Red Cross support of Alaska Native communities during times of disaster, and can also discuss ways to partner with the Red Cross in order to better prepare for disasters that may occur in the future.

About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In Fiscal Year 2019, the American Red Cross of Alaska responded to 435 disasters by offering food, shelter, relief supplies, comfort, hope and recovery services to 1,096 Alaskans in 50 communities statewide. Our preparedness teams installed 2,171 free smoke alarms and educated 1,409 youth through The Pillowcase Project. Our Training Services department enrolled 19,665 students in first aid/CPR/AED, aquatics and caregiving classes. Our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 1,299 emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. In Fiscal Year 2019, our statewide workforce of 729 volunteers logged 40,735 hours in service to our mission and their fellow Alaskans. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Alaska or visit us on Twitter at @redcrossak.

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