“Volunteers lead the Red Cross mission in emergency preparedness, prevention and response."
BANGOR – You can help people affected by disasters! Learn more at an American Red Cross information session about how you can help fulfill the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross as a volunteer.
The session will be held at the Northern and Eastern Maine chapter office at 145 Exchange St., Suite 1, in Bangor.
Topics will include an overview of Red Cross disaster cycle services, training, deployment to major disasters and available volunteer roles. Refreshments will be served.
Across the nation, the Red Cross responds to an emergency every 8 minutes. The Red Cross is there for people affected by home fires, hurricanes, floods and more – every day, wherever they are.
“Volunteers lead the Red Cross mission in emergency preparedness, prevention and response,” said Interim Disaster Program Manager Kristen Simas. “Your time and talents can make a real difference in the community and for people in need.”
The following volunteer opportunities are now available in Penobscot County.
Disaster Action Team: DAT responders are dispatched to disaster scenes – often home fires – to provide immediate help. They assess the needs of the affected individuals and make sure they have food, a safe place to sleep and other essentials. They connect them as needed to Red Cross Disaster Health Services, Disaster Mental Health and Disaster Spiritual Care specialists. They may follow-up to help with recovery plans and make referrals to available resources.
Sheltering: During a disaster, Red Cross shelters offer a safe place to stay, health services, emotional support, information, meals, snacks, water and more. Shelter workers may help with shelter set up, feeding, distributing supplies and other shelter operations. In addition to disaster responses in Maine, trained sheltering workers may have the opportunity to deploy to out-of-state operations.
Home Fire Campaign: Home fires kill seven people each day in the United States. The campaign aims to reduce those preventable tragedies. Working smoke alarms in a home reduce the risk of death by half and an escape plan further improves the chances of survival. Home fire safety teams visit homes to assess and test existing alarms and install free smoke alarms, help residents develop escape plans and review fire safety checklists with them. Volunteers may also be involved in organizing home fire safety and installation events.
For more information, contact Kristen Simas at Kristen.Simas@redcross.org or at 941-2903 x404.
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About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit MaineRedCross.org, like the American Red Cross of Maine on Facebook or visit us on Twitter at @ARC_Maine.
