By: Erianne Lewis, American Red Cross in Greater NY

To someone passing by, it seemed like just a normal Friday in January at a residential building in a quiet neighborhood in Brooklyn. However, inside apartment 6A, there was a resident whose life had been turned upside down by a fire that morning which had destroyed a large portion of her belongings. The smell and haziness of smoke was undetectable from the exterior of the building but was apparent the second anyone stepped inside — as was the destruction. American Red Cross volunteers know situations like this all too well, and they have been trained to help those affected.

Most people are familiar with the Red Cross for the aid the organization provides at large-scale natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. But many don’t realize that specially trained local volunteers, who are part of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), can also be seen in the streets of the Greater New York area assisting people whose homes have been damaged or completely destroyed by fires, floods and other emergencies. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, Red Cross volunteers are on call to help people who have been affected by a disaster and are wondering: “What’s next?”  Whether it’s one family or hundreds of families, any event that damages someone’s home and uproots their life can be difficult. Red Cross volunteers know that and strive to assist in many ways.  

Responders Jump Into Action

On that Friday, when a call about the Brooklyn fire came in to the Red Cross of Greater New York headquarters in Manhattan, volunteers who were on call acted immediately. The team that was dispatched included two DAT members (a volunteer and supervisor), and an intern with the communications department. Before heading out, the team members put on Red Cross gear including large coats, gloves, helmets and boots, before grabbing a few extra supplies to throw into the back of a fully stocked Emergency Response Vehicle.

When the team arrived on the scene, the resident in 6A seemed calmer than would be expected. She wore open-toed flips despite the 15-degree weather, because they were the only pair of shoes that hadn’t been destroyed in the fire. She said she was surprised at how quickly the Red Cross responders had arrived, and the gratefulness for their presence was apparent through both her kind words and the relief on her face. Since the woman wouldn’t be able to stay in her apartment, the responders gave her blankets, a pair of shoes, toiletries and other necessities to help her get through the following days.

Red Cross assistance often includes food, a safe place to stay, financial assistance, relief supplies, emotional support, health assistance and longer-term casework. In this instance, the Red Cross was able to provide the woman from 6A shelter in a nearby hotel for the weekend as she assessed her next steps. After leaving the apartment, the responders made calls to document the woman’s case so that Red Cross case workers would be able to reach out to her to provide additional resources. 

Present Even When You Aren’t

The Brooklyn fire is one example of what a day in the life of a DAT responder can be like, but each day can differ vastly based on the case. For example, about a month earlier, DAT responders were called to a fire that had occurred in a Bronx apartment. Upon arrival they found that the resident, Sabrina Ortiz, was not there, so they reviewed the damage and left a note on her door letting her know who to contact for help.

When Ortiz returned hours later, after receiving an emotional call from her landlord detailing what had happened, she reached out to the Red Cross for assistance. A volunteer arrived at the apartment within 20 minutes.

“I was grateful that when I did get there, I was able to just take a minute and saw the paper on the door from you guys [The Red Cross],” Ortiz said, “That was a sense of safety, right, like at least I had someplace to call. I didn’t know what the heck to do.

“Every single person [from the Red Cross] that I encountered, has been very kind and very understanding, thoughtful and [responsive]. You don’t understand how great of a feeling that is, that people actually respond in a timely manner and make you feel like you are an important element in what is going on.” 

Spirit of Giving Back

Despite the differences of each case, every Red Cross DAT responder has one thing in common: a strong desire to help neighbors in need.

Many things have led Red Cross DAT volunteers to give back. For Long Islander Joan Cerlenko, it was simply the right time in life.

“I was raised that there are different times in your life.” Cerlenko said. “When you hit a [certain] age, it’s a time in your life to give back. So, I was trying to find the best way to give back.”

DAT volunteer Ed Mechmann from Yonkers first joined the Red Cross after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He said he enjoys being part of a global organization focused on providing help and hope.

“It’s just a great thing knowing I’m a little volunteer here, almost in my own neighborhood, but there are people just like me all around the world, who are doing the same thing with the same symbol … We are all in a fellowship of helping others. That principle of humanity that’s at the heart of the Red Cross mission is just amazing to me to think of.”