Nurses have been at the core of delivering the American Red Cross mission since Clara Barton – an amateur nurse herself – founded the organization in 1881. While today’s nurses don’t operate field hospitals or treat soldiers, they remain a vital part of Red Cross disaster services, blood programs and health and safety training. 

In Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA), nurses are key members of the Red Cross Disaster Health Services (DHS) team. These volunteers help individuals cope after disasters. They can provide first aid treatment for minor injuries, monitor the wellbeing of people staying in Red Cross shelters and help replace prescription medications, eyeglasses and other medical items.

Volunteer Kate Byrnes is one of the registered nurses on SEPA’s team. She describes the role of DHS as one of “health maintenance” – keeping people safe and comfortable while they’re in Red Cross care. She’s also the lead for staff health, which means addressing health concerns that arise from Red Cross workers (both paid staff and volunteers) on a disaster operation. 

Now retired, Kate spent the first part of her career working as a labor and delivery nurse. She next spent 20 years as a nursing professor in higher education. She brought all of that experience to the Red Cross in early 2002. Kate calls herself a member of the “volunteer class of 9/11” because, like many, she was looking for a way to help following the attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

“Like a lot of people, I thought I was volunteering for big disasters. It took me a long time to figure out the many things the Red Cross does,” she shared. 

While Kate has deployed to national disasters, the bulk of her volunteer hours happen right here in SEPA, caring for those impacted by disasters. At a recent local shelter operation, Kate shared her vast experience with DHS volunteer-in-training Bea Leyden, who started working with the Red Cross two months ago.

A semi-retired registered nurse, Bea joined the Red Cross looking to use her 39 years of nursing skills to “make a contribution.” 

“My daughter had a friend who was in a single-family home fire, and the Red Cross helped her,” she shared. “It seemed like a good place to lend a hand.”

During her career, Bea has worked as clinical nurse in a hospital setting, as a nursing educator and as a nursing executive. She continues to do some consulting as well. 

Bea’s first hands-on volunteer shift was at West Philly High School, where she helped care for people impacted by a large apartment building fire. She described her role as “helping people identify what resources they need.”

Kate and Bea are among the more than 20,000 nurses involved in the Red Cross today. They continue the mission of the women and men who have served under the Red Cross banner for more than 130 years. Visit our website to learn more about the roles of Red Cross nurses and how you can get involved.

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PHOTO: Red Cross Disaster Health Services volunteers and registered nurses Bea Leyden (left) and Kate Byrnes (right) work at a West Philadelphia High School shelter to help those impacted by a large apartment building fire on May, 5, 2024. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

- Written by Alana Mauger