On October 12, 2024, American Red Cross responders at the disaster headquarters in Kingsport, Tennessee gathered in a room, shoulder to shoulder, to get trained in damage assessment.  Due to the wide path of destruction left behind by Hurricane Helene, all hands on deck were required to gather data in affected areas.

So, Red Crossers closed their laptops, put on their hiking boots and red vests and went out into impacted communities to get a first-hand account of the damage.   

Damage Assessment is a vital yet lesser-known service of the Red Cross. When disasters strike, our trained volunteers swiftly enter affected neighborhoods and communities, as soon as it is safe to do so, to evaluate the damage using photos, specialized smartphone apps and GPS technology.

Properties are put into categories like “destroyed”, “major damage”, “minor damage”, etc. This helps to prioritize services and focus on the areas hardest hit in a timely and efficient manner.  

The Damage Assessment training that recently took place in Kingsport led to 300 properties being mapped in one day.  Red Crossers have mapped nearly 1300 properties in the past several days and that number continues to grow.

If you’d like to learn more about how to become a disaster-trained American Red Cross volunteer, visit redcross.org or call 1 800 RED CROSS.