By Ryan Meyer

For Sarah and Val Deutsch, volunteering with the American Red Cross isn’t just local service - it’s a way of life. The couple, active members of the Mid-West Chapter’s disaster team, has dedicated countless hours to disaster relief efforts, home fire prevention and community support.

Val’s journey with the Red Cross began in 2017 when he attended a fire chief’s meeting. A dedicated firefighter and fire chief with 46 years of military service, he saw the Red Cross as an opportunity to extend his impact. Since joining the Disaster Action Team (DAT), he has helped expand response coverage to 13 counties and has taken part in 21 deployments since Hurricane Florence, assisting with damage assessment, sheltering and feeding those in need. As a Home Fire Campaign coordinator, Val works tirelessly to educate and protect communities from devastating home fires.

Sarah’s involvement grew alongside Val’s. Originally from Tupelo, Mississippi, she initially joined him on DAT calls before officially stepping into multiple roles, including sheltering, casework follow-ups and social media monitoring. Her first deployment opened her eyes to the challenges of disaster response.

Their first major disaster response deployment took them to Kingsport, Tennessee for Hurricane Helene. While enroute to assist, they were involved in a car accident in a Red Cross van. Undeterred, they continued their mission, arriving at the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) with unwavering resource support from the Red Cross that enabled them to stay and serve. For two weeks, they provided critical aid, listened to survivors’ stories and ensured they received assistance.

Reflecting on their experiences, Val describes large-scale disaster response as “DAT on steroids,” recalling the long lines of people seeking aid.

“We had six to eight people per day - it was efficient and effective,” he says. Sarah adds, “I tell people I retired from my 40-hour job and picked up an 80-hour job.”

Through deployments and local disaster response, Sarah and Val embody the heart of the American Red Cross mission. Their story highlights not only their dedication but also the fun in volunteering as a couple.

“We never have a cross word - until you put us in a response,” Sarah jokes. “I have my way of doing things, and he has his. We have fun with it.”

With their passion and teamwork, Sarah and Val continue to make a difference, proving that service is even more meaningful when shared.

If you are interested in volunteering with the American Red Cross, please visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.