By Emilee Mason
American Red Cross Utah/Nevada Region Communications Volunteer

You might be able to find Haydee Tapia helping friends and neighbors learn about fire safety in her community – that is, unless she’s somewhere else in the country helping disaster victims. As an American Red Cross volunteer, Haydee is a vital asset -- wherever she goes.

As a local volunteer, she installs smoke alarms and educates residents on disaster preparedness as part of the Red Cross Sound the Alarm home fire prevention program. As a member of the Disaster Action Team, she deploys nationwide to help people in need.

And she brings passion to both.

The dedicated rural volunteer in Utah
Her hometown of Roosevelt is in eastern Utah, about 124 miles east of Provo, with a population of just over 7,000. According to Haydee, volunteering in a small, rural area comes with a unique set of challenges, including not being near a Red Cross chapter.

“We need more volunteers [in rural areas],” says Haydee, who is one of the few in her area. “Having less volunteers in rural areas makes it difficult to fully assist and support the community in preparing for and responding to disasters such as house fires,” she explains. House fires not only make up the most common type of emergency in the U.S. but are also the number one event to which Red Cross volunteers respond.

Just as with larger cities, volunteers are needed in rural areas to assist with everything from disaster response to blood drives, communications, outreach, and education, Haydee stresses. “Red Cross volunteers offer community education on lifesaving topics such as first aid, CPR, and preparing for local disasters.”

The tireless national volunteer in Florida
As a member of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team for the past five years, Haydee just returned home from a deployment to Florida to assist with preparation and response to September of 2022’s Hurricane Ian.

She explains she arrived in Tallahassee in the days leading up to Ian’s landfall and assisted in preparing the community members for its impact, as well as setting up shelters and gathering supplies. “We stocked 26 U-hauls with water, snacks, and blankets,” she recalls.

Throughout her deployment, Haydee and her team brought much needed help to many devastated communities, working day and night. “We did everything from feeding to setting up shelters and intake, including a special needs shelter in Kissimmee.”

Haydee finished her tour in the hard-hit city of Fort Meyers as a case worker, a job she says she had never done before. “It’s always something new. I have a different experience every time,” she says. “I’m happy for the opportunity the Red Cross gives me to learn more every day, every time I’m on deployment.

Where in the world is Haydee Tapia
Her deployment to Florida was extended from the typical 14 days to 22 days. “I could see the continued need and felt the urge to keep providing support and comfort,” she says. And as a native Spanish speaker, she was able to further assist in translating.

Whether volunteering in her rural hometown or in response to a national disaster, Haydee says her personal calling is simply to help wherever and however she is needed. “This is what I love,” she says. “I have this in my heart. I want to help people.”

Find out more
Learn how you can assist with disasters and preparedness within your rural community. Join the Disaster Action Team to help ensure there is always someone ready to answer the call when a disaster strikes. To learn more about volunteering for the Disaster Action Team or other volunteer opportunities, visit redcross.org/volunteer.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.