By Tana Kelley, Northwest Region

For Christi Hanson, service has taken many forms.

Long before she put on a Red Cross vest as a Disaster Action Team responder, she served in the U.S. Air Force, beginning a path that would eventually lead her into safety, emergency management and volunteer response.

“I was in the Air Force for four years, from ’96 to 2000,” Hanson said.

As an aerospace ground equipment mechanic, she worked on the flight line at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. At the same time, she attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas part time, pursuing a degree in human resources management.

“I went to school part time while I was working full time in the military,” she said. “I came out debt free, and I loved every minute of it.”

After leaving the Air Force, Hanson spent about 15 years working in human resources. A dual role that included workplace safety introduced her to a new passion.

“I liked HR, but when I found safety, I went, ‘Oh, this is my path,’” she said.

That realization launched a career focused on protecting and supporting others. Over the years, Hanson worked across several industries, eventually earning a master's degree in occupational safety and health and expanding her expertise into emergency management.

For Hanson, the work has always been personal.

“I work for the employee,” she said. “They’re my customers. I’m making sure employees are safe and that they go home in one piece at night.”

Her experience in emergency management grew during her time at Confluence Health in Wenatchee, where she served as a safety officer and emergency management coordinator. There, she helped lead preparedness efforts and emergency response training, including decontamination drills, Stop the Bleed exercises and evacuation planning.

The work reinforced something she had already discovered throughout her career: she enjoyed helping people prepare for and respond to difficult situations.

When her daughter got older and life became a little less busy, Hanson decided it was finally the right time to volunteer with the American Red Cross.

“A little over a year ago, I signed up and now I am a DAT responder,” Hanson said. “I love the Red Cross so much.”

As a Disaster Action Team responder, Hanson helps people in the immediate aftermath of disasters, most often house fires. When local fire departments notify the Red Cross that residents need assistance, volunteers like Hanson step in to help families navigate the first difficult hours after a crisis.

“We meet with the residents and basically ask them what they need,” she said. “Do they need money? Do they need a hotel? Do they need pet supplies? Do they need medications? Because some people lose everything.”

Whether helping someone secure temporary shelter, replace essential items or access immediate support, Hanson knows those moments matter.

“I hate that they’re going through this,” she said. “But I love being able to help. I really love being there for them.”

Through her volunteer work, she has found a community that reflects the same values that have guided her throughout her career.

“We’re big, but it feels small,” Hanson said. “We’re like a little family.”

That sense of teamwork and shared purpose is something she encourages others to experience for themselves.

“You’ve got to try it,” she said. “You’re going to love it.”

From the flight line to workplace safety, from emergency management to disaster response, Hanson’s path has been shaped by a commitment to helping others through challenging moments.

Today, that commitment continues through the Red Cross, where she helps ensure that when disaster strikes, no one has to face it alone.