During National Preparedness Month in September, the American Red Cross of Western New York urges everyone to prepare for worsening extreme weather potentially affecting the region, which has experienced deadly winter storms, flooding and poor air quality due to wildfires.
Severe weather like this is part of a worsening national trend in which the American Red Cross has responded to nearly twice as many large disasters across the country as it did a decade ago.
As rapidly intensifying, weather-related events pose serious challenges to its humanitarian work and the people it serves, the Red Cross has announced an ambitious national plan to take urgent action. With more climate-driven disasters upending lives and devastating communities, the organization is racing to adapt its services and grow its disaster response capacity across the country, while also funding new international programs on climate response and preparedness, as well as minimizing its own environmental footprint.
Here in the Western New York region, this includes the recruitment and specialized training of numerous Red Cross volunteers to respond to disasters locally and across the country. Recently, the Western New York region held an intensive training forum for disaster responders known as the Disaster Training Institute. This two-day training prepares local volunteers to lead disaster relief efforts – no matter how or where disaster strikes – by simulating real-life scenarios to which volunteers must respond.
“As the frequency and intensity of disasters and extreme weather grow, more people need help more often,” said Nick Bond, Regional CEO, American Red Cross of Western New York. “Yet as fast as our volunteers are working to help, the needs are escalating faster. That’s why it’s critical to not only prepare yourself for risks like fires, floods and winter weather in our community, but to also help families in need – both locally and in other parts of the country. Join us by becoming a volunteer or making a financial donation to support our disaster relief efforts.”
For National Preparedness Month, the American Red Cross recommends people take three lifesaving actions – prepare an emergency kit, make a plan and be informed – to help protect themselves when local emergencies occur. Follow safety tips and learn more about those three lifesaving steps at redcross.org/prepare. People can also deliver relief and care to families impacted by extreme weather by becoming a Red Cross volunteer at http://redcross.org/VolunteerToday. Over the past year, in addition to responding to local emergencies, WNY volunteers have been deployed to provide assistance to areas impacted by the western wildfires, the historic flooding in Kentucky, southern states impacted by Hurricane Ian, the U.S. Territory of Guam in the wake of Typhoon Mawar and, most recently, the wildfires in Hawaii.
In the Western New York region, there is a particular need for volunteers to support sheltering efforts in times of disaster, as well as Disaster Action Team or DAT responders. DAT responders are often first on the scene of local disasters, including home fires. DAT volunteers are trained to respond to local emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and are there for families in their darkest hours to meet their immediate needs for shelter, supplies, connect them with long-term recovery services, and lending a caring and compassionate ear to ensure that families don’t face disasters alone.
In the first half of 2023 alone, the nation experienced an above-average 15 disasters with estimated recovery costs of at least one billion dollars. That’s all on top of extreme heat across the country – which made July the country’s hottest single month on record. What’s more, the U.S. is just now entering its typical peak time for hurricanes, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association increasing their prediction for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season to above-normal with the possibility of five major hurricanes before the season ends on November 30.
As extreme weather disasters increase and more people need help from the Red Cross in the U.S. Nationwide, the organization is taking bold and thoughtful actions to adapt its services and grow its capacity by:
•Enhancing large-scale disaster response services by bolstering the aid provided in emergency shelters and extending casework support to help people with the most recovery needs.
•Expanding financial assistance to help more families with unmet needs and bridge the gap between immediate disaster relief and long-term recovery assistance.
•Strengthening local partner networks in targeted areas that face a high risk of extreme weather and existing societal inequities with a focus on increased access to health and mental health services, nutritious food and safe housing for local families.
•Growing its disaster workforce – comprised of 90% trained volunteers – to deepen its disaster readiness. This includes fortifying the critical infrastructure and technology that enables 24/7 response to disasters across the country.
Help people affected by disasters big and small, including climate-driven crises, by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters in the U.S. Visit http://redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.
The Red Cross has also seen a significant shortfall in blood and platelet donations over the last month, making it hard to keep pace with the need for blood products. Blood and platelet donations that go uncollected due to climate-related events, such as hurricanes, wildfires and extreme heat, can put further strain on the national blood supply. As extreme weather events are worsening, the Red Cross is seeing that translate into more blood drive cancellations. In 2022, over 1,300 blood drives were canceled due to weather conditions – about 23% higher than the average of the prior nine years.
In thanks for helping ensure the nation’s blood supply is prepared for all emergencies, from disasters to medical emergencies, all who come to give blood, platelets or plasma September 1 through 18 will receive a limited-edition Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Those who come to give throughout September will also receive a coupon via email for a free haircut, thanks to Sport Clips Haircuts. Details are available at http://rcblood.org/racetogive. Donors can schedule an appointment using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting http://RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). If you are unable to give blood you can volunteer to support blood collections. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more.
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