Single Family Disaster Program

What would happen if your house were to catch fire and burn to the ground? Where would you go? The answer is - if you need us, the Red Cross is there, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. When a family suffers a loss of their residence, due to any disaster - whether it is a single residence fire, a flood, or an earthquake, the Red Cross helps the family in need. Last year, we helped fifteen families, providing them with shelter and other emergency services. Within minutes of notification by our local fire department, Red Cross volunteers were on site, speaking with the families, assessing their needs, and providing assistance when requested. We have special arrangements with local motels to help our residents find shelter in the first critical week when a disaster destroys their home. We also provide other services such as referral information, food, medical expenses, comfort kits, clothing and supplies.

This coming year, we would like to expand our ability to provide services to families by providing for up to 24 families, should the need arise. This will require funding in the amount of $12,050, which will provide for training of volunteers, housing, clothing, food, medical and personal supplies for our community’s families


Disaster Preparedness for Del Norte County

Our community needs to be ready in the case of emergency - and the Red Cross is committed to helping make sure that every one of our 28,000 residents has the best chance to be safe in the case of a major disaster. We provide training and materials year-round on a regular basis. This coming year, we will be expanding our program by developing working relationships with the Office of Emergency Services, The Office of Bio-Terrorism, our local hospital, and other government agencies. We will also devote special attention to supporting the expansion of programs within our local schools. This program will require $8,200 to be fully funded next year.



Disaster Response Program

The Del Norte Chapter is dedicated to providing emergency services to all of our residents in our County in the case of a major disaster. Last year, we provided emergency shelter for fifteen families who were evacuated due to the major forest fires, and who had no place, or family to which to turn for assistance. We provided shelter, food and other emergency services for them. We realize that we need to be prepared to expand these services to help more families should the need arise.

Our five-year goal is to be prepared to help up to 1,000 of our residents in an emergency shelter for at least three days, providing shelter, bedding, food and other emergency services for our Del Norte County families. This coming year, we will begin to set aside emergency funds for this use. We will need to raise an additional $6,300 in 2002-2003 to develop sufficient funding in the event of a major disaster in our area.

A major, or “Level One” disaster requires comprehensive services, including training of staff, recruitment of volunteers, equipment and materials such as a generator, cots, blankets and food.
Classes need to be provided to train volunteers, and we also train our instructors to be current on the most effective means of helping in the case of such a disaster.


Health and Safety Education

Where does one go to learn how to be safe? The Red Cross! Last year, we taught nearly 2,000 people in our County. And the demand for information is growing. Next year, we will need to raise $18,100 to provide the education below:

300 classes reaching 1,700 people teaching water safety and life guard training $1,000.

100 classes reaching 1,000 people which teach CPR and Automated External Defibrillator use $9,000.

15 classes for 100 people teaching Child Care Safety $3,000.

8 classes to help 64 baby-sitters learn child safety $1,500.

6 classes to teach 80 people about safety with HIV/Aids presentations $500.

And, we are adding two more educational programs this coming year:

4 classes to teach 48 people to be professional rescuers $1500.

4 classes to teach 48 people how to handle emergencies as a ”first responder” $1500.

The best response is to teach people to be safe BEFORE the disaster or emergency occurs. We at the Red Cross are committed to making our County the safest in the nation, and to assure that when a disaster occurs here, our community will be prepared.


Community Services

Our educational programs reach beyond our classes to serve the entire community. We have a group of nineteen outstanding youth in Del Norte who are being trained to respond in the case of emergencies. We also support and provide information at local health fairs, hand out educational materials and make community presentations to clubs and service organizations. To maintain this program, and expand our youth corps, we are setting aside $3,900 of our funds raised next year. The end result - increased awareness by everyone in our community, and participation by our young people, in being prepared.


Blood Supplies

There is no blood bank in Del Norte County - so the American Red Cross serves as the important liaison with our sister county of Humboldt to make sure that we have an ample blood supply should the need arise. We need funding in the amount of $375 next year to assure that we have the basic materials on hand, and assurance that we can provide a facility for blood donations here in Del Norte.


Armed Forces Emergency Services

What happens in the case of an international disaster if you want to reach a loved one in the armed forces? You can call your local Red Cross. We work closely with the San Diego Naval Base to help contact military personnel overseas. Last year, a mother in Crescent City was trying to get hold of her son to let him know that she was safe during the raging forest fires. The Red Cross made the connection and helped a family communicate at a critical moment in time.

We are committed this year to making sure we continue this valuable service. The cost: $1,575.


Disaster Welfare Inquiry

Need to let someone know you are safe? Want to know in the case of an international disaster that a family member has survived and made it to safe ground? The Red Cross locally will help you. We will need $500 to make sure that, next year, we can help anyone in our community who needs to find out the status of a loved one’s safety - anywhere in the world.