Question:
At a recent house fire, I saw the Red Cross there. Who calls them and what do they do when they arrive?

Answer:
The purpose of the Red Cross is to get victims of disasters back on their feet as quickly as possible. This is accomplished by a group of dedicated and trained volunteers who spend an enormous amount of time and energy to provide a variety of free services, which help people during times of a disaster.

Some of the services provided by the Red Cross are:

If the house appears to be uninhabitable, the Fire Department has the Red Cross come to the fire scene. Once they arrive, Red Cross volunteers make a damage assessment to determine what the victims' immediate needs are. These needs may include emergency vouchers for living spaces (such as motel rooms), clothing, meals, or groceries.

To assist fire victims with the necessary adjustments to their loss, the Red Cross provides mental health services. A mental health professional talks to the victims and provides emotional support or may use referral services to assist the individuals in coping with their loss.

Fire Department personnel will usually handle any emergency medical problems at the incident location. The Red Cross may provide non-emergency medical evaluations; to provide vouchers for the replacement of critically needed medicines such as insulin for a diabetic or even lost eyeglass for those needing them to drive.

Additionally, for minor fires, where there is just smoke damage, the Red Cross can supply cleaning products to remove the smoke damage and smell.

The Red Cross is a volunteer organization that operates on donations without any Government funding. The Red Cross volunteers provide valuable services for the victims of disaster both during and after a fire. As a community, we are fortunate to have such a dedicated group of volunteers to help people reclaim their lives in the face of tragedy.

If you would like additional information on services provided by the Red Cross, you can call their Roseburg Office at 673-3255.