With a busy wildfire season on the horizon, the American Red Cross of the Pacific Coast needs volunteers to help in the local community.
“The coronavirus pandemic will make it challenging to deploy trained disaster volunteers from other parts of the country should an emergency occur. In light of this, the Red Cross is asking you to be ready to help your community,” Tony Briggs, Regional CEO and Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Chapter, said. “Train now to be a Red Cross volunteer and answer the call to help if the need arises here in our region.”
A virtual volunteer fair will be held on Wednesday, July 22 at 4 p.m.
You can learn how to become a disaster responder.
Shelter help is also needed. Because of COVID-19, the Red Cross is placing those needing a safe place to stay in emergency hotel lodging when possible. If hotel stays aren’t possible, the Red Cross will open traditional shelters. To help keep people safe, it has put in place additional precautions and developed special training for our workforce.
Volunteers will help staff shelter reception, registration, feeding, dormitory, information collection and other vital tasks to help. Both associate and supervisory level opportunities available.
Health services are also needed. If you are an RN, LPN, LVN, APRN, NP, EMT, paramedic, MD/DO or PA with an active, current and unencumbered license, the Red Cross is in need of support. Volunteers are needed in shelters to help assess people’s health. Daily observation and health screening for COVID-19-like illness among shelter residents may also be required. RNs supervise all clinical tasks.
Roles are also available for Certified Nursing Assistants, Certified Home Health Aides, student nurses and medical students. The Red Cross says it needs volunteers who can provide care as delegated by a licensed nurse in shelters. This could include assisting with activities of daily living, personal assistance services, providing health education and helping to replace medications, durable medical equipment or consumable medical supplies.
The Red Cross is looking for established partner organizations to support the pet sheltering effort.
If you are interested in helping our community should a disaster occur, please go to the Red Cross website here or contact Jennifer Samaritan at jennifer.samaritan@redcross.org.
