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Current News
Red Cross to Hold Region-Wide Drill
June 2010
Source: Nassau Red Cross
Experts predict this hurricane season to be an active one and the American Red Cross Chapters of Metropolitan New York are taking no chances. This Saturday, June 12, hundreds of volunteers will be put to the test as the region’s Red Cross chapters open 34 shelters (15 live and 19 simulated) as part of a shelter drill that will encompass Long Island, New York City, Westchester County, the Lower Hudson Valley and Greenwich, Ct.
“This is a huge, but necessary undertaking,” said Frank Cassano, chief executive officer of the Nassau County Red Cross. “It will not only test our capabilities within our own chapter jurisdictions, but will help strengthen our ability to support each other as a region – an important task, considering that there are 14 million people living within the region.”
The drill will simulate an actual disaster response, and will demonstrate each chapter’s readiness to shelter and feed local residents should they need to be evacuated from their homes due to power outages and flooding from a hurricane or major weather-related event. Red Cross volunteers will register shelter residents, set up cots and provide blankets, food, beverages, personal hygiene kits along with health and mental health services
On Long Island alone, the Nassau and Suffolk Red Cross chapters have plans in place to open up to 50 shelters during a major disaster – all of which already have the cots, blankets and non-perishable medical supplies in place to shelter nearly 60,000 residents. Of course, having trained volunteers to work the shelters is always a concern.
“The buildings and supplies are ready, but without willing hands, we cannot succeed,” said Cassano. “This drill not only will involve our volunteers but will incorporate several partner agencies.”
Among those partners will be the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management; Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services; Community Emergency Response Team members; Amateur Radio Emergency Services; Coca Cola Enterprises; the New York Guard; and Save the Children.
Friday evening, the Nassau Red Cross will setup its Emergency Operations Center at its Mineola headquarters. During the drill, Corpus Christi Elementary School will be used as a registration center for volunteers, beginning at 7 a.m. From there, volunteers will be assigned to the EOC or a shelter. Nassau Community College will be the “live shelter” for the purpose of the drill. The public is encouraged to visit the shelter at NCC and act as evacuees between 9 a.m. and noon.
In Suffolk County, the Red Cross will open a shelter Saturday morning at Sachem East High School in Farmingville. The public is invited to attend from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Of course, Long Islanders are encouraged to take steps to prepare themselves and their families for disasters like hurricanes. The Nassau and Suffolk Red Cross Chapters encourage residents to ensure that they have supplies on hand like bottled water, non-perishable food, flashlights, radios, first aid kits and other essential items. Additionally, they should go over emergency plans with the entire family and discuss plans for meeting places if seperated, know evacuation routes if living in a flood zone, and establish an out-of-town contact. Finally, they should remain informed by learning about disasters that affect Long Island, by asking local officials about emergency plans and by monitoring local media.
Related Link: http://tinyurl.com/megadrill
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