Hurricane Tip of the Week

From the CDC Hurricane Health & Safety Tips:

Tip of the Week: As you prepare for Hurricane Earl, remember to take rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles with you when you evacuate. They will protect you from contaminated flood waters when you return after the storm.

Your Chapter on Fox5 News & Channel 9 - Preparing for Earl

In case you missed it, here's a video of the Jersey Coast Chapter staff and volunteers that appeared on Fox 5 news last night (Is that Carl in the DAG?)

FW: Your Chapter LIVE on News 12 NJ - Preparing for Earl

Your Jersey Coast Chapter Continues Preparation for Hurricane EarlLIVE on News 12 New Jersey September 1, 2010 Watch YOUR Jersey Coast Chapter on News 12 New Jersey tonight between 5-6:00 p.m. Regional Disaster Director, Leo Pratte discusses Red Cross preparedness for Hurricane Earl. For more information on hurricane preparedness, contact the Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross at (732) 493-9100 visit our website. CLICK HERE to view last night's coverage of your Chapter preparing for Earl on CBS News

Jersey Coast Chapter Hurricane Update 1 Sept 2010

• Yesterday, the Jersey Coast Chapter was Featured live on CBS News at 5. Favorite characters I saw were our esteemed CEO, Tara Kelly, Robyn, Carol (nice look, loading the supplies in a dirty truck in skirts), Maureen, and of course, Lenny (who was telling everyone what to do.
• The Jersey Coast Chapter published Hurricane Preparedness tips and ways to help people affected by the storm.
• Volunteer(s) Needed for Front Desk Coverage - If you can spare the time, the Chapter is looking for someone(s) to help cover the phones and desk on Sept 7 and Sept 8, from 10 - 1 and 1-5 pm. (That's technically 4 shifts, in case you can only do part of the time). If so, contact Maureen no later than Thursday, Sept 2.
• All Hands on Deck for Hurricane Earl - If you got the e-Mail and are available to help in any way, with sheltering, logistics or any task requested this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, don't be shy about letting Robyn know. Preparations are under way now. (I got my e-Mail to help with trailers). Noaa has a track for Earl's path.

Health Fair - Wall 1/21 - Are You Available?

Cleo Hendrickson, Director of Community Initiatives writes:

I am sorry for the late notice. We have been invited by Sunrise at Wall to attend their health fair this Thursday, January 21st from 1pm-3pm with a set up time of 12:30. We will set up a general information table highlighting our services, with an emphasis on Lifeline and Family Caregiving. Given the recent disaster relief operation, we will send the volunteer(s) that attend with current information about our response in Haiti. I imagine you will receive many inquiries about this.

Other services that will be provided that day by other organizations are information by health professionals about daycare, hospice help, legal advice, nursing, home care, pre-planning, financial wellness, and information from the Alzheimer's Association.

Please let me know if you are available to help with this event by replying to this email.

A New Northeast Area Disaster Director

National Red Cross has appointed Scott Graham as our new Disaster Area Director responsible for New Jersey north to Maine. Scott comes to us from the New York City Chapter where he was Disaster Director there for a number of years. Scott plans to develop a State of New Jersey Disaster Strategic Plan within the next few months. Disaster Directors from New Jersey's three Regional Chapters and their appointed Volunteers will meet monthly to devlop the plan. Each month the meeting will be held at a different location roving around the State. Scott has a tremendous track record while heading up the New York City Chapter. While National retention rates for keeping Volunteers run on average 7% Scott's retention rate in NYC is 40%. Hey, he must be doing something right to get those numbers. Also, when he took command of NYC they had 2000 Volunteers and today he has built that number up to 8000. WOW!
He was holding a meeting at the JCRC recently with all of the various Chapter CEO's from around the State to bring them on board with his plans.
Stay tuned for more exciting changes and developments from this new Group.

Reminder..RRV/ DAT Meeting Monday Jan 25th

From Robyn Porreca, Disaster Coordinator:


This is a reminder that the Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross will have our monthly RRV / DAT Meeting January 25th at 6pm. The RRV Meeting will start promptly at 6pm and the DAT meeting will follow at 6:30pm. We will be serving pizza and refreshments so please let me know if you are able to attend. We hope to see you all there!

Info Updates as of January 17, 2010 - Haiti

View slide show of pictures from Haiti:




Also link to a letter from Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American Red Cross.

DAT Members - Coffee Cans Needed for Red Cross Haiti Relief

Another important way DAT volunteers can help, from Maureen Buehl

The chapter is receiving calls from the community who would like to place Red Cross can in stores, business etc., to help raise funds for the Haiti Relief efforts. So this has created the need for coffee cans. We have sleeves advertising for Haiti Relief that can be placed over the cans. Now we just need the cans.

If you have coffee cans at home with their lids, and are able to drop them of at the chapter, our office will be open tomorrow (Sunday) and Monday from 9:00am-3:00pm and our normal business hours for the rest of the week 9:00am-5:00pm.

Please make sure the cans are clean and dried before you drop them off.

Please keep an eye on your emails, as our needs grow we will be sending emails for volunteers to help. I see in the near future the need to cover the collected coffee cans with the Haiti relief sleeves.

Weekend Coverage for Jan 16 - 18 Has Been Filled!

 As of 4:30pm today we have filled our need for volunteer coverage here at the chapter for this weekend.  Thank you everyone for your responses.  If you have not received an email confirming your date and time means we have filled the slots for each day.

 

We will be re-evaluating our needs for the next week over the weekend, for volunteers to come in  during the week to follow up with many of these phone calls.  I will be re-sending an email out on Monday with the chapter current needs for the week.

 

Thanks again for you willingness to be there. 

 

Maureen Buehl

Jersey Coast Red Cross

Haiti Relief Coverage for the Weekend at the Chapter

Attention all DAT TEAM MEMBERS:

As you are aware Haiti has been struck with a 7.0 earthquake on Tuesday Janaury 12, 2009. The American Red Cross is being flood with numerous calls from the community.

The Jersey Coast Chapter will be open Saturday ~ Sunday ~ Monday from 9:00am-3:00pm.

We need volunteeers to help filter incoming calls. If you are available to help on any of the days for the 9:00am-12:00pm or 12:00pm-3:00pm shifts please Maureen Buehl know.

Local Community Resources for Haiti Relief

Information for Local Volunteers to Know

Current as of January 14, 2010

Financial Donations
Donations to the International Response Fund can be sent to the

American Red Cross
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, D.C. 20013

or made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org <http://www.redcross.org/>

Donation of Goods
Medical (first aid) supplies and nonperishable foods may be dropped off to Christian Louis, Coalition for Haitian American Empowerment of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. He can be reached at 732-455-5546 or 732-492-0360. The drop off location is at 1310 Asbury Ave. in Asbury Park. They plan to ship out supplies next week.
Sisters Academy is serving as a drop-off center for goods from 1/14-1/16, 8a-4p; goods include tables, water purification systems, and clothes. Sisters Academy is located at 1416 Springwood Ave. Asbury Park, NJ 732-774-9056.

Locating Family Members
Red Cross Family Links Website through ICRC: http://www.icrc.org/familylinks

Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network. SATERN has volunteers that have been monitoring Ham radios all night for info coming from the area. Should anyone be looking to locate a loved one or get any info on someone they can register at www.qso.com <http://www.qso.com/> and go to "health and welfare registry".
Russ Hendrickson. KC2VFH

People trying to locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Haiti should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.