Page 127 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2018

GIVING BACK disaster relief
When disasters strike, the American Red Cross is there. The past 12 months have been busy for the staff and volunteers of the Southeast Mississippi Chapter, reports Executive Director John McFarland.
“We provided assistance to more than 700 single family fire victims; installed 2,135 smoke alarms; trained more than 4,800 Mississippians in life-saving first aid/CPR/AED skills; collected and distributed more than 8,700 units of blood for local hospitals; and provided more than 2,200 emergency services to local military families,” he said. “Four hundred trained volunteers logged more than 33,000 hours.”
And that’s just what they did locally. Staff and volunteers deployed last
fall to Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico to support hurricane relief for three storms. This fall, they deployed to Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia and
Florida to help with relief efforts for Hurricanes Florence and Michael.
“In between, they responded to
two tornadoes, several floods and Hurricane Nate and Hurricane Gordon victims here in Southeast Mississippi,” McFarland said.
The disaster response requiring the most resources were the hurricanes
in Florida, involving the largest number of Southeast Mississippi staff and volunteers and local resources. “Hurricane Harvey may be the most expensive so far, “McFarland added.
Volunteers are always needed. “We constantly recruit and train disaster volunteers so they’re ready when needed,” he said. “Since we are a volunteer-based organization, all our offices are staffed by volunteers so we’re looking for people who can give us 12 to 20 hours a week working in
our offices in Gulfport, Pascagoula, Hattiesburg, Laurel and Meridian. There is a job for every skill and interest.”
The local chapter provides training and certification for volunteers. Anyone interested can start by visiting www.RedCross.org and selecting
the volunteer tab. “They fill out the information and we take it from there,” McFarland said.
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of American Red Cross
Busy year for local Red Cross Chapter
American Red Cross
612 E. Pass Road, Gulfport 228.896.4511 www.RedCross.org
ABOVE: AMERICAN RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS meet with Hurricane victims to survey damage to homes.
LEFT: BLOOD DRIVES. BOTTOM: Countless meals have been distributed to those in need. RIGHT: THE AMERICAN RED CROSS has trained nearly 5,000 Mississippians in first aid/CPR/AED skills.
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net
December 2018 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 127