After a fire and other disasters American Red Cross volunteers are there to help victims pick up the pieces. Spokesman Josh Murray says they are looking for more volunteers they can train to join their Disaster Action Team in Nebraska.
“Those are the folks that respond to home fires, apartment fires, They’re there to help victims find a place to stay for the night or a short stint. Give them some food, give them a blanket, a bottle of water,” Murray says. Volunteers will also be trained to provide emotional support, access to financial assistance and information to help families begin to recover. He says volunteers who don’t want to be on the front lines can provide assistance and care to families in need remotely.
The Red Cross is also looking for volunteers to lend a helping hand at blood drives. “We have a blood crisis right now and we need to make sure we’re able to hold as many blood drives as possible,” Murray says. He says volunteers will help welcome donors, get them registered and help with serving refreshments after they are done giving blood.
There is also a high need for volunteer transportation specialists who support hospital patients by delivering blood from their facilities to local hospitals. Find out more about all of the volunteer opportunities click here