By Jennifer Astion This summer, the Greater Inland Northwest Chapter of the Red Cross will be reaching out to the community with a new Emergency Response Vehicle built specifically for disaster relief missions. Thanks to the generous support of individual donations and a $50,000 gift from BNSF Railway, the chapter will use the new vehicle … Continue reading Next Generation Emergency Response Vehicle Brings Boost to Red Cross Disaster Response
Red Cross closely watching climate change
Ryan Rodin (left) is executive director of the Greater Inland Northwest Red Cross chapter and a leading voice on the impact of climate change on disaster intensity, impact and response. By Gordon Williams When you’re the executive director of the Greater Inland Northwest Red Cross chapter, wildfires; their cause, frequency, and community impact, are never … Continue reading Red Cross closely watching climate change
Volunteering on the frontlines: Rhonda Jack
By Gordon Williams Rhonda Jack of Wenatchee, WA first volunteered for the American Red Cross in 2014 after watching news reports about the Oso WA landslide that killed 43 people and destroyed a town. “The Red Cross played an important role at Oso and I wanted to be part of it,” Rhonda says. Back then, … Continue reading Volunteering on the frontlines: Rhonda Jack
Pandemic brings out the best in Red Cross volunteers and others
By Mark Walker Legions of American Red Cross volunteers have stepped up over the last year and a half to help the nation confront the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Be it staffing emergency shelters, assisting with vaccine distribution or making sure the emergency needs of fire victims are met, volunteers have responded in droves during the … Continue reading Pandemic brings out the best in Red Cross volunteers and others
How the Red Cross managed a wicked wildfire season
By Gordon Williams We’re barely into Spring, but the American Red Cross is already looking ahead to a summer wildfire season that could be as bad as the record-setting season that scorched Washington in 2020. Between an unprecedented number of fires and the strictures imposed by Covid-19, the 2020 wildfire season stressed Red Cross resources … Continue reading How the Red Cross managed a wicked wildfire season
Volunteer Sharon Andrews takes a new role in Red Cross technology
By Gordon Williams Sharon Andrews It takes willing hands and compassion to carry out the Red Cross mission of aiding disaster victims and managing the nation's blood supply. But it also takes a ton of technology to make sure that mission is carried out effectively and efficiently. Volunteer Sharon Andrews of Spokane WA says she … Continue reading Volunteer Sharon Andrews takes a new role in Red Cross technology
How the Red Cross helps – when help is needed most
A Red Cross DAT Volunteer responds to a multi-unit home fire By Gordon Williams American Red Cross chapters serve their communities in many ways — from teaching CPR and first aid to keeping hospitals stocked with human blood. But nowhere is the contact more hands on and personal than the aid Red Cross volunteers deliver to disaster … Continue reading How the Red Cross helps – when help is needed most
Why I Volunteer: Disaster Action Team Supervisor John McNamara
Volunteer John McNamara from his home in Pullman, WA By Jennifer Astion "We are dealing with several houses with trees on them today," said Red Cross volunteer John McNamara when I spoke with him during a windstorm in mid-January 2021. He is a Disaster Action Team (DAT) Supervisor for the eastern part of the Greater Inland Northwest … Continue reading Why I Volunteer: Disaster Action Team Supervisor John McNamara
Why I Volunteer: Debbie Lutskas
Debbie Lutskas, Disaster Volunteer extraordinaire, from her home in Moses Lake, WA By Gordon Williams There are American Red Cross volunteers who have deployed to disaster scenes three or four or even a dozen times over the years. And then there is Debbie Lutskas of Moses Lake WA who has deployed 38 times since she … Continue reading Why I Volunteer: Debbie Lutskas
How to build a disaster-proof home survival kit
By Gordon Williams A crucial element of preparedness is having enough emergency supplies on hand to get you through a disaster. And while the risk of wildfires is waning, colder weather increases the risk of winter storms and home fires. But exactly what items should be in your emergency stockpile? What constitutes a disaster-proof home … Continue reading How to build a disaster-proof home survival kit
American Red Cross NW Region 