“A chance to leave the world a little better”: Why Aaron and Deb Hayes became Red Cross Volunteers

By Evan Peper Three rivers threatened to overflow, farms and homes flooded, even I-5 itself was in danger of falling underwater -- Lewis County was hit hard by torrential rains that took place at the start of 2022. Acts of heroism always arise with natural disasters, as evidenced by the 20+ water rescues needed by … Continue reading “A chance to leave the world a little better”: Why Aaron and Deb Hayes became Red Cross Volunteers

How Augie Berendsen survived the great November flood

Augie Berendsen points out some of the damage caused by flooding near his Everson home, November 18, 2021 By Gordon Williams  Augie Berendsen of Everson WA knew the flooding had become really bad when he began hearing calls for help from the fields outside his farmhouse home. It was dark on the evening of November 14th … Continue reading How Augie Berendsen survived the great November flood

“We lost everything…” A home fire is devastating. The Red Cross is here to help

Emergency response to the Maple Crest Apartment fire in Tukwila, WA on August 17, 2021 By Abby Lutz “Let’s go, let’s go -- there’s a fire, we’ve got to get out of here!”   Those were the words that awoke Samantha Walker on August 17, 2021 in her Tukwila apartment. Her husband, Isiac Walker, woke up … Continue reading “We lost everything…” A home fire is devastating. The Red Cross is here to help

Next Generation Emergency Response Vehicle Brings Boost to Red Cross Disaster Response

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

How Janice Chapman Shelters Clients from Wildfires and COVID19

By Gordon Williams  Janice Chapman Red Cross volunteer Janice Chapman was warned on the afternoon of Sunday, September 6 that she might be deployed to a wildfire in Eastern Washington. The call to deploy came early the next morning. “I was just finishing my coffee,” Janice said. Within hours, she was on her way to … Continue reading How Janice Chapman Shelters Clients from Wildfires and COVID19

FINDING RED CROSS PARTNERS: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR KATHLEEN VOSS

By Gordon Williams The Red Cross mission of aiding disaster victims around the world can be so demanding that no single organization could be expected to carry it out alone. That’s why the American Red Cross relies on hundreds of corporate and foundation partners to help provide the money, volunteers and skills needed to carry … Continue reading FINDING RED CROSS PARTNERS: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR KATHLEEN VOSS

For Jamie Gravelle, Hurricane Florence, a week at home and now Hurricane Michael

By Gordon Williams Jamie Gravelle, disaster program manager for the Snohomish County chapter of the American Red Cross, was in a two-day staff meeting in Everett WA when she got the call to deploy to the Hurricane Michael relief operation. Fifteen hours later, having skipped the second day of the meeting, she was en route … Continue reading For Jamie Gravelle, Hurricane Florence, a week at home and now Hurricane Michael