Remembering 9/11: The First Few Hours of the Greater NY Red Cross Response

Every year on September 11 we reflect on that fateful day in 2001 and on the trying weeks, months and years that followed. We do so to honor those we lost, to comfort those still grieving and to thank those who gave of themselves to help us heal.

Just as our nation was forever changed, so was the Red Cross. Our organization’s relief effort—in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa.— was one of the largest in our organization’s history. The response continued for years after the attacks and involved more than 57,000 volunteers and employees from across the country.

No one place was affected as profoundly as our great city and no Red Cross chapter was as deeply impacted than Greater New York; we were at the epicenter of the relief effort. Within moments of the first plane striking the North Tower, teams of Greater Red Cross staff sprang into action to help.

Here is their story:

Minutes after the first plane struck the North Tower, Greater New York Senior Director of Emergency Services Virginia Mewborn and Assistant Director of Operations Max Green left the chapter’s headquarters on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan to respond to what they then thought was a small plane hitting the World Trade Center.

Green and Mewborn were planning to evaluate the situation to see how the Red Cross could best support emergency personnel at the scene. On the drive down, Green said he felt that if the building were evacuated early, “…it would have been a long-term canteen operation, where we would support emergency workers.”

As they drove, Virginia paged Red Cross Field Operations Supervisor Luis Avila and asked him to join them. Avila, who was in Queens that morning working a second job, could see the smoke from the North Tower from his location. He told his boss he was leaving, and in fact, never returned to that job. As he left, Avila watched in disbelief as the second plane banked and hit the South Tower.

Mewborn and Green, in their car, began to realize that they had not understood the scope of this incident. “As you got onto the West Side Highway you could see the smoke,” said Green. “My heart fluttered. I looked up at it, saying ‘This, this looks a lot bigger than what I thought it was.’”

The two parked on West Street, south of Chambers and walked towards the World Financial Center (WFC). They hoped to find a command group—people from partner agencies like the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), who would be coordinating this disaster response with the Red Cross.

Because her cell phone wasn’t working, Mewborn borrowed a phone at a shoe repair store to call headquarters. Greater NY Red Cross CEO Bob Bender told her four things: a second plane had hit, they were dealing with a terrorist attack, Red Cross would set up a Respite Center downtown for survivors and first responders, and he’d sent an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) down with a Red Cross disaster responder, Kemagne Theagne, to meet them.

Mewborn and Green found a command post on West Street, right across from the Twin Towers. That’s when they saw a horrific sight—people jumping from the upper stories of the Trade Center. They decided they should not get closer; they should in fact return to the chapter to organize the Red Cross response from there.

Meanwhile, Avila had arrived in lower Manhattan and parked on West and Vesey. “When we get to a scene,” he said, “the first person with a vehicle tries to get as close as they can.” He continued on foot to 7 World Trade, where OEM’s offices were located. “I saw debris everywhere, I was wading through rubble,” he said. As he began to follow a group of fire chiefs, the “haunting scenes” around him convinced Avila he should leave. He turned right to regroup with Green and Mewborn, and the first responders turned left, towards the Towers. Avila later learned they had perished.

As Avila approached the WFC he saw Mewborn and Green, and they walked inside together. “We made a deal that we were going to stay together from that point on,” he said, “that we were going to take care of one another.” Avila was able to contact his wife and let her know he was alright, then the line went dead. “What felt like an earthquake” shook the building. It was the North Tower coming down, but they didn’t know that. They thought the WFC was collapsing on top of them. Suddenly, the building’s windows exploded. Avila grabbed Mewborn and Green. They ran, along with hundreds of others, to the West Side Highway, zigzagging their way back to Green’s car.

Meanwhile, Kemagne Theagne, who had rushed down from chapter headquarters in an ERV, was on Church Street, directly in front of the Towers, trying to find the Red Cross staging area for the relief operation he believed Mewborn, Green and Avila were mounting. He had just gotten out of the ERV to help a woman who had fallen, when he heard, “Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.” He looked up and saw the North Tower coming down, floor by floor. “I just froze; I couldn't believe this was happening.”

As people ran out of the lobby towards Theagne, a man grabbed him. The two ran together, holding one another, towards a staircase leading into a subway station with a locked gate. They were now engulfed by choking soot and debris. Theagne tried calling his three colleagues, but his Nextel radio was dead. He said to himself, “I hope, I hope, I hope they made it.”

His colleagues were on their way back to HQ. As they drove, they spotted a man in Red Cross gear they thought was Theagne. They stopped and pulled him into the car, only to realize that it was responder Barry Crumbley, who had traveled to the site on his own to find his wife, who worked in one of the Towers. (She made it out safely.)

Theagne spent the next 45 minutes at the foot of the staircase, “just waiting,” trying to breathe, until he saw some light trying to break through the smoke. “We used that little bit of sunlight to guide us out.” They climbed up the stairs and ran.

After washing himself off at a nearby deli along with dozens of others, Theagne made his way back to the ERV. “I said to myself, ‘I got to get this vehicle out of here.’” He slowly made his way out of the site in the dust-covered ERV, “driving through the spider web what was the windshield.” When he finally arrived uptown, covered in dust and ash, no one could believe he had brought the ERV back.

Mewborn, Green and Avila had already returned, also covered in soot from head to toe. “I don't know if [our colleagues] thought we were dead or they were seeing a ghost,” said Avila. “All I remember saying is give me water… I drank about two liters as quick as I could.”

After giving themselves a few moments to wash up and regroup, they remobilized with the rest of the Red Cross team. “After we realized everybody was okay, we needed to make sure that we had supplies down there,” said Avila.

 

They needed to get the canteen trucks (the ERVs), down to the site as quickly as possible to replenish the water for the survivors, firefighters and other emergency personnel. “Preparations had already begun when we were downtown,” Avila said, “but whatever needed to be finished we continued to do.”

That included creating a plan to send caseworkers to Penn Station, Grand Central Station and the Port Authority, to position ERVs on the West Side Highway and the FDR Drive, and to get ready to set up a relief operation at the Brooklyn Chapter.

“And we knew that help was on the way,” said Mewborn. Red Crossers were coming from upstate New York and National Red Cross headquarters in Washington, D.C. There were also lines of people inside Greater NY Red Cross headquarters, waiting to volunteer, give blood or donate money.

“In those first 12, 24, 36, 48 hours,” Mewborn said, “we registered thousands of volunteers and provided service to thousands of people in New York. We did it well, and we started the platform of how we were going to move forward.”

Red Cross Month Volunteer Profile: Alyson G.

by Stan Frank

For over 60 years, the President of the United States has designated March as American Red Cross Month. It is a month when we celebrate our volunteers and supporters who make the mission of the Red Cross a reality.

This month, we are taking a moment to celebrate the volunteers who raised their hands in 2017 to support an unprecedented year of disasters across the country and around the world. From natural catastrophes including hurricanes and floods to devastating wildfires and a tragic mass shooting, the Greater New York Region of the American Red Cross deployed more than 300 volunteers to deliver hope and help during a remarkable time.

We asked several volunteers to share some of their deployment experiences. Today we hear from Alyson G.

Alyson (3rd from right) with the External Relations Team in Houston.

What first motivated you to become a Red Cross volunteer?

The Red Cross helped my parents and grandparents many times. Our family home is in West Point, Kentucky, on the Ohio River. Our house was severely damaged in the floods of 1934, 1945, 1964 and 1997. The Red Cross helped my family during very emotional and financially stressful times. My family members have never forgotten that the Red Cross paid for hotel lodging, gave them money, and brought food, water and cleaning supplies to their town. Plus, I developed an interest in disaster services based upon global warming predictions and recent natural disasters that have affected the United States.

How many times have you deployed and where? What was your mission?

I have only deployed once, to Houston, Texas. My assignment was through an American Red Cross national partner, Lott Carey. Lott Carey is an international Christian missionary organization. One of its initiatives is disaster preparedness and response.

I was assigned to Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Operation Headquarters (DRO HQ). I served in the roles of External Relations, Community Engagement Partnerships.

What did you do on a daily basis?

My main role was to act as a liaison between the Disaster Relief Operation Headquarters (DRO HQ) and a collection of more than 30 churches. These churches were points-of-distribution (PODs) sites for the Red Cross. Daily, the PODs received hundreds of meals and numerous palettes of bulk deliveries from the Red Cross and disseminated them to local residents. My job was stay in constant contact with the PODs, fulfill their requests by adjusting orders for more or less food or supplies, and to help resolve problems in delivery. I also performed various tracking exercises, recording the dates, types and number of feedings and supplies on behalf of the Red Cross.

I also performed work for the External Relations team that was not related to the points-of-distribution. For example, I:

• helped to move Red Cross’ unsolicited donations out into the affected community;
• assisted a Red Cross shelter in obtaining identification for residents who lost their IDs in the storm; 
• searched for housing for people with special needs;
• organized bulk supply and meal drops for large council member-sponsored and community events;
• recycled hundreds freshly laundered Red Cross blankets that had been used in the shelters by finding other service organizations that could use them;
• participated in government and non-profit tabling events. My focus was assisting the community with Red Cross’ Hurricane Harvey Immediate Assistance (HHIA), a financial assistance program for impacted families; and
• I was also a contact person for corporate volunteers. 

Everyday seemed to be the same, yet somehow unexpectedly different.

Can you tell us what touched you the most during your deployment?

The most touching to me, on a micro level, was feeling I helped people that I could not see. My job was almost 100 percent in the Disaster Relief Operation Headquarters (DRO HQ). I rarely ever went out into the community. I dealt with distributions in bulk, not in small or single serving sizes. Yet, I received phone calls from people who received my number from one of the churches or a councilman’s office. People would ask for replacement walkers or glasses that were lost in the hurricane, or for disaster mental health counseling. It was very rewarding to speak with people that I went to Texas to help and to know I assisted them.

On a macro level, I was touched by the size and speed of the disaster relief operation (DRO). I had never seen a DRO before, and Hurricane Harvey was a level 7! I spent three weeks in October 2017 in Houston. When I first arrived, headquarters was approximately three floors and teams were divided into divisions and two Red Cross shelters were open. Red Crossers came from all over the country, including Hawaii.

Headquarters was incredibly busy. [To me,] it looked like all the Red Cross class text had stepped off the page and come to life. There were groups for all areas of operation: logistics, mass care, technical services, etc. There were big screen televisions airing continuous weather reports or interactive maps or staff schedules and contact information. I witnessed the DRO HQ deploy approximately 60 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) assigned to Houston to the California wildfires in roughly a day.

When I left the DRO, [three weeks later,] one shelter had closed a few days earlier and the other was closing. The PODs were closed. The DRO was no longer subdivided into divisions. The DRO in Beaumont, Texas, was closed and combined into Houston’s. All the HQ staff was located on one floor, and it was a ghost town. Tables, equip, etc. were all being packed up and put away. I could not believe the Red Cross moves so fast!

Thank you Alyson for sharing your experience and for traveling to Texas in the fall of 2017 to deliver the mission of the American Red Cross. We are grateful for your service and for the long standing partnership we share with Lott Carey. #RedCrossMonth

Logistics: The Key to Effective Response

by Stan Frank

At the American Red Cross, like in the military, “Logistics” is the branch of operations that deals with the procurement, distribution, maintenance and replacement of material and personnel.  Logistics enables all other departments to function. 

In the Greater New York Region, which serves nearly 13 million people across New York City, Long Island, the Lower Hudson Valley and Greenwich, Conn., and responds to about seven emergencies daily including home fires, floods, building collapses and more, Kathie Cayton is the Regional Manager of Logistics.

Kathie Cayton 

Kathie joined the American Red Cross nearly 5 years ago. Before becoming Greater New York Regional Manager of Logistics, she served as a Disaster Program Manager and Regional Logistics Manager for the Northeast New York Region, and Regional Logistics and Mass Care Manager for the Western/Central and Eastern New York Regions. Prior to joining the Red Cross, Kathie held senior management positions with the Girl Scouts ”Heart of Hudson” Council. 

“Our goal is to be ready for any emergency, large or small. We pre-stage equipment and supplies throughout the Greater New York Region and our team can respond rapidly to any event,” said Kathie.

Logistics oversees the following activities:

Facilities

Example of cots set up at a shelter.

When a major emergency occurs, the first thing Logistics does is identify a location that can be used as a Disaster Headquarters or Staging Area, which has adequate space and facilities to accommodate the needs of the Red Cross response. Each event presents different operational needs. For example, in response to a flood or fire in a densely populated area, a facility with a large space for cots and food service would be selected. This might be in a school gym or church or large public building. Often, Logistics will work in conjunction with a public agency such as a local OEM (Office of Emergency Management) to locate an appropriate facility.

Supplies, kits and vehicles at the Middletown warehouse.

Supplies

An enormous collection of supplies and equipment is positioned across New York City, Long Island and across the Metro New York North Region. Logistics also maintains a 9000 square foot warehouse facility in Middletown, NY.  Much of the space is lined floor to ceiling with industrial shelving for storage of comfort kits, cots, blankets, clean up kits and water.   

“We also have dozens of vans, emergency response vehicles (ERVs), box trucks and tractor trailers loaded with cots, blankets, comfort kits, clean-up kits, personal supply kits, and feeding equipment all of which are stockpiled at various sites throughout the region and ready to go when and where they are needed,” said Kathie.  

Stocked trailers at Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Supplies are also strategically located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where 10 stocked tractor trailers are ready for immediate use.

The Supply team maintains computer inventories of all New York supplies and equipment and can order additional needed inventory from National’s warehouses including the nearest warehouse in Pennsylvania. When a requisition is received, staff can quickly determine if we have the needed supplies in stock or need to draw upon National’s inventory or need to purchase or rent it from private vendors.  

Procurement

Because of the wide range of emergencies and disasters the Red Cross responds to, there is often a need to procure additional supplies to meet needs specific to an event. To prepare for this contingency, the Red Cross has contracts with vendors throughout the country for the purchase or rental of things like additional cots, chairs, portable restrooms, portable showers, janitorial supplies, dumpsters, fork lifts, cars and trucks, furniture, copy services, building maintenance supplies, ready-to-eat food services and all types of medical equipment such as wheelchairs, canes, walkers, etc. If additional equipment or supplies are needed, the Red Cross has contracts with many major vendors across the region and across the county for the purchase or rental of additional vehicles, supplies or specialized products.              

In-Kind Donations

During large scale disasters, the Logistics team will often work with the Development team to develop partnerships with supply manufacturers or distributors, who may donate materials at a reduced cost or at no cost. For example, a manufacturer of work gloves may donate several cases or a truckload of its products during an emergency.

Transportation

Box trucks and horse trailer are used to transport supplies. 

Depending on the nature of the response to a disaster or emergency, the Red Cross could utilize different types of chapter-owned or rental vehicles, including cars, SUVs, trucks, and trailers. Keeping track of all these vehicles, their usage, their location, their condition, and their drivers is a challenging job.

To manage this function, the Logistics team maintains a sophisticated computer system that tracks all vehicles at all times until they are returned to their original location.

The Logistics Team

All of the logistics functions would not be possible without the amazing Logistics staff and volunteers. Depending on the size and nature of an emergency or disaster, Kathie can draw upon her staff and a large number of Logistics volunteers who are trained and equipped to respond rapidly. 

Throughout the year, the team holds meetings, training opportunities, assists at events, participates in exercises, and last year held an ERV-Rodeo!

“To effectively respond to any emergency or disaster, you first need people with a commitment to help,” said Kathie. “To enable them to help, however, you need them to be able to access the proper equipment, supplies and materials.  At the Red Cross we provide both!  We have the people and the logistical system for them to function at the highest level. Although we hope it never occurs, we are ready for any challenge that comes our way.”

If you would like to join the Logistics Group as a volunteer, 

contact Kathie Cayton at Kathie (dot) cayton (at) redcross (dot) org

Remembering Charlie DeStefano

Charlie DeStefano, a Red Cross volunteer for 18 years, truly embodied the humanitarian spirit of our organization, giving of himself to help New Yorkers when they needed it the most.

As a member of the Staten Island Red Cross Disaster Action Team, Charlie responded to hundreds of local emergencies—fires, floods and building collapses—helping countless residents recover. Whether assisting with housing, delivering supplies or simply offering a shoulder to lean on, Charlie did so with the utmost compassion and professionalism.

Charlie also came forward during some of the most tragic times our city has known. Following the attacks of 9/11, Charlie worked tirelessly to support families and first responders. More recently, in the hours, weeks and months following Superstorm Sandy, Charlie was out in the community driving Red Cross vehicles he loved so much, delivering supplies and providing comfort.

He passed his love of volunteering onto his wife Nancy. For nearly 12 years the two formed a dedicated Red Cross volunteer team.

Charlie has been a role model for us all and an inspiration for future generations of Red Crossers. Our thoughts are with his family.

NYC Volunteer Summer Social 2013

More than 185 New York City Red Cross volunteers, employees, and their guests picnicked and played at the 2013 Volunteer Summer Social, held at Riverside Park in Manhattan the evening of July 26.

Volunteers from a wide range of departments attended: disaster responders, Mass Care volunteers, blood drive volunteers, and Ready When the Time Comes volunteers, including the Purple Pro Team. Youth volunteers turned out in force from Hunter College High School, Frank Sinatra High School of the Arts, Brooklyn Tech and Bayside High School. A dozen Sandy volunteers were also on hand; they were immediately recruited into various Greater New York departments.

The evening’s activities included hearty picnic fare, a tug-o-war contest, face (and arm) painting, a potato sack race, board games, a Mass Care challenge, and numerous raffles and giveaways.

In true Red Cross fashion, attendees not only had fun but engaged in some community outreach. At the registration table, many passers-by asked for and were given information on volunteering and being prepared for a disaster. Upcoming blood drive information was also distributed.

Thanks go to Volunteer Services and Emergency Services for their hard work in planning and carrying out this successful social. See more photos here.

In Memoriam: Cristina Carbonell, Devoted Volunteer

The Greater New York Region mourns the passing of long-time Red Cross volunteer Cristina Carbonell July 6.

Since she began volunteering in 1996 for what was then the Greater New York chapter, Cristina, who recently retired from her job as a document translator at the UN, contributed greatly to almost every aspect of Red Cross work.

As a member of the Queens DAT, she responded to hundreds, if not thousands, of incidents over the years, providing comfort and a helping hand to those affected by disaster. She excelled as a Spanish presenter at outreach preparedness events; she also helped translate outreach materials into Spanish.

Cristina was present at every single 9/11 and aviation memorial since 2001. What’s more she volunteered as a marathon spotter and was a ubiquitous presence at Greater New York fundraisers in New York City, including the annual Ball.

 In honor of her years on the Friday night Disaster Action Team, the Greater New York Red Cross held a memorial for Cristina July 12 at regional headquarters in Manhattan. At the memorial, Red Crossers shared remembrances about Cristina with each other and with three of her family members in attendance.

“She had incredible spark and incredible spirit that came through immediately,” said Josh Lockwood, CEO of the Greater NY Region. “I think she embodied the best of all of our Red Cross volunteers; that sense of selflessness. I hope all of us will carry that with us as part of her legacy.”

“The warmth in her words and her emails were incredible, and I’m sorry we lost her so soon. I hope her legacy lives on,” said Mario Fontenla, Red Cross volunteer.

“She had so much energy for the work of the Red Cross. She made us better,” said Joanne Galardy, Greater New York regional staffing/training manager.

Cristina will be very much missed.

Celebrating National Volunteer Week: CEO Letter to Volunteers

Dear Volunteer,

In honor of National Volunteer Week (April 21-27, 2013), I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for working tirelessly to fulfill the American Red Cross mission.

National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities; day in and day out, you do all that and more.

Our region has more than 7,000 volunteers from all walks of life. You come together with one common purpose—to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Considering that our region is the nation’s largest—home to more than 13 million people—that is a tremendous task.

Red Cross volunteers like you are always ready to step in and help people down the street, across the nation and around the world.

Last year, you helped us bring lifesaving safety courses such as first aid, CPR, babysitting and care giving to more than 100,000 people. You helped us serve veterans, members of the military and their families. You supported our critical mission-related work through general office support. And you helped us provide food, shelter, comfort and hope to more than 12,000 area residents affected by over 2,300 local disasters. From house fires to floods—you were there.

Last, but hardly least, you stepped in and gave your time, energy and compassion for days, weeks and months to help thousands of people affected by Superstorm Sandy, and continue to do so.

On behalf of everyone throughout our region, I send a heartfelt “Thank You!”

Sincerely,
Josh Lockwood
Regional CEO

Red Cross “Poet Laureate” Anthony DeRiggs

Most everyone at Greater New York Red Cross headquarters in Manhattan knows Anthony DeRiggs, our facilities manager, who oversees all aspects of the mailroom—accounting, invoicing, bill paying, mailing system software, and, of course, mail delivery. He travels the halls daily, speaking in the lilting accept of his Caribbean birthplace, the island country of Grenada.

Not everyone, however, knows that DeRiggs, who immigrated to the United States in 1978, is a published author and poet. Since arriving in New York City, he has written and published three books about his native Grenada, and is now working on a fourth. The first book, “Recollections of an Island Man,” was released in January 2006.

Like many before him, DeRiggs came to the U.S. to widen the scope of his life.

“Living in Grenada, the opportunities were not many in terms of development—educationally, socially, spiritually and otherwise,” said Deriggs, who taught high school in Grenada. “America is always a good place; it has worked for me.”

Initially settling in the Bronx, DeRiggs later moved to Brooklyn, where he now lives. He worked in offices at night, doing inventory; on and off, as he was able, he attended Brooklyn College, eventually earning a BA in history.

In August 1990, DeRiggs joined the Red Cross in the Facilities Department, responsible for shipping and receiving packages, overseeing the copy machines and more.

He said he immediately developed a deep love for the Red Cross. And although his job has evolved and expanded over the past 23 years, DeRiggs’ love for the Red Cross has remained unchanged.

“The Red Cross is a wonderful organization,” he said. “Working here give you the opportunity to see human nature at its best—with overflowing love and generosity.

Being poetic and a storyteller, working here has aided me in my development,” he continued. “That’s because I write about feelings; about people; about life. At Red Cross, you see people coming in asking for help; people who suffer because of an earthquake, a hurricane or some other disaster.

“A man, for instance, came here with a dog. That’s all the possessions he had in his life after a huge fire destroyed his house. You look at that man and see the need in his face. Bt then you see the help that comes from the Red Cross; you see the importance of an organization that would come to the assistance of someone in their darkest hour.

“The volunteers of the Red Cross are people who come out to help; people who sacrifice, people from all aspects of life. And when I look at that when I see how the people help the unfortunate in society, without looking for any sort of material gain or reward, it reinforce my belief in humanity.”

Knowing of DeRiggs’ writing, Marcela Espinoza, regional direction of volunteer and youth services, asked him to compose a poem to volunteers, to be read at each of three volunteer recognition events—one for Metro New York North volunteers, one for Long Island Red Cross volunteers, and one for New York City volunteers—to be held three Saturdays in March 2013.

“Right away, I felt I just had to do it,” said DeRiggs. “I did not wait. Right away, the words started coming.”

That day, on his way home, he settled into a seat on the subway and started to write. He was so involved in writing, he missed his stop. DeRiggs completed the poem at 3 am the next morning.

“I woke, and the rest of the poem came into my mind.”

Here is the poem, which DeRiggs read to acclaim in March:

Poem for American Red Cross Volunteers

We pause today to salute our gems

To shower gratitude and appreciation

On the unfaltering heartbeat

Our volunteers, the untiring pulse

Of the American Red Cross

Our volunteers who willingly forsake

The warmth and comfort of homes

And face the icy chill

To wrap a blanket around a shivering child

Are worthy of our highest commendation

Our volunteers who journey far

To stamp smiles on needy faces

And to ease the plight of those whose homes

Become rubble after the elements rage

Are spotlights of hope

Our volunteers who grab hold of pens

And tap keyboards in the dead of night

While many are wrapped in deep slumber

Embody the principles that steer this noble institution

The American Red Cross

No reward is too great

No gift can compensate

Our selfless heroes whose love for humanity

Propels them to reach out, to serve, to help

Those who cannot help themselves

Volunteers, we thank you all.

Tell Me About Your Day

By Sam Kille

I’m sometimes asked what a typical day at the American Red Cross is like, often I’ll jest about the countless meetings and mind-numbing conference calls that dominate a lot of my time. Granted, there is a lot of planning that must go into disaster response but I do hate being chained to a desk.

Yet there are the days, like today, that reinforce why the Red Cross mission is so important.

My morning started in Island Park, a small village on Long Island’s south shore that was swallowed by Superstorm Sandy’s storm surge. There, I met with Carmen Torres who literally swam for her life when the storm hit.

Five months after, she and her boyfriend are still struggling to move past the disaster; however, their toil has been eased thanks to the Red Cross which helped provide the means for them to move into a new apartment.

Inspired, Carmen has started the process to become a Red Cross volunteer. New York’s ABC news affiliate, Eyewitness News 7, was interested in hearing her story—just one example of the more than 1,100 New Yorkers who have signed on as permanent volunteers since the storm.

Carmen walked us through her old apartment. The mold on the walls clearly showed how high the water rose. There was broken glass all over, and tattered photos—even a water-logged Bible.

It wasn’t easy for Carmen to be there and she nearly broke down in tears as she told the reporter her story. Yet every time she mentioned the Red Cross, her eyes lit up and one could truly feel the hope she described.

From there, we went to see her new apartment and its furnishings. The Red Cross had provided funds for the first month’s rent, security deposit, and furniture. It was definitely rewarding to see the donated dollar at work.

We then agreed to meet the news crew at the Long Island Red Cross office in Mineola. There, Carmen would get a tour and learn more about the process to become a volunteer.

Yet on the way, Carmen and I came upon a three-car collision in Garden City. I hoped it wouldn’t cost us the rest of the interview; however, I was compelled to stop and assist.

There was a woman holding a small towel to her mouth, I asked to look and saw that she had bitten her tongue and it was bleeding. Yet what concerned me most was the pain she was feeling across her chest, likely due to her seatbelt. Plus, I could see that she was starting to shake and looked pale—signs of shock.

I was fortunate to have Carmen with me as there was a language barrier—I really should have taken Spanish in high school. We helped the woman to the ground and let her know she would be okay. I told her daughter to reassure her.

By then, a police officer arrived and I let him know that he had at least one person who would need medical treatment. I returned to find that the daughter was stroking her own arm and was starting to shake as well. I asked if she was okay and she said her arm was starting to hurt. It did look as if it was slightly swollen. I had her sit down and keep the arm immobilized and elevated.

When the ambulance arrived, I asked the responders if they needed anything else, and they cleared me to go.

Fortunately, Eyewitness News was able to wait for us to finish the story, and Carmen was more than excited to meet the local Red Cross team, which she’ll soon be a member. It was a great day for Carmen.

And for me, it was a day away from the office that served as a reminder that the American Red Cross helps people get through life’s emergencies every day—big and small—and one never knows what kind of day it will be.

So, tell me about your day …

Generations of Service

Brooks Brothers has a long, proud tradition of supporting the American Red Cross. The relationship between the clothing retailer and the humanitarian organization goes back to 1898 when Brooks Brothers made a financial contribution to the Red Cross during the Spanish-American War.

Today the Golden Fleece Foundation, Brooks Brothers’ non-profit arm which manages its charitable endeavors, carries on this tradition. The Foundation aims to create a “culture of caring” within the Brooks Brothers organization by giving back to the communities it serves. 

The Red Cross has found a staunch partner in Brooks Brothers. The retailer hosts Red Cross blood drives, encourages volunteerism within its workforce, creates and carries out customer donation programs and provides direct financial support for Red Cross programs and services. Brooks Brothers’ support extends to almost every Red Cross line of service, including the Service to the Armed Forces program that helps military members and their families, blood services, and local, national and international disaster response.

Spearheading this modern-day relationship is Emilie Antonetti, vice president and managing director of the Golden Fleece Foundation.

“Personally, I hold the same ideals as the Foundation,” she said.

Accompanied by her 16-year-old niece, Katie Stratton, Antonetti recently visited a Red Cross feeding site in Howard Beach, Queens, a community deeply impacted by Superstorm Sandy.

“I wanted to see service delivery first-hand and interact with those affected by Sandy in person,” explained Antonetti. “I also wanted to share the experience with Katie; imparting to her ideals that have so much meaning for me.”

Overseen by Tommi Patterson and Billy York, two long-time Red Cross volunteers, Antonetti and her niece spent the afternoon serving lunch to local residents still reeling from the effects of Sandy.

For several hours a steady stream of people, mostly elderly residents, came to the Red Cross mobile feeding truck to collect meals and snacks. On the menu when Antonetti and her niece were serving: chicken, corn and mashed potatoes. 

“Each day, the residents are lined up here, waiting for us when we arrive at 10:45 am,” said Patterson. “The financial strain Sandy has put on these folks makes buying food really difficult.”

This was the first time Stratton had helped people in need face-to-face. Originally apprehensive about what to expect, Stratton felt real empathy for those she knew were suffering. 

“It was sad to see people hurting,” she said. “I’m glad we were able to help them in some way.”

Antonetti, who embodies the humanitarian ideals the Red Cross stands for, was glad to give her niece an opportunity to see and practice compassion in action. And thanks to her leadership at Brooks Brothers, the retailer’s tradition of service should continue for years to come.

All in a Day’s Work: One of New York’s Finest Volunteers

When Dazzare Jefferson reported to work as an NYPD crossing guard in the days following Hurricane Sandy’s landfall on Oct. 29, she was amazed at the crowd of people in red and white garb—coats, vests, hats, backpacks—streaming past her post near Greater New York Red Cross headquarters.

“When I saw the number of volunteers coming into the building, I knew I wanted to help. There were so many people from all over the world helping and I’m right here at this corner,” she said.

After her morning shift, Jefferson now puts on a red and white vest and gets to work at the region’s volunteer office, helping new volunteers of all ages and professions find their place in the American Red Cross.

“One woman told me that she decided to volunteer on her only day off instead of shopping,” Jefferson said. “I have signed up nurses that came together as a group.”

“She’s one of our best,” said Beth Shook, who manages the local disaster volunteer component of the more than 1,700 Red Crossers currently working on the Hurricane Sandy relief effort.

Dazz, as she is know, to her colleagues, brings a wealth of local knowledge to the newly arrived volunteers from around the country and around the world who pass through the relief headquarters on their way to Red Cross assignments.

“I give directions, recommendations and tell them how to get around New York City,” Jefferson said. “It is so fun being here every day and being part of the Red Cross.”

Jefferson plans to continue as a Red Cross volunteer. “I am a liaison between the city and the Red Cross on issues that I can help resolve,” she said. “I try to give a friendly, helpful face to both.”

Jill Bellinson, Red Cross Mental Health Volunteer, Reflects on 9/11

September 11, 2012

Red Cross (RC): How many 9/11 memorial ceremonies have you attended as a mental-health volunteer?

Jill: I joined the Red Cross on 9/11 as a mental health volunteer, so today is my anniversary, too. In 2001, we got a short briefing and I started my shift with an experienced, long-time mental-health leader from the National Red Cross. I worked at Ground Zero for the first month and at the Family Assistance Center at the Piers after that.

RC: What does 9/11 mean to you?

Jill: It’s a marker of my work with Red Cross. That day the world changed, including mine, in so many ways. I’ve worked with so many hundreds of people affected by 9/11 over the years. I worked for Project Liberty, New York's crisis counseling program created in the aftermath of 9/11, for a year or two afterward.

RC: What was today like?

Jill: This year, there was a smaller Red Cross presence—just four of us in the reader’s tent, which is a large tent where those who read the names of those lost wait their turns. There are about 200 readers. Some have guests, chaperones, and aides with them. We are there to lend emotional support.

Many readers are all nervous about speaking. Sometimes that overwhelms what they feel about the rest of the day. They read the names of about 16 people whom they don’t know. The last name they read is their person, and they’re told they may say something about them—what they were like or how they always had dinner together or some phrase their loved one always said.

Some are members of a large extended family, and other family members have read in past years; this time was their time. They want to do this right. After they read the names, they’re often drained. They meet their other family members at that point.

Another touching thing someone told me: One woman who lost two family members, and is still very teary and grieving quite a bit, said she has a little package of Red Cross tissues that we gave her at the first commemoration that she keeps with the mementos of the family members she lost. That was important to her.

A lot of people said they were grateful for us being there. That always makes me feel good—I appreciate that Red Cross allows me to make some small difference in someone’s life.

Jill Bellinson, Manhattan, N.Y.

Finding a Way to Help: Volunteering at the ECC

By Gena Sabin

While I have lived in New York City for most of my life, I was new to the Bensonhurst, Brooklyn neighborhood when I heard about a terrible fire. A building burned to the ground, two businesses were destroyed, firefighters were injured and sadly, several people perished. This happened down the street from where I had just moved. The main strip of 86th Street has always been a buzzing commercial area, and a fire in one of the residential apartments above the hair salon had left a huge gaping hole right in the middle of the bustling street.

I overheard people talking about the fire in a nearby store a few days later. They were discussing what a shame it was that members of a family lost their lives because they had too many people living in one apartment. The number of people and items stored inside of the residence made it nearly impossible for them to get to the fire escape in time. The area where the building once stood was roped off from the public, and a giant dumpster stood in front of the address for months.

I suppose it was both the proximity and the ongoing reminders of this neighborhood disaster that had me wondering how I would be able to assist in some way. I had been to the New York Red Cross about a year earlier at a general volunteer orientation, where I learned that local responders go to every occupied residence where a fire occurs and help those affected. For lack of a better phrase, the impact of such a local disaster didn't "hit home" until it happened right next to my new home.

After a few e-mails to and from members of the Red Cross volunteer department, I learned about the ECC, or Emergency Communications Center, and found that I could be trained to volunteer there and help out on weekends. The ECC serves as the nerve center for the organization. Its workers schedule responders to go out to local disasters and send out all notifications and other reports regarding these disasters and other events throughout our area. They also book hotel rooms and activate debit cards providing emergency funds to disaster victims. I really liked the idea of being able to help people in the NYC area while learning how the Red Cross functions.

Gradually, I got to know the staff and volunteers and for the past year and a half, I have been a back-up dispatcher. This basically means that I assist in verifying fires throughout the five boroughs and communicate with the responders that go to each scene to help those in need.

Since I’ve worked in the ECC, I’ve helped the Red Cross respond to many different types of incidents. The first time that I entered the code in the Red Cross system for a confirmed death was particularly eye-opening. When I later heard the story of the fire on the evening news, my jaw dropped.

There have been at least three more occasions during my time with the ECC when I‘ve seen the incidents that I’ve helped with featured on the local news, proof to me that I was providing help to real people in my community.

When I tell people about the work I do on alternate Saturdays, most consider our conversations a learning experience. The truth is, until you experience the help the Red Cross provides, you don’t really think about it. I’m happy to talk to people about it, in the hope that they might be inspired to help as well.

Traveling to the Red Cross Chapter in Hell’s Kitchen for my volunteer shift often gives me the opportunity to sit on the subway with tourists. I have learned from overhearing their conversations that they don’t always have the most positive view of New Yorkers. I often wonder if I could change their opinions if I introduced them to some of my fellow volunteers. So many of us care, and I think that is often overlooked.

STORIES FROM THE FIELD: Red Cross Tornado Relief in Sellersburg, Indiana

After recent devastating tornadoes in Indiana in March, Greater New York Red Cross volunteer Eddie McQuillan was deployed to the IVY TEC Center in Sellersburg, Ind. as a Red Cross public affairs supervisor. Here are some stories from the field Eddie put together during his time in Indiana.  

Henryville, Indiana, two weeks after
the early March tornados of 2012.

Henryville, Ind. is a small town about 15 minutes north (on Rt. 65) of the Ohio River that splits the two states, Kentucky and Indiana. On the Kentucky side, the city of Louisville. Hence people say “Kentucky-ana” or “India-tucky,” depending which side of the river they hail from.

This little roadside house sits on the main corner of the town. Behind it are bowl-like hillsides that show a clear path of destruction. This corridor of devastation is covered in blue tarps, littered with downed trees and flung with assorted debris.  

 This little house stood up to the storm and shows its scars. 

  



The high school



Behind and to the left is the high school. The gym roof has been ripped off and it also looks like it has a collapsed wall. The photo was taken was from a hillside field before entering town. It shows the effects of an F2 tornado (a "significant tornado" on the Fujita Scale; F2 tornadoes can produce wind speeds of 150 mph) crossing a field and slamming into a building. This is a fully engineered building made of steel beams, concrete and cinder block. 

The church.

Behind and to the right is a church and the first stoplight at the four comers of Henryville. I stopped there and spoke to the pastor and his wife, along with a small group of church volunteers who were getting a little lunch.

The church and parking lot were operating as a Point of Distribution (“POD” in Emergency Management talk), a place people receive donated goods and services. These spring up spontaneously after disasters and are great resources to help community members get back on their feet. Most are run by the volunteer community or organized by faith-based groups.

At the POD I delivered some Red Cross flyers encouraging the local residents to visit the Sellersburg Service Center located at the Ivy Tech College (just on the other side of the Rt. 65 interchange) and the Underwood Service Center.

The folks here seemed to be pleased to have the Red Cross in their town helping out and offering services. That was a good sign. But I hadn’t met any clients yet, and I had just come from the Tech Center. Nobody from the community was there. Had we reached everybody already? We’d been in town two weeks. Not likely.

People in small towns tend to stay with family and friends, so Red Cross shelters were closed. Most people were (I guessed) just catching their breath after two weeks. This was a sunny, warm weekend. A good time to do some clean up, and there was still too much of that to do. Residents would have to self-identify, to show up to the service centers, and ask for help. Not an easy thing for anybody to do.

I’ve seen this before.

Last year I had the privilege to serve in the Red Cross response to the tornados in Alabama and later in Joplin, Missouri. Some were big towns like Tuscaloosa and Birmingham; others were little towns like Hacklesburg and Phil Campbell, Ala. The devastation there was catastrophic.

Here too, in places, it looked much the same. Thankfully there hadn’t been any loss of life here in Henryville and neighboring Marysville.

The early part of an incident is the “response phase.” That’s when police, fire and EMS pour into the towns to help the injured, performing first aid and rescue operations, restoring order and assessing the full scope of the disaster. Two weeks on, these folks were into the “recovery phase,” the long slog of clean-up and getting back to a new normal.

The aftermaths of natural disasters are dirty, dusty and overwhelming. The reality of not being able to restore things to the way they were sinks in. People crash after two weeks of running on adrenalin, fixing things and caring for people.

About now is when people are tired, testy and just want it all to go away. This is a tough wall to climb when you’re exhausted and know you can’t do it all yourself.

The pride of a little house stands as a backdrop to this effort.

                                                                        ****

Red Cross volunteer Bethany Dusseou talks about how a family she met made it through the tornadoes that struck their community

First-time volunteer Bethany Dusseou from Indiana
registered people for Red Cross assistance
at the Underwood Service Center..

A 62-year Indiana resident told Bethany how she and her grandson ran into their dug-out shelter just minutes after hearing tornado alerts on TV. The grandmother remembered that the door was off the shelter. She said and friends used to play in it when she was young; they’d swing on the door, and it had fallen off years earlier.

The grandmother described watching with her grandson through the open door as the tornado came through and destroyed their mobile home. It then came back and spun everything around again.

When the tornado finally passed, they tried to find their home, but it was gone. They walked around thinking they would find a big part of it, but it was literally broken into small pieces.

They told Bethany, that’s when they decided to go for help. But they couldn’t get down the road because of trees and “big stuff” in the road that they were unable to move.

They decided to drive through the woods the cross the creek behind what had been their mobile home. The Grandmother drove the pickup; her grandson walked out in front in the water, looking for stumps or deep holes. It took them some time to find other people; when they did, nobody knew what to do. Cell phones didn’t work and it was getting dark. They went back across the creek.

The grandmother told Bethany she had a feeling she should return to her house, even though it literally wasn’t there anymore. When they got back, family members, fearing the worst, were searching the woods for her and her grandson.

The grandmother reported having a tearful reunion when they found each other. She said she and her family thank the Red Cross for listening and being there to help them at the service center.

Bethany was able to offer direct assistance to the grandmother and her grandson, helping them get food and temporary housing through the Red Cross.

“I’m glad I joined the Red Cross and deployed here to Henryville,” Bethany said. “Being here to listen and give assistance has made me feel that as a volunteer, I’m part of something that really helps people.”

                                                                       ****

Family Receives Red Cross Help after Indiana Tornado



Tabitha P., her mom and three boys, register
for Red Cross assistance at the
Ivy Tech Center in Sellersburg, Ind.

"We were really lucky,” Tabitha said, “a lot of people have it a lot worse. At first we didn’t think we needed help, but when we got back to the house, it was still a really big mess.”

Red Cross caseworkers helped guide Tabitha and her mom through the process of registering for Red Cross services, and explaining what type of services they would qualify for.

“I’m glad we came down here to do this,” Tabitha said. “It’s not easy asking for help. I would tell people it’s been good to come here; it’s helped us to heal and little, and the Red Cross volunteers have been great.”

Photos and story by Ed McQuillan
Public Affairs Supervisor DRO KY/IN TOR

Red Cross Month Volunteer Leader Spotlight: Suzanne Solomon

Suzanne Solomon grew up in Miami, Florida, but has been a New Yorker since 1987 when she moved here for her career. By day, she works in legal publishing; by night she writes crime fiction.

After 9/11, Suzanne began volunteering with the Bar Association. She took sworn statements for the New York City Law Department’s Expedited Death Certificate Program—helping the families of those presumed dead due to the World Trade Center attacks. Suzanne was paired with a Red Cross mental health worker, and still cherishes the chapter pin she received from her partner.

In 2005, after seeing the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Suzanne formally joined her local Red Cross chapter in New York City. She began as a disaster reserve volunteer, and then joined the “Night Blue” Progressive On Call (PRO) team that sets up Red Cross reception centers and shelters when needed.

A family history of Red Cross service

Suzanne isn’t the first in her family to donate her services to the Red Cross. Her great-grandmother volunteered with the Red Cross during World War II at the U.S. Army Air Corps training headquarters in Miami Beach.

This connection to the past is one Suzanne takes seriously. “I feel that one of the important values families can pass down is a legacy of community service,” she said.

Two extraordinary volunteer experiences

Suzanne has had many memorable experiences as a Red Cross volunteer, but two particularly stand out in her mind. As a member of the Night Blue PRO team, Suzanne took part in the relief effort for the emergency landing of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in January 2009. She worked at the Family Assistance Center, providing clothing, comfort kits and emotional support to the passengers.

“What struck me the most,” said Suzanne, “was that the passengers I spoke to—who’d very nearly lost their lives—took nothing for granted. They were unfailingly gracious and grateful for the help of the Red Cross.”

Volunteering for Hurricane Irene

More recently, Suzanne worked as a logistics volunteer for the Disaster Relief Operation Headquarters in the days before and after Hurricane Irene. She spent a lot of time on the road driving volunteers between the chapters in New York City and Long Island. She even slept over at regional headquarters in Manhattan.

“It was an unforgettable experience,” said Suzanne, “to shelter at chapter headquarters during the storm with Red Cross volunteers who had travelled to New York from across the country to help.”

It is the people she’s met (those she’s worked with and those she’s helped) that keep Suzanne motivated to serve. Suzanne says volunteering for the Red Cross has been an incredible learning experience, and she’s grateful to everyone at the Red Cross who has helped her grow as a volunteer.

“Flexibility, patience, a sense of humor and the ability to make good hot chocolate go a long way,” she said.