Without the Red Cross, I don’t know where I would be.

For Bedford-Stuyvesant native Halzian Owen, one tragedy was followed by another.

Just a week after her husband passed away, a devastating act of arson destroyed her quiet building and her family-owned apartment.

Owen recalled, “I saw and smelt smoke, but I didn’t see flames. I just reached for the door handle; it was hot to the touch.”

With no other escape route available, Owen, her 2-year-old son, Derrick, and her 16-year-old niece decided to jump out of the second-story apartment’s back window. 

Firefighters arrived to put out the fire and helped Owen rescue her dogs, Brownie and Prince. Soon after, a Red Cross van arrived at the scene and a responder assisted the family.  

Owen said, “She made sure we were okay ... it was comforting.”

Red Cross also extended help to Owen’s neighbors, giving them temporary housing and emergency funds. Owen declined housing, and her family stayed with her son’s godparents; however, she accepted financial assistance from the Red Cross, which allowed her to buy food and clothing.

For Owen, experiencing an apartment fire firsthand was surreal. “I could not believe it,” she explained. “You see it on TV, but you never truly understand until you live through it.”

As for the next step, Owen plans to visit the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, as well as Crime Victim Services.

She said, “There are a lot of services available. The Red Cross gave me referrals that I wouldn’t have ever known about.”

“Without the Red Cross, I don’t know where I would be,” Owen added. “I would be lost. They were there for me and my family, and I am really thankful for that.”

Long Island Red Cross Volunteer Fall Social

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Fifty American Red Cross volunteers from Long Island came out to Phelps Lane Park in North Babylon, N.Y. , Sept. 29 to enjoy great weather and great company at the Long Island volunteer picnic.

On an unusually warm and sunny Sunday, new volunteers had the opportunity to meet with experienced volunteers over a meal, and everyone was able to speak with John Miller, Long Island CEO, and Josh Lockwood, Greater New York regional CEO.

Meanwhile, volunteers’ children played in the park, had their hands and faces painted, and blew bubbles as well as munching down on their favorite foods. 

Miller, Lockwood and Liz Barker, Long Island emergency services director, thanked all the volunteers for their dedication and continued support of their communities and the Red Cross. 

Visiting Our Colleagues at Magen David Adom in Israel

American Red Cross President & CEO Gail McGovern speaking at the launch of a First Aid smartphone app in Tel Aviv

By Josh Lockwood, Regional CEO, Greater New York Red Cross

Often, we become so immersed in our local activities as Red Crossers that we lose sight of the fact that we are part of an international movement to alleviate suffering in the face of tragedy and disaster. The Red Cross movement operates in more than 185 nations according to seven fundamental principles. 

At the end of September, I had the honor of making a short trip to Israel with American Red Cross CEO Gail McGovern and other American Red Cross colleagues, to visit our colleagues at Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's official emergency service and a member of the Red Cross Movement. The purpose of the trip was to share lessons learned in preparing for, and responding to, mass casualty events such as earthquakes and terrorist attacks. The two leadership groups—from the American Red Cross and from MDA—also discussed improving ways to recruit blood donors and working with government both before and during a disaster.

MDA and the American Red Cross have a longstanding history of cooperation. This meeting was a continuation of ongoing activities. These include a recent joint earthquake preparedness exercise between MDA and the Jordanian Red Crescent Society; a global Red Cross network coordination meeting in Tel Aviv in July; and a joint deployment of American Red Cross and MDA workers to Haiti to deliver lifesaving assistance following the January 2010 earthquake.

Another first: The Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC), a partnership between the American Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, is building on the success of the Red Cross First Aid app by developing a first aid app with a universal approach, which will allow national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to translate and localize content. The GDPC will assist with releasing the app. 

During my time in Israel, I was humbled by the power and breadth of our shared Movement.

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the Red Cross has seen a wave of Sandy survivors who have “paid it forward” by volunteering for the Red Cross after receiving services. These survivors include Lou Caridad in Staten Island, who drove an Emergency Response Vehicle through both Staten Island and Long Island after his home was damaged by Sandy, and Tom and Jeanne Gargiulo, along with their son Ryan, from Babylon, N.Y., who handed out Thanksgiving meals through the Red Cross after their home was destroyed. 

So it was with particular interest that I spoke with Nachman Lavi, a 30-year-old Israeli, while I was in Jerusalem. Nachman was injured in a bus station bombing in Jerusalem several years ago that sent shards of metal into this legs. Horrified by the dozens injured all around him, Nachman wanted to help those who were injured, but did not have the skills to do so. 

Forever changed by this event, Nachman began training and volunteering with MDA; he now serves as a volunteer responder with the mission’s ambulatory service in Jerusalem.  Nachman paraphrased the Talmud when he shared with us part of his motivation for helping others, “Well,” he said, “Isn’t it, ‘He who saves a life, saves the world’?”

It is difficult to imagine a more charged environment than Jerusalem in which to deliver Red Cross services. While our Red Cross principle of neutrality can seem benign, in a city that’s home to thousands of years of strife, providing life-saving assistance can be fraught with danger.

Yet MDA has adapted. By training its responders in cultural sensitivity and by engaging all members of its community in service delivery, the MDA is able to respond within minutes to an array of incidents: traffic accidents, heart attacks and occasionally, terrorist bombings.

MDA also leverages cutting-edge technology to instantaneously activate volunteers within close proximity to an incident. Every time the equivalent of a 9-1-1 call comes in, MDA notifies the five responders located nearest to the event. Further, Israel is at risk of a major earthquake, and hearing of the American Red Cross preparations for, and operations after, major disasters, has provided tremendous learning for both societies.

The Greater New York chapter was instrumental in pressing for the recognition of Magen David Adom within the Red Cross movement amidst a fraught political environment. In 2006, we sent a delegation to Tel Aviv to raise our voices to encourage the International Federation as well as our own American Red Cross to effect change. Ultimately, due in large part to the energies and influence of the American Red Cross, MDA was recognized and became a full-fledged member of the International Federation of the Red Cross.

In meeting our colleagues at MDA, we were privileged to make new friendships with a diverse and dynamic workforce.

“The Red Cross was there to help me and I really appreciate it.”

By Dorothy He

For Kaydian Grennan of Far Rockaway, it was a typical morning at her uncle’s two-story house. She and her four young children were enjoying their usual routine of breakfast while watching TV. Without warning, the fire alarm went off, and thick smoke started billowing from the stairwell down into the kitchen.

Kaydian grabbed her kids and looked for an escape. She recalled, “I knew I wasn’t cooking. I smelled something burning, like rubber, and saw a dark, dark smoke. We just ran—we only had on pajamas.”

When the Grennan family had made it safely outside, they used a neighbor’s phone to dial 911. First responders came to put out the fire, which was caused by the air conditioning unit in the house. Unfortunately, the house was destroyed. 

Kaydian was worried. Her uncle and cousin were her only family. She thought, “What am I going to do? I have no clothes, nowhere to go.”

Then, within the hour, the Red Cross arrived on the scene. After speaking with Kaydian, they provided her and her family with a two-night stay at a local hotel and emergency funds for food and clothing.

Having been affected by Hurricane Sandy last year, with no light or power for weeks, Kaydian was especially distraught at the loss of her home. However, having the support of the Red Cross gave her extra reassurance.

Kaydian said, “You don’t know how [relieved] I felt when the Red Cross responder told me, ‘I will place you in a hotel,’ and gave me that card. “The Red Cross was there to help me and I really appreciate it,” Kaydian said. “My kids and I slept comfortably last night.”

Upholding the Rules of War in NYC

by Michael de Vulpillieres, American Red Cross Greater NY Region

Every day we are confronted with images of war—on television, online, in movies, even in videogames. With news of refugees crossing borders and ambulances under attack, the recent crisis in Syria has brought added attention to armed conflict and the consequences it can have on millions of civilians. These tragic events remind us that even war should have limits.

This is why understanding International Humanitarian Law (IHL)—guidelines that seek to protect civilians and regulate the methods of warfare—is so critical.

The Red Cross was founded on these ideals more than 150 years ago and today in New York City they are actively promoted by two Red Cross offices. The American Red Cross in Greater New York does so locally, while the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the United Nations defends them on a global stage.

Rooted in Wartime Relief

Horrified by the sight of thousands of wounded soldiers lying helpless and abandoned after a huge battle in Solferino, Italy in 1859, Swiss businessman Henri Dunant felt compelled to act. In the years that followed, Dunant set forth a process that led to the creation of “voluntary relief societies that could be trained to care for the wounded in time of war.” These national societies eventually united under the Red Cross symbol.

As the Red Cross network grew, its scope evolved to encompass not only issues of conflict, but also natural disasters, health crises and other humanitarian emergencies.

Although there are several entities that make up the Red Cross (or the Red Cross Movement, as it is also called) today, one branch focuses on situations of conflict: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Their mission is to provide humanitarian assistance for people affected by conflict and promote laws that protect victims such as civilians and health workers in Syria.

Photo: Liz Borda

Assisting Families Separated by War and Promoting IHL in NYC

The American Red Cross in Greater New York mainly provides assistance following local disasters. However, as part of the Red Cross Movement, the office does at times deal with issues related to war. When it does, it works through the ICRC.

One such program is Restoring Family Links, which helps reconnect family members who are separated by war. By relying on its staff and partners around the world, the ICRC is able to serve those searching for lost loved ones. Due to this extensive network, for example, the Greater NY Red Cross is able to help New Yorkers like Christine Green—who fled her native Liberia in the mid 1990s—reconnect with family members she did not even know were alive.

“I did not hear from my family in Liberia for 14 years,” says Green. “Thanks to the Red Cross, I was able to reconnect with them.”

Another way the Greater NY Red Cross promotes the ICRC mission is by teaching high school students the basic principles of IHL. The goal of the curriculum is to inspire future humanitarians to understand when conflict intersects with the rights and protections of civilians. Lessons taught during the program also help teenagers contextualize current events they read about.

Seventeen-year-old Johanna Monge from Queens was a student who participated in the IHL curriculum. The class has helped her focus her future career path as well. Monge now aspires to pursue international relations in order to become involved in humanitarian work. She says of the IHL classes, “they really helped me understand the treacherous path that humanitarian aid workers have to go through in order to help the Syrians in need.”

Defending IHL at the UN

While the Greater New York Red Cross promotes ICRC principles locally, less than a mile to the east, the ICRC office at the United Nations does so on a global stage.
 
The ICRC has held Observer Status at the UN since 1990, which allows it to participate in UN meetings, committees and debates. This includes thematic discussions about the protection of civilians or children in armed conflict, as well as geographic crises like the conflicts in Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. There, the ICRC voices its opinion and provides input within its frame of expertise.

“We make sure that ICRC concerns are fed into the UN and shared with member states,” says Walter Fuellemann, head of delegation to the United Nations at the ICRC.

An example of ICRC advocacy is Health Care in Danger, a program launched last year with the intent to raise awareness of the issue of violence against healthcare.

Attacking healthcare workers and facilities and deliberately obstructing the efforts of the wounded to find help are still common features of conflicts throughout the world. While the Red Cross Movement is “rooted in the protection of health care in conflict zones,” as Fuelleman emphasizes, many of those who try to help are injured in the process. The goal of Health Care in Danger is to mobilize action within the international community in order make a difference for those affected on the ground.

So far, the program has seen much success. “We strive to include Health Care in Danger language into resolutions and presidential statements at the level of the Security Council,” says Fuellemann. “We have been able to do so on several occasions.”

Another major opportunity for the organization is at the UN General Assembly (GA). There, the ICRC engages states on the topics of humanitarian action, peacekeeping and humanitarian law. Fuellemann describes the ICRC’s role in the GA as unique, saying, “The GA allows the ICRC to interact in the same place and time with every state in the world, all of which are signatories to the Geneva Conventions.”

Nevertheless, the work of the ICRC at the UN is not limited to advocacy. The ICRC’s presence in nearly every conflict zone around the world allows it to provide real-time updates from the ground, which helps shape UN policy.

In Syria, the ICRC and local partners have been providing humanitarian assistance to millions of people affected by the fighting, but there are considerable challenges.

“The suffering of civilians in Syria has now reached unprecedented levels,” says Fuellemann. “There are acute shortages of food, water and medical supplies in a number of areas that have been sealed off for months and to which the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent have not been given access.”

These grave concerns make the ICRC’s efforts here in New York and around the world all the more urgent.

Photo: Syrian Arab Red Crescent

“I appreciate everything Red Cross has done for us.”

By Dorothy He

Ronald Bethea of the Bronx awoke one morning to a dark apartment. Thinking his lights might not be working, he went to check on the breakers. That’s when he noticed a nightmarish heat coming from his son John Faison’s room—it was an electrical fire.

Ronald recalled, “I ran out of the apartment. Smoke was everywhere. It was black; I couldn’t even see my hand. I ran out the front door into the hallway. I’m thinking, ‘I’ve got to call somebody.’”

A neighbor saw Ronald and offered assistance, but didn’t have a phone. In a panic, Ronald ran back into his bedroom and snatched up his cell phone. After making it safely outside, he dialed 911 and waited for assistance. First responders arrived on the scene within 10 minutes, as did the Red Cross.

As EMS workers aided the wheezing Ronald, who suffers from asthma, Red Cross responders spoke to his family members who had rushed to the scene. Ronald called John, who works in the music industry, and thankfully was not home at the time of the fire.

The Red Crossers then talked with Ronald. He and John were offered temporary housing and access to emergency funds, but declined the housing, as they were able to stay with one of Ronald’s sisters.
 Nevertheless, a volunteer gave them contact information for the Red Cross.

When Ronald and John came to Red Cross headquarters in Manhattan, their first concern was housing.

Ronald worried, “We have no other place to go. We’re not homeless, but [at the same time], we are.” A Red Cross caseworker assisted the pair in their search with a referral to the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and emergency funds to cover basic necessities.

“Words can’t say ... more. I appreciate everything Red Cross has done for us,” Ronald said. “They were on point from the time we walked through the door.”

Red Cross Workers Learn About the Evolving Role of Recovery

On Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, Ken Curtin, federal disaster recovery coordinator for FEMA Region II, spoke to American Red Cross Greater New York Region workers about the historical context of recovery, the evolving nature of recovery operations and the partnership the Red Cross has with the federal government in recovery efforts. 

FEMA Region II includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Curtin has nearly 40 years of experience in disaster and emergency human services, and has worked on assignments in 25 states and 31 countries. He formerly served as disaster services director for the Red Cross Greater New York Region.

Pictured L-R: Malcolm Hardy, Red Cross Government Liaison; Jessica Pavone, Senior Director, New York Long Term Recovery and Ken Curtin, FEMA Region II Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator.