Ready Red Hook Day

Brooklyn Disaster Action Team (DAT) Captain, Nancy Soto; Brooklyn DAT member Les Levinowitz; members of the Red Hook Coalition

 On Saturday, September 13, Brooklyn Disaster Action Team (DAT) Captain Nancy Soto and DAT member Les Levinowitz supported “Ready Red Hook Day” by meeting with residents of the Red Hook community to discuss emergency preparedness and distribute home and family disaster preparedness materials.    

In the first hours and days after Hurricane Sandy, the community of Red Hook organically came together and managed the initial response. Out of that response came the Community Disaster Readiness Plan, which was developed by the community of Red Hook for the community of Red Hook. The plan provides residents with a single guide for the critical 72 hours prior to and after a disaster, before formal government assistance is in place. “Ready Red Hook Day” was an opportunity for community members to practice their own emergency plan. 

Organized by the Red Hook Coalition, “Ready Red Hook Day” afforded the Red Cross Brooklyn DAT an opportunity engage the local community, collaborate with partners and integrate disaster response plans.     

In Case You Missed It – Sept 15

Red Cross responding to a 3-alarm fire on Decatur Ave in the Bronx.

In the last week the Red Cross provided emergency relief in the form of shelter, food, clothing, health services and/or emotional support to 97 New Yorkers impacted by 35 disasters across our region. Here are some highlights.

Last Week in Review

• Every year on Sept.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.
• There were two Sandy rebuilding efforts last week. Volunteers from JetBlue Airways worked with Red Cross partners, Friends of Rockaway, on Sept. 13 to help repair two homes damaged by Sandy. Earlier in the week, volunteers from Holland & Knight worked with the Red Cross and Friends of Rockaway to help repair another Sandy-damaged home. 
• On Sept. 10, the Red Cross responded to the scene of a 3-alarm fire that damaged three buildings on Decatur Ave in the Bronx and left three families (11 adults and 3 children) homeless. We provided emergency housing, food, funds for basic necessities as well as emotional support to those that needed it.
• On September 9, the Red Cross setup a reception center with Yonkers OEM to help four families displaced by a fire in Yonkers. Translation assistance, financial assistance for personal items and referrals to community partners was provided for those families to assist in their road to recovery.
• In the second week of National Preparedness Month, we have preparedness tips for seniors and an action checklist for people with disabilities.
• Nat'l Preparedness Month is also the perfect time for you to prepare your pets for an emergency. Check out the Top 21 Most Prepared Dogs of NYC on BuzzFeed. Thanks to our friends and partners at The Good Dog Foundation, for helping us!
• Greater NY Representatives Meet with Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna to discuss Red Cross disaster services in Brooklyn. 
• A great time was had by all at the LI Volunteer Appreciation picnic on Sept. 6. Close to 100 volunteers showed up at Babylon’s Phelps Lane Park to enjoy great food, play Long Island trivia, participate in cot races and more.

Post by American Red Cross in Greater New York.

Greater NY Representatives Meet with Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna

L to R: Greater NY Red Cross Senior Regional Director, Community Relations, Alex Lutz; Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna; Greater NY Red Cross Brooklyn Disaster Program Manager, Ed Torraca.

On Thursday, September 11, representatives of the Greater New York region visited Brooklyn Borough Hall and met with Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna to report on Red Cross services to Brooklyn.

This was the first meeting with new Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams’ administration since his election last year. The deputy borough president was briefed on daily disaster responses in Brooklyn, particularly house fires, readiness actions the Red Cross is taking in advance of future large-scale disasters, and ongoing recovery services to residents impacted by Superstorm Sandy.

Newly appointed Red Cross Brooklyn Disaster Program Manager Ed Torraca discussed his role in coordinating response operations for the borough and his plans to engage community groups and leaders to increase the borough’s readiness and response capacity.

In Case You Missed It – Sept 8

In the last week the Red Cross provided emergency relief in the form of shelter, food, clothing, health services and/or emotional support to 106 New Yorkers impacted by 37 disasters across our region. Here are some highlights.

Last Week in Review

• On Sept. 5, Josh Lockwood, Greater NY regional CEO, and numerous Red Cross volunteers helped kick off national Preparedness Month (#NPM2014) with our emergency partners OEM and FEMA in front of Macy’s in Herald Square. Our volunteers spoke with passersby about how to prepare before a disaster.
• #SelfieSaturday with volunteer Maria Millan (above) showing off her #RedCross First Aid app. She's prepared! Are you? It's National Preparedness Month (#NPM2014). Learn more about downloading your free Red Cross preparedness apps at www.redcross.org/prepare/mobile-apps.
• Villanova University student Caroline Hroncich laughed when her parents insisted she keep things like a flashlight in her dorm room. But after the school lost power during Sandy, she understood the importance of being prepared. Read her personal story.
• If you’re a student heading off to college—perhaps for the first time — you may be inexperienced at driving long distances or driving alone. Red Cross has tips for you!
• A shout-out to students from Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School who live in Queens and held a benefit concert for the Red Cross. On Sept. 3, they presented a check for $5,000 to the Greater New York Red Cross to support disaster response operations. 
• Our GNY Red Cross Facebook page reached 30,000 Likes! We couldn't have done it without your support!
• It might be difficult to tell if your co-workers are dead or bored, but everyone in the workplace should know CPR. September is National Preparedness Month. As everyone heads back to work after summer vacations, it’s a great time to register for a Red Cross lifesaving class at www.redcross.org/take-a-class. 

Stuyvesant High School Students Raise Funds for Red Cross

 

On Wednesday, Sept. 3, students from Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School who live in Queens presented a check for $5,000 to the American Red Cross in Greater New York to support disaster response operations. The students held a benefit concert in June with donations going to the Red Cross. This is the sixth consecutive year the school has raised funds for Greater New York. The check presentation was held in the office of Congressional Member Grace Meng.

Rep. Meng thanked the students for their continued commitment to their community and to the Red Cross for its continued service to New York City and her district.

Several of the students in the music program are also members of the Stuyvesant High School Red Cross Club, which is the largest student club at the school.

Photo: Rep. Grace Meng (left) with students from Stuyvesant High School and Alex Lutz, senior regional director, Community Relations, American Red Cross. Photo credit: Jeehoon Chun from the Korean Times

The Importance of Being Prepared in College

By Caroline Hroncich

As a senior in college, I’ve come to think of this time in my life as a stepping-stone between childhood and adulthood. You are given freedom, but are not yet required to be completely independent. We often don’t realize how much we rely on our universities to provide us with essentials. Personally, I did not realize how much I relied on my school until Superstorm Sandy hit.

Until Sandy, I had never thought about what I would do in the face of a disaster at college. I have distinct memories of my 19-year-old self, perched atop my bunk bed, listening to rain pound the window. The lights flickered frequently, threatening to die; all I had to eat was a bag of tortilla chips. I was completely unprepared. The school lost power, the dining hall could not be kept open, and my friends and I found ourselves confined to our dorm rooms while the storm raged around us. After talking to my friends who attend other universities, I realized this was not an uncommon experience.

While universities are equipped to deal with disasters, it is equally as important for students to prepare. During my junior year, a major snowstorm hit, leaving me (I was now living in an on-campus apartment) without power. Being without light meant there was a mad rush to purchase battery-powered lamps, leaving many students without alternative options to light their apartments. I lost most of my refrigerated food. The school urged everyone to go home, but since I did not live a convenient distance, that was not an option. A few of my friends considered going to a nearby hotel for the night.

As a freshman, I laughed at my parents when they insisted I keep things like a flashlight in my dorm room. Now I realize how truly important those things are. Keeping items like a flashlight, extra batteries and a small portable lamp in your dorm are essential when it comes to emergency preparedness. Even food is important to keep in your room, just in case the dining halls are unable to serve you. My experience has definitely taught me that as we go about our busy college lives it’s important to stop for a second and think about if we are truly prepared.

Caroline Hroncich recently completed an internship with the American Red Cross Greater NY Region.

In Case You Missed It – Sept 2

Long Island Red Cross volunteer Sal Montoro (Far Right)

In the last week the Red Cross provided emergency relief in the form of shelter, food, clothing, health services and/or emotional support to 104 New Yorkers impacted by 38 disasters across our region. Here are some highlights.

Last Week in Review

• Heading back to school? Red Cross has tips to help children stay safe when taking the bus or biking to school, plus tips for parents to help their kids even further.
• After Superstorm Sandy, the American Red Cross relied on its dedicated staff members and volunteers to provide aid to those affected by the storm. More than 10,000 volunteers from across the country poured into the Greater New York region to help the thousands of people in need. For some of those volunteers, assisting with the long-term recovery efforts of the Red Cross became a mission they wanted to commit to full time. Patty Jones, Tymera Jackson and Kevin Rivero are three of those individuals.
• Kudos to Long Island’s Sal Montoro, who was recently promoted to Red Cross National Shelter Operations Manager. In this position, Sal will be charged with supervising shelters in large-scale disasters. Read more about Sal, a 13-year Long Island volunteer.
• On August 28, the Red Cross took part in a “solidarity event” in Hamilton Heights for residents of 512 West 136 St., the site of the fatal 4-alarm fire on Aug. 18. During the program, hosted by NYC City Council Member Mark Levine, organizations on hand paid tribute to the young girl who passed away and offered their continued support to those impacted by this tragedy.
• Red Crossers responded to a fire at a multi-family residence in Mount Vernon Aug. 29. The fire displaced four families, eight adults and one child. All families were provided emergency financial assistance for lost personals (clothing, food, etc.), emergency relocation as needed and referrals with community agencies.