ROCHESTER, N.Y., Friday, March, 27, 2009—Another Greater Rochester Red Cross volunteer is being deployed to Fargo, North Dakota tomorrow. Dr. Alvani Santos is the fifth volunteer to deploy from the Finger Lakes Region of the American Red Cross. He will help with Health Services to provide basic health assessments and healthcare at evacuation shelters.
Dr. Santos is coming to the Red Cross at 50 Prince Street to complete deployment paperwork at 3:30 p.m. today.
Five volunteers have been sent from the Finger Lakes Region of the American Red Cross:
- Sarah Perkins, Damage Assessment volunteer, Pittsford resident—deployed 3/25
- Donna Demay, Sheltering volunteer, Greece resident—deployed 3/25
- Deveda Schleyer, Sheltering volunteer, Pittsford resident—deployed 3/25
- Barbara Harper, Sheltering volunteer, Savahah resident—deployed 3/26
- Dr. Alvani Santos, Health Services volunteer, Brighton resident—deployed 3/28
The American Red Cross continues to provide food, shelter, and comfort to residents who live in the shadow of the Red River, located between North Dakota and Minnesota, predicted to crest at a record high of 41 feet this weekend.
“At this time, more than 330 Red Cross volunteers are deployed to the area, 28 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) are providing food for the volunteers and more are on the way,” said Leighton Jones, Director of Disaster & Emergency Services for the Finger Lakes Region of the American Red Cross. More than 50,000 ready-to-eat meals are already on site, as well as cots and blankets.”
The Finger Lakes Region of the American Red Cross consists of the following chapters: Greater Rochester, Finger Lakes, Northern Livingston, Wayne County, Yates County and the Clara Barton No. 1 located in Dansville, NY. The Greater Rochester Chapter is the lead regional Chapter to the five outer-lying Chapters.
All of the Chapters operate independently, providing services to their respective territories and responding to fires and other disasters. In the event of a national disaster, such as the developing flooding in North Dakota, the Red Cross is able to increase its response efforts as more resources are available to deploy as a region opposed to an individual Chapter.
For updates, including photos and video footage, visit the American Red Cross Disaster Online Newsroom. If you would like to help, please visit www.redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.
You can help people affected by disasters like the current floods and winter storms, by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of all disasters. You may also call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or mail your donation, to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization—not a government agency—and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org.