American Red Cross Adds Wildfires to Growing List of Disaster Relief Operations

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Wallow fire in southeast Arizona joins what is a growing number of American Red Cross relief operations that already includes ongoing flood and tornado responses across a large swath of the U.S.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090108/RedCrossLOGO)

"These disasters have brought so much destruction and heartbreak to our country," said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Red Cross Disaster Services. "But they've also shown us how extraordinary the American people are, generously giving of themselves to help a neighbor or a stranger hundreds of miles away. Thanks to them, the Red Cross will be ready to help no matter what's around the corner as we continue to respond to new disasters."  

In the latest disaster response in Arizona, more than 100 people forced from their homes because of wildfires spent the night in a Red Cross shelter Tuesday night. In addition to giving people food and a safe place to say, the shelter has also become a gathering place for residents seeking information and updates on the fire.

Meanwhile, in Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Iowa and Vermont, flooding has threatened communities in the Missouri River Basin and along swollen rivers in Vermont. Red Cross workers are providing food and a safe place to stay for people who have been forced out of their neighborhoods.

Red Cross shelters are also open in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri and Alabama, where tornadoes have damaged or destroyed communities over the past two months. In addition to providing food and shelter, the Red Cross is distributing food and water, comfort kits and cleanup items throughout the affected areas.

In total, the Red Cross had 16 shelters open across the country Tuesday night, with nearly 800 residents.

More than half the country has been hit by disasters this spring, including deadly tornadoes, historic floods and wildfires. Since March 31, the Red Cross has initiated 42 disaster relief operations in 29 states. In the course of these operations, the Red Cross has—

• Served more than 2.8 million meals and snacks;
• Opened more than 260 shelters and provided 29,000 overnight stays;
• Provided more than 63,000 mental health and health consultations;
• Handed out more than 1.3 million relief items like toothbrushes and shampoo, tarps, coolers, rakes and other cleanup supplies; and
• Deployed more than 12,000 trained disaster relief workers from all 50 states.

The Red Cross estimates that it will spend as much as $47 million responding to the disasters that have occurred since March 31 — and the cost is growing every day as new disasters occur. This estimate includes the continuous string of disasters that have hit the U.S. over the past two months, including wildfires in Texas, dozens of tornadoes that devastated areas of the South and Midwest, and flooding in the Northwest and along the Mississippi River.

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster. Those who want to help people affected by disasters like wildfires, tornadoes and floods, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS; people can also text the word "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; 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 mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE American Red Cross