red cross international relief

[Ron 7]

#1. you are not green.
#2. Why are you jumping me when I didn't start this.
#3. It is my opinion that a large portion of the world jumps the US's shit any chance they get and never bothers to see we do more good than a number of them combined.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[Vallerina 2]

Just a question I'm throwing out there. My guess is that even in March, they're still going to need help. I don't have a job, so I'm considering going out there to help if they need it. I'm not a nurse or have any skills such as that, so I won't be quite as valuable, but I'm guessing they still need people to help clean up, etc. Has anyone done something like that before? Would I go through the Red Cross to see if they need volunteers out there?

There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning

[sunshine 2]

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Would I go through the Red Cross to see if they need volunteers out there?

Yup, call you local chapter. They'll most likely wanna put you through Disaster Relief Training. And it might have a small fee. But definitely do it.

As most of the old time dzcommers know, i'm very involved with the Red Cross as a CPR/First Aid instructor. I totally believe in the Red Cross's mission and urge everyone to support them. Even if you can't help with this disaster, when you have time, think about taking classes from your local chapter to perhaps help in a future disaster.

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meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[mnealtx 0]

That's a very good question, Val. Unfortunately, I don't have any sort of answer, but a possible suggestion.

I can't speak for the Red Cross, but I know a couple people back home that have volunteered with one of the relief organizations - I think it may have been Habitat for Humanity. You might want to check with some of the ones like that, too.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[mnealtx 0]

So they train you HOW to help, then send you where you CAN help - that's cool!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[sunshine 2]

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So they train you HOW to help, then send you where you CAN help - that's cool!

Yes. Like i said, sometimes they charge a minimal fee for the training, but it goes toward curriculum etc. Those Red Cross peeps (including me!!) really know what they're doing.

Also, after a disaster, there is always need for emotional help. And with Val's background working in a crisis center, she would be good at offering the counseling support. Just having a caring person to talk 1 on 1 with makes an amazing difference to the survivors.

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meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[shropshire 0]

And for Euros ... try http://www.intrescue.org/
They generally go out on initial rescues (when survivors can be pulled out of rubble etc...) but this link may serve as help for some...

Tony

also try ..http://www.msf.org/volunteer/index.cfm

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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Just a question I'm throwing out there. My guess is that even in March, they're still going to need help. I don't have a job, so I'm considering going out there to help if they need it. I'm not a nurse or have any skills such as that, so I won't be quite as valuable, but I'm guessing they still need people to help clean up, etc. Has anyone done something like that before? Would I go through the Red Cross to see if they need volunteers out there?

That is such a great question, Val. As it is, there is so much that they would need help with, and we all wonder what can be done to help on an emotional level?

My family still has no real idea of how our family friend, whose wife & daughter died, is doing. Now, we've been told worse. (We have no idea what is the truth.) My father, who normally covers for him (both my father and this man are ob/gyns and cover for each other when one is on vacation) with his patients, is now doing so until he returns...if he ever makes it back or is even alive. It's sad to not know exactly how all of our friends are. We have some other friends that are still missing, also. We can only imagine what kind of grief that their family is going through.

Val, what about providing crisis help for the relatives here, who may be missing family members, and who need to talk to someone? In my mind...whatever is happening or has happened over there so far is emotionally and mentally traumatic as hell for those people. They would definitely need some grief conseling overseas, and their families here, as well. Mentally...they must be going insane. What's happened to them is like a horror movie.

If someone, like Val, could go and help in that way, for mental/emotional crisis help, it would probably help so much. That would be good to do either here or overseas.

[mnealtx 0]

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So they train you HOW to help, then send you where you CAN help - that's cool!

Yes. Like i said, sometimes they charge a minimal fee for the training, but it goes toward curriculum etc. Those Red Cross peeps (including me!!) really know what they're doing.

Also, after a disaster, there is always need for emotional help. And with Val's background working in a crisis center, she would be good at offering the counseling support. Just having a caring person to talk 1 on 1 with makes an amazing difference to the survivors.

That's a really good point, too - and thanks for the info about the training - I'd always thought that it was people that had gotten training from outside sources (EMT, rescue dog teams, things like that) and were volunteering their time.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[sunshine 2]

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That's a really good point, too - and thanks for the info about the training - I'd always thought that it was people that had gotten training from outside sources (EMT, rescue dog teams, things like that) and were volunteering their time.

In addition to cleaning debris, looking for human remains, there are so many "little" jobs to be done too. Such as handing out food, making coffee for the shelters. Though everyone can figure out how to do it, the Red Cross training is more focused on preparing you mentally for what you will see/witness. And making sure YOU can handle the hardship of being stuck in a place with no electricity and limited fresh water supply. In fact they won't even send anyone to a disaster site unless they have been trained. It's very noble of people wanting to help, but the truth is, you can't just call up and be sent somewhere.

(Ok, who can tell i'm very passionate about the red cross?! )

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meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[mnealtx 0]

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(Ok, who can tell i'm very passionate about the red cross?! )

Maybe just a little bit? THANK YOU for what you do.

They've had a really cool Red Cross commercial on AFN (military TV) the last few months, sort of a "circle of life" motif. I'm going from memory here, so I'm not 100% sure on the details of some of the people - fantastic commercial, though!!!

Woman #1 is brought in from some disaster (flood, maybe?) by woman #2 (Red Cross Volunteer).

Guy #1 gives her a blanket and some coffee.

Cuts to Woman #1 giving blood.

Cuts to blood being given to Guy #2.

Cuts to Guy #2 giving Guy #1 CPR.

Cuts to (if memory serves) Guy #1 at another disaster, helping someone else and Woman #2 walking by with more supplies again. Like I said, FANTASTIC commercial!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Vallerina 2]

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Val, what about providing crisis help for the relatives here, who may be missing family members, and who need to talk to someone?

That's a really good idea! I worked at a Crisis Center for 2 1/2 years, so it's something that I could do.

I just talked to my local Red Cross, and I guess you need to have two years of training before you can help with international disasters.

There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning

[eb66to77 0]

I agree that in the light of this size of tragedy that the Indian people will need some help. However I think that the military has enough going on right now.
The US is a big supporter of the Red Cross and Red Crescent so I figure that would be a more logical set of organizations to support monetarily or personally instead of volunteering our servicemembers into another humanitarian mission along with the two front war that is taking place now.

I agree with Diablo Pilot about the "we" thing. We as a nation have a governement that produces a very very tough military but WE don't HAVE anything. Maybe if it were a we thing the military would have alot more people in it and wouldn't be so strung out all the time. Raise your hand if you want to enlist in the miltary to go to India. I think a small donation to the Red Cross will do just fine. Maybe the governement can take it out of the 29% they get from everyone of our paychecks.

[BethUK 0]

The death toll just reached 114,000 - please please donate if you haven't already I have never seen a natural disaster of this kind before ever...they need so much help out there and its frustrating that it isnt happening fast enough I just hope they know how much the world is mourning for them and how much aid and support there has been donated...and dont think we dont care.

Im really struggling to comprehend the true horror of this

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