DISASTER SERVICES

The American Red Cross of the Susquehanna Valley is on duty providing disaster services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It is our mission to help
the community prevent and prepare for disasters, and respond to emergencies.

Disaster Education

We teach people of all ages how to prevent and prepare for natural and man-made disasters, such as fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves and winter
storms. This year alone, the Susquehanna Valley Chapter will teach approximately 10,000 students what to do if their clothes catch fire, how to react to a tornado warning and what to put in a disaster supplies kit.

Disaster Preparation

The Red Cross has many programs to train and prepare individuals for emergencies that we know are inevitable. We encourage the community to take actions that will help them be ready and know how to respond to a disaster. Please use these resources to prepare yourself and your family:

• Together We Prepare
• Call 1-800-480-2520 to receive your free copy of the FEMA (Federal
  Emergency Management Agency) Preparedness Booklet. Leave your name and address on an automated machine and you will be mailed a booklet containing essential information regarding disaster preparedness and response.
• Susquehanna Valley Disaster Training Schedule -3rd Quarter
• Susquehanna Valley Disaster Training Schedule -4th Quarter
• Susquehanna Valley Disaster Training Policies and Proceedures for Enrollment

Training is also available throughout our region and those chapters include: Lebanon County, York County, Cumberland County, Franklin County, Hanover, and Middletown.

• South Central Pennsylvania Region Training schedule-3rd Quarter
• South Central Pennsylvania Region Training schedule-4th Quarter

There are also FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Independent study courses you may be interested in. Please follow the link below for more information:

• http://www.training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp

Disaster Response

Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteers are the heart of American Red Cross
disaster relief efforts. DAT members respond immediately to a disaster when called
by emergency dispatch. DAT volunteers assess the scope of the damage and meet one-on-one with the affected family or families to determine their immediate
disaster-related needs and ensure that those needs are met. Depending upon their individual needs, the Red Cross provides assistance to disaster victims for shelter, food, clothing, medical needs and mental health counseling.

The Susquehanna Valley chapter has extremely qualified volunteers who represent
us proudly at disasters in the United States and abroad through Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR), the national registry of American Red Cross volunteers.