Media Coverage

Late yesterday President Barack Obama declared March as Red Cross Month.  In following the 91 year tradition, President Obama is furthering his call for more community volunteerism and activism. 

There are opportunities for everyone to support their community through the Red Cross.  Of course, the quickest is to make a donation to the Tri-County Red Cross, but there are many other opportunities.

• Host a blood drive at your high school, church, business or community organization.  Call Denise Neto at (908) 756-6414 to learn how;
• Take free disaster classes to be trained as a volunteer in the event of a major emergency.  Call Mike Prasad at (908) 756-6414 for more information;
• Schedule a free Be Red Cross Ready seminar for your PTA, scout parents, church or neighborhood to be sure everyone is prepared to respond in an emergency. Call Mike Prasad at (908) 756-6414 for more information;
• Take a first aid and CPR class to you can help others who are injured or ill;
  
• Volunteer to help families who lose their homes to fire, work in the office, organize fundraising events, serve as a leader on our board of directors, counsel blood donors at drives, recruit more volunteers at street fairs, teach first aid or CPR, drive seniors to doctors appointments, help a soldier come home for the birth of his daughter.

You can volunteer one hour a year, or eight hours a day.  There's something for everyone's schedule and abilities at the Red Cross.  Be there for your community, for your neighborhood, and for your family by getting involved today.

The full proclamation is below the fold.

From the Sunday, November 2 2008 Courier News local section:

Two injured escaping from Plainfield apartment fire
by  Walter O'Brien

PLAINFIELD --Two people were injured jumping to safety from a "suspicious" fire in a city apartment building, police said.

The fire forced others from their homes, police added.

The two residents leaped to safety at 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 from a second-floor window while four others made their way through the rear fire escape of a two-story building at 326 Plainfield Ave. at the corner of West Fourth Street, said Battalion Chief Henry Robinson of the Plainfield Fire Division.

"When the fire department arrived, the stairwell leading to the second floor was totally engulfed in flames," Robinson said. "The firefighters continued to fight the fire while the rescue squad took the two who jumped out of the window to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick."

Robinson said the jumpers' conditions are not known and names have not been released pending a full investigation.

"The fire is being investigated as suspicious," Plainfield Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig said.

Tri-County Red Cross Executive Director Nathan Rudy confirmed that his agency sheltered two families, both of whom may be able to return to their homes soon once approved by the fire department.

"Our volunteer Terri Esposito was called to the scene at 3 a.m. and arranged hotel rooms for the families," Rudy said. "She checked with them Saturday afternoon and said they were doing fine."

Robinson said that his department was assisted by the Union County Mutual Aid Coordinator, and the Westfield and South Plainfield fire departments.

The Tri-County Red Cross spends more than $100,000 each year providing emergency relief to families who lose their homes to fire, flood or other disasters.  You can support this work by contributing using the form to the right, or by mailing a tax deductible contribution to Tri-County Red Cross, 332 West Front Street, Plainfield, NJ 07060.

The Tri-County Red Cross announces the appointment of Michael Prasad of Fanwood as the Director of Emergency Services.  Mr. Prasad will be responsible for coordinating the chapter's response to local disasters such as house fires and floods and ensuring a vibrant and well-trained volunteer force is always available in the event of large-scale emergencies.

 

"I'm pleased Mike agreed to join our team as we continue through the hurricane season and enter the home fire season," said Nathan Rudy, Tri-County Red Cross Executive Director.  "In these uncertain economic times more people will need our assistance when the unthinkable occurs, and Mike's years of experience preparing for and responding to disasters will be invaluable to the residents of our chapter."

 

Mr. Prasad has been a Disaster Action Team Leader for the Red Cross since 2007, and currently leads the Community Emergency Response Team for the Borough of Fanwood.  He has completed FEMA's Basic Incident Command System courses and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) introduction course in addition to completing numerous Red Cross Disaster training courses, including Family Services: Providing Emergency Assistance, Mass Care Overview, Shelter Operations and Shelter Simulation.

 

Before joining the Tri-County Red Cross, Michael Prasad was a financial advisor with H&R Block where he was awarded the Henry Bloch National Award for Community Service from the H&R Block Foundation for his work with local charities in New Jersey and Ohio.

 

In addition to his role coordinating the Tri-County Red Cross disaster services, Mr. Prasad will also oversee the chapters' Services to Armed Forces and International Services.

 

If you are interested in joining the Red Cross as a volunteer Disaster Action Team member, please contact Mr. Prasad at Tri-County Red Cross, Plainfield Office, (908) 756-6414.  More information about the Tri-County Red Cross and its disaster programs are available at http://www.tricountyredcross.org .

NY Giants Quarterback Eli Manning is a celebrity spokesman for the American Red Cross, and urges you to support our efforts to respond to disasters during this hurricane season and beyond. You can contribute by volunteering or donating below.

Another great way to help and have fun is to join the Ti-County Red Cross Last Chance 2008 Golf Tournament as a golfer, sponsor or silent auction donor.

 

Donate to the Tri-County Red Cross Disaster Fund for local disaster response		Donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Fund for national disaster response		Split your gift equally between American and Tri-County Red Cross disaster response funds
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September is not even two weeks old and the Tri-County Red Cross has been very active providing disaster preparedness and relief.

Over the Labor Day weekend two Tri-County Red Cross volunteers -- Terri Esposito and Chuck Sweetman -- were dispatched to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to support shelters and relief efforts in expectation of Hurrican Gustav.  Fortunately the damage was much less than expected, but there was still significant need.

Rather than turn around and return to New Jersey after most people were able to return home, Terri and Chuck stayed on to assist in preparations for Hurricane Ike, which beat up parts of Florida and currently is buffetting the Texas Coast.  Chuck, a mental health specialist, is in Florida for the cleanup and Terri is in Texas helping people through the worst of the storm.

On Wednesday the chapter responded to a major apartment fire in Scotch Plains which displaced four families and resulted in significant injuries to three Plainfield residents who were employed at the complex where the fire broke out.  The 12 family members were provided with hotel rooms and enough funding to purchase food for a week and two changes of clothing.  More residents are receiving assistance as the damage is assessed.

More coverage of the fire and the Red Cross response is in the Star Ledger and Courier News.

In order to be able to respond to disasters like these the Tri-County Red Cross engages in preparedness efforts, training volunteers well in advance of disasters and taking part in exercises with other disaster relief entities to ensure we are all ready should the worst occur.

Today more than three dozen Red Cross volunteers and staff are participating in a disaster drill at the Newark Liberty Airport.  The Tri-County Red Cross is providing volunteers, materials and food for the exercise which is intended to test our plans for responding to a catastrophe at the regions largest airport.  The airport is situated in both Newark and Elizabeth, NJ, and is in both the Northern New Jersey Red Cross and the Tri-County Red Cross.

You can support all these efforts -- national disaster response, local disaster relief and regional preparedness -- by donating $25 or more using one of the buttons below.  We receive no government funding, yet are required by both the federal and state government to provide disaster relief.  We are able to do so only though the gifts of our fantastic volunteers and donors. 

Please consider making a gift of $25 or more to the American Red Cross, Tri-County Red Cross, or both.

Donate to the Tri-County Red Cross Disaster Fund for local disaster response		Donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Fund for national disaster response		Split your gift equally between American and Tri-County Red Cross disaster response funds
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