Between wildfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic, Red Cross officials are trying to recruit local volunteers to serve their immediate communities.
To help limit the spread of COVID-19, the Red Cross is trying to limit cross-country deployment of trained disaster volunteers. Spokesperson Chad Carter said the emphasis is now on signing-on those who can readily help when disaster strikes in their vicinity.
“Because of the situation and the need for people to have housing or temporary shelter, there are some roles that simply can’t be moved to a virtual or remote environment," he told KLCC.
"And so we’re looking for local volunteers who are willing to do those roles in the immediate before, during, or after a disaster.”
Shelter help, as well as health services, are two main areas the Red Cross wants volunteers for. Licensed medical professionals including registered nurses and EMTs are especially needed.
Volunteering information can be found online at Red Cross.org
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