Red Cross needs simple: Money and/or time

Jamicá C. Ashley

If you can't give money to the Red Cross, can you donate a few hours?

That's part of the message that Judy Bullock, the chapter and regional emergency services drector of the American Red Cross Frederick E. Turnage Chapter, delivered to Tarboro Rotarians during their Thursday meeting.

"We would love to have more volunteers," she said. "Our volunteers are very important to us. If you can't volunteer during the day because you work, you can volunteer on weekends or in the evenings after work. We work around their hours."

The Frederick E. Turnage chapter consists of Edgecombe, Nash, Halifax and Northampton counties, has 1,200 volunteers and has helped more than 270,000 people.

Worldwide, there are over half a million volunteers that donate their time to the American Red Cross making it the largest human network in the world.

"We're considered the world's safety net because we are located in so many areas," said Bullock. "We respond very, very quickly. It's not get up, get dressed, get cute. It's a matter of get up and go."

The Red Cross volunteers in Haiti were responsible for spreading the word on what earthquake victims were in need of following the quake.

"Over 65 planes have gone in full of supplies from the Red Cross," she said. "The greatest need is shelter. That's the main thing that's needed at this point.”

Bullock explained that a lot of the homes that were destroyed were poorly constructed out of mud.

Four warehouses are in the Haiti area with supplies for those in need, two are in Port-au-Prince and two in Santo Domingo in the neighboring Dominican Republic.

The other big need of the earthquake survivors is basic hygiene items, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant.

"The things we take for granted, they don't have," Bullock said.

Volunteers who are experienced and trained enough to respond to international disasters go over in teams, not as individuals, to ensure that the needs of the survivors are met.

"Each team has its own niche. So many times when you get to these areas, people are pulling you in so many different directions so it's important to stay focused," said Bullock. "Right now we're trying to set up a water purifying system because right now waste gets mixed in and contaminates the supply. We're able to supply 1 million liters of water per day in Haiti."

Bullock added that that 1 million liters breaks down to less than five liters per person, per day.

After showing a slide show of the devastation in Haiti, Bullock brought her message back to the states and showed pictures of homes that had recently burned down throughout the Turnage chapter's area.

"I want you to think of what's going on here," she said. "When you lose a family member in a fire, it's no different than losing a family member in Haiti. That's why its important to have volunteers here."

Bullock explained that local volunteers can be a part of the emergency response that the Red Cross is known for or some of its lesser known divisions.

"Volunteers can help respond to house fires, they can ride on the emergency response vehicle, they can feed people in neighborhoods, they could volunteer to be a CPR instructor, a swimming instructor, they could work in our offices or in blood services," she said. "We would love to have more volunteers."

For more information, call 977-1720 or 1-800-854-1097 or to donate money to the Haiti relief effort, text "Haiti" to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

"The money we collect goes directly to Haiti," Bullock said. "There are no administration fees that come out of our donations."