 Red Cross Deploys Three Volunteer Disaster Relief Workers to Assist With Recovery after Iowa Tornado
Local Red Cross caseworkers will help with food, clothing and shelter
St. Louis, Thursday, May 29, 2008 – The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter deployed two volunteer disaster relief workers and one volunteer disaster health services worker to Parkersburg, Iowa, to assist with recovery efforts after Sunday’s tornado. Red Cross Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR) volunteers respond to national disasters throughout the country.
A total of 350 homes were destroyed by the deadly twister that killed seven people. The damage in Parkersburg alone was staggering: 222 homes demolished in a town of nearly 1,000 residents, 21 businesses destroyed and more than 400 homes damaged. Among the buildings destroyed in Parkersburg include the city hall, the high school and the town’s only grocery store and gas station.
Two of the volunteer disaster relief workers include Dorothy Staples of Wentzville, Mo., and Annetta Kuechler, of Chesterfield, Mo. The third one, Sue Ostien of Weldon Springs, Mo., has been deployed for disaster health services. They departed this morning for their assignments to help storm victims with immediate emergency needs including food, clothing and shelter.
About Red Cross Emergency Services:
The American Red Cross provides immediate assistance with shelter, food, emotional support and emergency supplies as needed in the wake of disasters and emergencies. The Red Cross is able to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide a wide range of programs and services throughout the region due to the dedication of volunteers who give freely of their time.
For more information about volunteer opportunities, emergency services or a variety of other programs provided by the organization, please call 314.516.2800, or log on to the St. Louis Area Chapter’s website at www.redcrossstl.org.
About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter:
Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter celebrates 91 years of dedicated service, providing emergency relief and preparedness training more than 446,600 times each year. The Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and depends on the efforts of thousands of volunteers and donors to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, services to military personnel and support for blood services. The Chapter, a United Way agency, provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair (including Scott Air Force Base) and part of Madison County in Illinois. All disaster relief services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the American people. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or www.redcrossstl.org. |