MOLINE, Ill. — The Red Cross of the Quad Cities and West Central Illinois is looking for additional volunteers to help with local disaster relief.
According to officials with the Red Cross, more than 4,000 people annually volunteer with organization in the Quad Cities, and those volunteers helped respond to over 1,800 incidents in the last year. The most common of those are fires. In just one week, responders helped 14 people following five house fires, which were located in Davenport, Lomax, Quincy, and Moline.
“We’re seeing both the frequency and intensity of disasters increase across the country and the Red Cross is responding to nearly twice as many large disasters as we did a decade ago to help people. This uptick in responses means we need more volunteers. The need to help has never been greater,” Mark Thomas, Interim CEO of the Illinois Red Cross said.
Here's information from the Red Cross about the positions they're looking to fill:
- Disaster Action Team: Most of the 60,000 emergencies that the Red Cross responds to each year are smaller disasters like home fires and these are no less devastating to the families affected. As a Disaster Action Team volunteer, you can help comfort and support people in your community by meeting any immediate needs such as food, shelter, clothing or supplies and connecting them to long term recovery services. We supply all the training you need.
- Disaster Recovery Care: Casework volunteers provide support to people after disasters to help them get back on their feet. This can include providing referrals to other organizations, serving as an advocate, and issuing financial assistance through a special online system. Volunteers are needed to help both virtually and onsite after disasters.
- Disaster Mental Health: Disaster Mental Health volunteers provide mental health support to those impacted by a disaster. To be qualified, you must hold a master’s degree and a current, unencumbered license as a social worker, psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, psychiatrist, school psychologist or school counselor. Current psychiatric nurses with state license as a registered nurse and at least two years’ experience in a psychiatric setting are also qualified, as are retired mental health professionals who were licensed and maintained a license or certification in good standing upon retirement.
- Blood Donor Ambassador: Volunteer Blood Donor Ambassadors ensure that blood donors have a pleasant and fulfilling experience, from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. They greet donors, answer questions and thank them for their donation.
- Blood Transportation Specialist: Volunteer Transportation Specialists deliver life-saving blood products from Red Cross distribution facilities to hospitals, using a Red Cross-owned vehicle. Typical shifts are about 4 hours. We ask for a commitment of 2-4 shifts per month (or more if you can).
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