Community Corner
Oakmont Woman Deployed to Colorado to Assist with Red Cross Wildfire Relief Efforts
Oakmont resident Theresa Creighan is working as Lead Supervisor of Staffing.
An Oakmont resident has been working with the Red Cross to provide relief to people in Colorado after wildfires swept through the area.
The organization has more than 1,100 disaster workers spread out across 13 states helping people forced from their homes by power outages and high temperatures in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic, by wildfires in the West and by flooding from Tropical Storm Debby in Florida.
Locally, the American Red Cross Western Pennsylvania Region has so far deployed a total of eight local workers, including Oakmont’s Theresa Creighan. Creighan has been working as Chief of Staffing in Colorado, where her role is to oversee the process of recruiting, placing and supporting Red Cross volunteers and staff members assigned to the DRO (disaster response operation).
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Creighan has been a Red Cross volunteer for about eight years and has been deployed to several locations to provide aid close to 40 times.
If someone needs to find a Red Cross shelter, they can go to www.RedCross.org or access the free Red Cross smart phone app. Both are refreshed with updated information every 30 minutes. Residents can also monitor local media—radio, newspaper and television—to find out where local shelters are located.
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BLOOD DONATIONS NEEDED The storms and power outages have caused the cancellation of dozens of Red Cross blood drives, resulting in a shortfall of nearly 1,700 units of blood and platelets. The blood supply was already at emergency levels, with June blood donations down 50,000 fewer than expected.
Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, visit www.RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
POWER OUTAGE While their electricity is out, many people are resorting to generator power. These individuals should connect the equipment they want powered directly to the generator outlets and never connect a generator to the home’s electrical system.
- Refrigerators can only keep food cold for about four hours with the door closed. A full freezer can hold its temperature for about two days if the door remains closed. Many areas have now been without power for several days. People should use caution before consuming food they’ve had on hand while the power is out.
- People should turn appliances and electrical equipment off and unplug them, leaving one light on to know when the power is restored.
- Those affected should travel only if necessary. Traffic lights are out and roads will be congested.
WILDFIRES Thousands of people are still unable to go home as wildfires continue to burn in several western states. More than 100 people spent Monday night in 10 Red Cross shelters in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Hundreds of disaster workers are in Colorado, where the largest fires continue to burn. More than 11,000 relief supplies, such as rakes, shovels, gloves and coolers, have been handed out to people returning to their homes; and the Red Cross has served nearly 45,000 meals and snacks in Colorado.
FLORIDA FLOODING 80 people are still staying in Red Cross shelters as communities clean up after the massive flooding from Debby. Hundreds of disaster workers and a fleet of emergency response vehicles are providing shelter, meals and distributing relief supplies. The Red Cross has served more than 37,000 meals and snacks in Florida and has distributed more than 26,000 relief items like tarps, gloves, trash bags and cleaning supplies to people cleaning up their homes.
HOW PEOPLE CAN HELP Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters.
- Call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
- Visit RedCross.org.
- Text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
- Mail a check to the American Red Cross, 225 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. The donation should be marked "National" if the donor wishes the funds to be earmarked for the National Disaster Relief Fund.
For more information on Red Cross relief efforts across the nation, visit RedCross.org. For more information on the efforts of the local Red Cross or to become a volunteer, contact your local Red Cross office.
This press release was sent to the Plum-Oakmont Patch by Lauren Chapman, Communications Officer for the Red Cross' Western Pennsylvania Region.
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