Friday, October 28, 2016

Six-Alarm Fire on the Upper East Side

The fire had set all five stories ablaze

In the early hours of Thursday morning, American Red Cross volunteers rushed to the scene of a 6-alarm fire at 324 E 93rd Street in Manhattan. Because the entire five-story building became engulfed in flames, it had begun to spread to the neighboring apartment buildings. Luckily firefighters were able to control the blaze enough to keep the other buildings intact.

Nine Red Cross employees and volunteers were on the scene to meet with the residents and address their immediate needs. The fire was so severe that all families residing in the building were in need of emergency services that the Red Cross provided. This included bringing an MTA bus to the scene to give residents a heated area while firefighters tackled the flames.

The Red Cross also provided snacks, referrals, and emotional support to all of those who suffered the loss of their home. Nine of the families were in need of housing assistance, so responders were able to give them the necessary means to stay in nearby hotels.

The Red Cross will be following up with the residents to check in on their road to recovery.   

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Red Cross Responds to Two Multiple-Alarm Fires in Manhattan


The effects of the 3rd Avenue fire
Last Thursday we provided assistance following two multiple-alarm fires. The first occurred on W 141st at around 1:15 am. The second occurred about an hour later on 3rd Ave. In total, we helped 34 people by providing housing, food, blankets, and referrals. Below are some of the people who shared their experience with us.  












Monday, October 24, 2016

In Case You Missed It - Oct 24

Twenty Board Members from the American Red Cross in Metro New York North gathered for
day of service in Port Chester to install free smoke detectors in the communities.

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 103 adults and 68 children following 34 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

Upcoming Events and Opportunities
  • Oct 25, 27, Nov 1: Red Cross blood drive: 2 to 7pm: 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan. Schedule an appointment to donate today.
  • Oct 27, 31: #GetAlarmedNYC is in full swing and serving neighborhoods all across NYC. Volunteer to help out, or sign up to get a free smoke alarm installed in your home
  • Nov 6: For current Red Cross Volunteers, the Greater NY Region is recruiting over 150 volunteers to support the Marathon medical team as course spotters in the post-finish area of the New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov 6. Volunteers working this event will be required to have a current CPR certification. CPR training will be provided at no cost for volunteers who are not certified. Sign up today
  • Nov 10: Interested in a leadership position at #RedCross ? Apply now to be a Youth Services Manager, an exciting opportunity that helps your community! 
  • Nov 11: Keep an eye out for Greater New York Red Cross volunteers and staff who will marching in the NYC Veteran’s Day Parade.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

In Case You Missed It - Oct 17

Photo: ESPN's Kevin Negandhi
Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 73 adults and 23 children following 36 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Monday, October 10, 2016

In Case You Missed It - Oct 10

Everyday heroes honored at the Red Cross Gala.
Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 156 adults and 71 children following 47 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review


Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Thursday, October 6, 2016

One Red Cross: The Story of Heather Paniagua


The Red Cross mission is to shelter, feed and provide emotional support to victims of disasters. Heather Paniagua, a 17 year old high school student from New York, experienced how the Red Cross fulfills that mission every day, in every way, wherever the need exists.

The Red Cross helped Heather Paniagua in NYC and La.
Her story begins six years ago when Heather, her mom, dad and younger brother lived in New York. In order to take advantage of a good job opportunity, her dad left the family in New York and took a temporary job in Louisiana where he worked on cleaning up a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. After six years of commuting between Louisiana and New York, her dad decided to stay in Louisiana and move the family there. This summer, Heather, a senior in high school, and her brother, a seventh grade student, were enrolled in schools in Louisiana.

However, soon after arriving in Louisiana, historic storms flooded their home and they had to evacuate. Fortunately, Heather's dad also owned a trailer-home, then undergoing renovation, on higher ground where they could live. “It was scary there,” said Heather. “The trailer was on high ground but all around us the water was rising. One day we went to buy some food at a local Walmart and when we got there, we found it closed due to the rising waters. We had to drive two towns away to Sorrento, Louisiana, just to buy some soup. After that we heard on the news that even that area was now flooding. It was very scary because we didn't know where to go to get food. Everything was closing.”

“We were lucky the Red Cross was there,” said Heather. “There were Red Cross trucks going around all the flooded areas and giving out food, blankets and whatever else people needed. I remember I asked if I could get some bug repellent because there were lots of bugs everywhere. They got me some and were very nice to us there. The Red Cross also set up a shelter in the Lamar Dixon Expo Center Gym nearby. They were very helpful and we had a nice encounter with them there too.”

When they learned that Heather’s new school was also flooded, her mom and dad decided that Heather should move back to New York and stay with her aunt while completing her senior year and graduating from high school.

After moving back to New York, Heather ran into new problems. When she returned home after her second day at school, she was shocked to find a city inspector there who told Heather and her aunt that they must vacate her aunt’s house due to a building safety problem.

Again, the Red Cross was there to help Heather's family. saved the day. Both Heather and her aunt met with Lilliam Riviera-Cruz, a client caseworker in the Greater New York office who was able to provide a temporary residence for Heather and her aunt and also provide assistance to work with government agencies to find a new permanent residence for her aunt. Meanwhile, Heather is now staying with a friend until she graduates in June, when she will return to Louisiana and her family until she heads to college..

Asked about her experience with the Red Cross, Heather said, “The Red Cross was great! They immediately found us a place to sleep and even gave us MetroCards ... They were always helpful and very optimistic in both Louisiana and in New York. I don’t know what we would have done without them.”

To learn more about the Red Cross visit www.redcross.org/gny and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

###

Monday, October 3, 2016

In Case You Missed It - Oct 3

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 78 adults and 32 children following 48 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities.
Last Week in Review
Upcoming Events and Opportunities