The American Red Cross in Greater New York (ARC/GNY) is actively participating in the massive Red Cross relief effort in Southern California where, as of this morning, more than 600,000 people have been evacuated as fierce wildfires rage out of control. More than 425 square miles of scrubland and residential property have been scorched by more than 16 separate wildfires, fueled by high temperatures, low humidity and high and shifting winds.

By the end of the day today 18 volunteers and three employees from the Greater New York Chapter will have left for California. They join more than 2,000 other Red Cross shelter workers who are helping with relief and recovery efforts. More Chapter staff are expected to be deployed in the next few days.

In Southern California the Red Cross has established 21 shelters, is providing hot meals and a safe place to sleep for 5,500 people and is supporting the large San Diego city shelter at Qualcomm Stadium. Red Cross mental health workers are also available to provide emotional support to help those uprooted from their homes deal with their fears and anxieties.

As of today, the Red Cross has provided the following for California:

• 25,000 cots
• 50,000 blankets
• 50,000 pre-packaged meals
• 25,000 comfort kits filled with toiletry items
• 75 mobile feeding trucks and 2 Southern Baptist Kitchens
• 1,000 shelter workers
• 1,000 workers to help with feeding, distribution of supplies, mental health and first aid support

In addition to sending trained personnel, the Chapter today opened its component of the National Disaster Call Center. The New York facility is designed to handle calls to the American National Red Cross 1-866-GET-INFO number when call volume rises during emergencies. The Center, staffed by 10 Red Cross volunteer agents, will be open from 2 pm to 10 pm to receive calls, most of which are expected from the West Coast. The Center is expected to remain in operation at least through Sunday.

The sudden ferocity of these fires and the wide scope of the devastation is just the latest example of how major disasters can strike anywhere at anytime, and how important it is for us to be ready right here in New York, with trained volunteers and vital supplies, to meet the needs of nine million New Yorkers.

To volunteer to help others during a disaster, people need to be trained in advance. The Greater New York Chapter has just launched a new training program, the one-day Reserve Institute, for New Yorkers who want to respond to major local disasters. Many other volunteer training opportunities are available.

The large-scale evacuation also reinforces the need for all individuals and families to Be Red Cross Ready—to have a disaster supplies kit, a family communications plan and to be informed. Go to www.nyredcross.org/page.php/prmID/523 and see how ready you and your family are for the unexpected.

New Yorkers with family and friends in the affected areas should search the Red Cross Safe and Well website as an alternative to making calls to learn if loved ones are safe.  On this site, those who have or will evacuated can register themselves and leave a message for loved ones, letting them know their general location and well-being.