During a tense incident in Long Island City, Volunteer Jennifer Avles helped staff a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle for four hours, distributing food and beverages to first responders and emergency workers on the scene. (Photo: Anita Salzberg)

In a frightening scenario, a distressed man barricaded himself and his three-year-old daughter in their Long Island City apartment around 1 p.m. on Friday, February 22, a cold, inclement day, doused the apartment with gasoline and threatened to blow it up. In response, Con Edison shut off electricity and gas in that building and two adjacent high-rises, police and fire personnel evacuated 120 at-risk apartments, and Red Cross disaster relief workers responded to the scene.

Lead by Sr. Supervisor of Response Dario Diaz, Red Cross responders opened a Reception Center at the building's Community Center at 1025 41st Street in Long Island City. There, as well as outside, in a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle, they provided food and beverages to 72 residents displaced from their apartments, as well as to police, firefighters and other emergency workers.

Over the course of the afternoon, more than 200 people were served by nine Red Cross volunteers: Jennifer Avles, Jean-Thomas Candio, Ira Goldman, Samantha Pitre, Richard Sanford, Janet Schoor, Russell Schoumaker and Greg Van Epps, as well as employees Stephen Johnson and Charles Wells. Disaster mental health volunteer Brenda Thompson was also available at the Reception Center to give evacuees emotional support.

In addition to coordinating the Red Cross response, Dario obtained authorization from the police for Diane Ryan, Director, Disaster Mental Health, to be present with the family. Diane offered support and solace to the mother and her two older children, along with about a dozen family members—relatives of the child and of the father—as they waited for the situation to be resolved.  Diane also coordinated with the mass care team to provide the family with food and beverages, since they had not eaten in hours.

This differed from most disaster responses, said Dario, because of the danger posed to the child and the building. "We were concerned for the child, and we had to make sure we knew where our staff was at all times and that everything was secure."

The man eventually surrendered to police and was placed in custody. The child was wrapped in a Red Cross blanket and taken to Elmhurst hospital for evaluation. Diane Ryan and Christopher Mercado, ARC/GNY Director, Disaster Health Services, supported the family at the hospital while she was being examined, and helped them make plans for the next few days. Thankfully, the child was declared to be unharmed.

That evening, volunteers Nancy Soto and Gary Chin of the Chapter's Brooklyn Disaster Action Team drove to the hospital with emergency clothing for the family, and later transported them to the home of relatives in Brooklyn.

Four days later, on February 26, Chapter health and mental health personnel accompanied the family back to the apartment while they gathered anything salvageable, and helped them identify their thoughts and feelings on their experience. The child’s mother came to Chapter headquarters in Manhattan on Saturday, March 1, for additional casework services. Red Cross provided her with clothing, toys for the children and emergency financial assistance. She said she was grateful for the Red Cross’s help and support.