American Red Cross in Greater New York (ARC/GNY) Rockland/Putnam County Area Office opened three shelters this week in response to power outages caused by two separate severe winter storms which left area residents without power as temperatures dipped into the 20s.

"The American Red Cross was on hand to provide shelter, food and other emergency services to all those in need,” said ARC/GNY Rockland/Putnam Area Office Director Bonnie Fletcher. “However, you can never be certain when an emergency will affect your family, so the Red Cross reminds people that it is also important to learn how to be prepared for any type of disaster so that they can assist both themselves and their neighbors.”

Following a severe winter storm, including high winds that knocked out power and downed trees on Wednesday, January 18th, a shelter was opened at the Putnam Valley Senior Center. Twenty clients were registered and provided with meals, including a 91-year-old woman who was treated for a head injury by a Putnam County Department of Health (DOH) Registered Nurse at the shelter. The shelter remained open for several hours for the benefit of several elderly and infirm clients after the power had been restored and was then turned over to the County.

An additional shelter was established at Brewster High School that afternoon where 13 more clients were registered. The shelter was closed at midnight after power was restored to the clients' homes.

In Orange County as shelter was opened in Deer Park in Cuttebackville, NY at a local church in anticipation of an evacuation order by the Orange County Office of Emergency Management (OEM). There was no flooding and the shelter was closed at midnight.

More than 35 Red Cross-trained disaster workers and Disaster Action Team volunteers including shelter managers, logistics experts, family services and other staff and volunteers were on hand to provide support to those in need of assistance.

On Sunday, January 15th following another winter storm that also caused a power outage, a shelter was opened at the George Fisher Middle School in Carmel, NY where 17 clients were registered including eight elderly and one three-month-old baby. Overnight housing in an area hotel and meals were provided to nine clients once the shelter was closed so that the school could open for classes on Monday morning. An additional shelter was opened in Rockland County at the Palisades Mall Community Center in Clarkson, NY.

The Rockland/Putnam and Orange/Sullivan County Area Offices of the ARC/GNY worked in partnership with the Rockland, Putnam and Orange County Offices of Emergency Management (OEM), and Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) and drivers were dispatched by the American Red Cross in Greater New York in Manhattan.