American Red Cross Accepts Financial Donations for Earthquake Victims
in El Salvador
News Release: January 19, 2001
Contact: Janice Osborne, Manager-Media & Community Affairs
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
The Lehigh Valley Chapter, American Red Cross reminds residents that their generosity in support of victims of last weekend's devastating earthquake in El Salvador is best expressed through monetary gifts.
"Donations of cash are always more beneficial than the donation of commodities," said John Hughes, executive director-Lehigh Valley American Red Cross. "The dollar value used to purchase goods from a neighboring country is enormously beneficial. The local economy is stimulated, supplies arrive quickly and transportation and storage costs are minimized. Also, locally procured food is more culturally appropriate and more likely to be consumed."
The labor required for collection, sorting, re-packing, shipping and delivery of in-kind items involves money, time and manpower. At a disaster site, personnel required to unload, re-package, sort, transport and distribute items adds immeasurably to the total cost. More importantly, these workers are needed to provide emergency assistance including search and rescue, mass care and sheltering operations.
To help the victims of the El Salvador earthquake, contributions can be made to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or sending a check (include the words El Salvador Relief Effort on the memo line) to the Lehigh Valley Chapter, American Red Cross, 2200 Avenue A, Bethlehem, PA 18017 or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. Internet users can make a secure online credit card contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
The American Red Cross was one of the first relief organizations to distribute vital assistance to those in need in El Salvador. On the national level, the American Red Cross has committed an immediate $100,000 to the El Salvador relief efforts, including $25,000 directly to the national society of El Salvador to help with the emergency phase response to the region.
The organization has also tapped the supplies from four different American Red Cross warehouses in the region. Disaster workers are distributing thousands of blankets, plastic sheeting and hygiene kits to 45,000 people in the areas hardest hit. Valued at an additional $282,000, these relief supplies were pre-positioned in the region as part of aggressive preparedness efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, as such the American Red Cross was one of the first relief organizations to distribute vital assistance to those in need.
The distribution of clean, safe drinking water to 3,000 families (approximately 15,000 beneficiaries) began Jan. 16 in Santiago de Maria, southeast of San Salvador.
Beginning Jan. 18, the American Red Cross distributed 50,000 liters of water daily with an average of 20 liters per person, serving an anticipated total of 75,000 people through Feb. 15, 2001.
Before the earthquake, the American Red Cross trained 15 El Salvadoran Red Cross Society workers in disaster mental health and will conduct support courses in the next days to extend these services aggressively to victims and relief workers. The workers are providing comfort and counseling to people in remote areas. A disaster mental health specialist from the American Red Cross delegation in Guatemala will be training local mental health services providers to work with the victims of the earthquake. On Jan. 18-19, 120 psychosocial professionals will be trained to work in the major shelters in San Salvador and La Libertad.
The American Red Cross also is providing funds and medical expertise to train 200 doctors and nurses currently working in earthquake shelters. The training will focus on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness methodology and the prevention of dengue and cholera outbreaks.
In total, an International Response Team of eight, all experts in disaster response, is in El Salvador. They are conducting needs assessments in the affected areas, supervising the immediate distribution of relief supplies to the hardest hit, helping with logistics in the field, coordinating with the existing Spanish and Swiss Red Cross program in the Usulután area and working with U.S. Government counterparts on the ground. Three additional IRT members will arrive in El Salvador on Jan. 19 making a total of 11 IRT members on the scene.
Two members of the Family Linking on-call (FLOC) team were deployed Monday, January 15 from the Austin, Texas, and Miami, Fla., chapters. They conducted an assessment of tracing needs and have initiated Family Linking activities in cooperation with the Red Cross Society of El Salvador. One additional FLOC member will arrive in El Salvador on Jan. 19 for a total of three FLOC members on the scene. The FLOC team is supporting the El Salvador Red Cross, helping it to provide effective tracing functions and implementing family-linking services.
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The Lehigh Valley Red Cross serves more than 620,000 residents in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to nearly 15,500 Lehigh Valley residents.
For more information about your local Red Cross, visit www.redcrosslv.org or call the Lehigh Valley American Red Cross at (610) 865-4400.
