Red Cross Prepared to Respond to Physical and Emotional Needs of Residents Affected by Flooding
News Release: September 21, 2004
Contact: Janice Osborne, Director-Communications and Marketing
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
As area residents face the reality of the physical damages caused by this weekend’s devastating floods and deal with the emotional trauma, the American Red Cross is there to help meet their needs.
At the Red Cross Service Center located at St. Anthony’s Youth Center in Easton, volunteers distribute pamphlets dealing with the aftermath of flooding, provide bottled water, energy drinks and snacks, and offer a comforting shoulder for people to lean.
The American Red Cross is also canvassing impacted neighborhoods to assess storm-related damage and provide assistance to residents in need. At Easton’s Center Square, a Red Cross information tent is erected by volunteers to steer residents to the Service Center for information they need to begin their recovery process.
Meeting the immediate physical needs of disaster victims is just one part of the equation. Helping to provide for people’s emotional needs is equally important.
After a disaster, emotional care and recovery are just as important as rebuilding a home and healing physical injuries.
“Disasters can stir up many different feelings and thoughts. People may experience fear concerning their safety or that of a loved one, shock, disbelief, grief, anger and guilt. Memory problems, anxiety or depression are also possible after experiencing a disaster,” said Dick Williams, licensed social work and co-coordinator of Disaster Mental Health Services for the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley.
To respond to the emotional needs of residents, the Red Cross has set up a mental health assistance line at (610) 332-1589. Callers are asked to leave their name, address, telephone number and the best time for a professional counselor to return their call. Calls will be returned as soon as possible during the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Calls received after 4:30 p.m. will be returned the next business day.
Callers with a mental health emergency and living in Northampton County are advised to call Northampton County Emergency Services at (610) 252-9060; Lehigh County residents should call Lehigh County Crisis Intervention at (610) 782-3127.
The Red Cross offers these basic steps people can take to meet physical and emotional needs:
• Try to return to as many of your personal and family routines as possible.
• Get rest and drink plenty of water.
• Limit your exposure to the sights and sounds of disaster, especially on television, the radio and in the newspapers.
• Focus on the positive.
• Recognize your own feelings.
• Reach out and accept help from others.
• Do something you enjoy. Do something as a family that you have all enjoyed in the past.
• Stay connected with your family and/or other support systems.
• Realize that, sometimes, recovery can take time.
All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and thousands of other disasters across the country each year, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, 2200 Avenue A, Bethlehem, PA 18017 or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make secure online credit card donations by visiting www.redcross.org or www.redcrosslv.org.
