Red Cross Responds as Part of Global Network to Multiple Disasters
News Release: October 2, 2009
Contact: Janice Osborne, Director-Communications and Marketing;
American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262; pager (610) 830-9771


As Southeast Asia and the South Pacific islands grapple with devastating earthquakes, a typhoon and a tsunami, the American Red Cross is helping to provide relief as part of the global Red Cross relief network.

The tsunami that hit American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga on September 30 destroyed villages and displaced thousands of residents, and the Red Cross is responding.

In American Samoa, the American Red Cross branch on the island is leading the response, focusing on providing food, water and needed supplies. The American Red Cross has a warehouse on the island with stocks of cots, flashlights, cooking supplies and clean-up supplies, and will be sending in additional supplies as flights become available. A leadership team of about 70 volunteers is also on its way to the island to supplement the local Red Cross workforce.

In the sovereign nations of Samoa and Tonga, their respective Red Cross societies are running relief efforts to provide assistance to affected residents, including operating five camps for now homeless families.

The American Red Cross is working with other Red Cross organizations in the other disasters that have hit the Asia Pacific area in recent days.

"We're working closely with the countries that have been hit by these terrible disasters to make sure they have the resources they need-most importantly, clean water, food and shelter," said David Meltzer, senior vice president of International Services at the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C.

In Indonesia, two devastating earthquakes 24 hours apart have left nearly 1,000 dead and many others trapped. The Indonesian Red Cross has dispatched hundreds of volunteers to the quake zone to offer first aid services, shelter and other assistance for those in need, and is moving thousands of relief supplies to Padang.

The American Red Cross is providing an initial $100,000 from the International Response Fund to support the Indonesian Red Cross and stands ready to provide additional support, should it be requested. The American Red Cross is also sending three staff members, already working in Indonesia, to the quake zone.

Last week's Typhoon Ketsana wreaked havoc across the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, causing record-level floods, destroying houses and taking lives. In addition to the thousands of local Red Cross volunteers and employees who are providing emergency relief in their countries, the American Red Cross is contributing an initial $100,000 worth of supplies - including mosquito nets, jerry cans and blankets - to the Philippines from the Red Cross warehouse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. An additional $50,000 cash is going to Vietnam to support their relief efforts.

The American Red Cross is also sending a shelter specialist to the Philippines, and in preparation for an unrelated storm, Typhoon Parma, which is on track to hit the Philippines, the organization is sending a leadership team to Saipan to supplement the local chapter. Additional volunteers and supplies will be sent as needed.


How to Help:

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley is asking residents to make donations to aid in the relief efforts for this unprecedented situation. Donations will provide shelter, food, crisis counseling, rebuilding assistance and other vitally needed support to residents and international aid volunteers in the affected areas.

Donations can be made by calling the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley at (610) 865-4400 (Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), visiting www.redcrosslv.org/donate/Disastergiving or by mailing donations to 2200 Avenue A, Bethlehem, PA 18017, and donating to either the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund or American Red Cross International Response Fund.

Please note: the American Red Cross cannot accept material donations (such as blankets, food, clothing, etc.) from individuals and groups for these international disaster relief efforts.

On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Gifts will enable the Red Cross to prepare for disasters and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters.


International welfare inquiries

For inquiries about relatives living or who have citizenship in the affected areas (except for American Samoa-please see following paragraph), please try to keep calling or contact other family members who live nearby. Telephone, Internet and other communication lines are often disrupted in times of disaster. People trying to locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in the affected areas should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.

The Red Cross urges those who have been able to contact loved ones on American Samoa to register them with Safe and Well, the best way to share information about their status. Register on the Red Cross Safe and Well Web site at www.redcross.org. If you do not have Internet access, call 1-800-RED-CROSS to register your loved ones. The information you post will let other loved ones know about the well-being of those on the island. Please note: Safe and Well works only on American Samoa. The service will not work on Samoa.


Media resources

Members of the media can access broadcast-quality video and photographs, and up-to-the-minute information at the American Red Cross online newsroom at http://newsroom.redcross.org.


The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided preparedness and training, military personnel support, senior lifesaving programs and services, and emergency relief to more than 25,000 greater Lehigh Valley residents. For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.