Red Cross to Offer Disaster Trainings

            The American Red Cross of Southwestern New York will be offering disaster training. These classes are strongly encouraged for those interested in volunteering in shelters, national level disaster assistance, or for the local Disaster Action Team in Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties. In order to ensure that our communities are ready and prepared, the American Red Cross offers all disaster training free of charge.

             Logistics: Overview will be held on July 21^st at the Red Cross Office in Olean from 9:30a-6p. This course is recommended for volunteers to provide basic information about the process of logistics activities in support of disaster relief operation.

            Disaster Assessment Basics and Fundamentals will be held September 22^nd, 9:30a-5:30p at the Red Cross Office in Jamestown. Volunteers supporting a local incident such as a single or multi-family fire and or national level of response to learn preparedness tasks, how to collect and communicate disaster assessment information and become familiar with how to collect support management/services delivery decisions.

Psychological First Aid will be held on October 12^th from 6p-9p at the Red Cross Office in Olean. Psychological First Aid is a requirement of all affiliated disaster volunteers; designed to help with understanding the factors that affect stress responses of clients and workers.

Disaster Services Overview and Shelter Operation will be held on October 20^th, from 9:30a-5:30p at the Red Cross Office in Olean. This course is recommended for all disaster volunteers as the first course to set a foundation; a requirement of all affiliated disaster volunteers. The course provides an overview as to what the organization structure is how functions during a disaster.

            Shelter Simulation will be held on October 21^st from 2p-5p at the Red Cross Office in Olean. This course is open for volunteers interested in working on Shelter Operation teams in their county.

             To sign up for any of these classes, please contact your local American Red Cross located in: Jamestown, NY 716-664-5115; Olean, NY 716-372-5800; or Wellsville, NY 585-593-1531. The American Red Cross of Southwestern New York is a United Way Agency.