Disaster response is the congressionally mandated function of the American Red Cross. Each year, the national American Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters. Across the street, in the community, around the country or in other parts of the world, the Red Cross helps victims of disaster. Once trained, volunteers often travel to other communities to assist with disasters that have occurred.

Prepare: Much of what we do is ongoing training to prepare for single family emergencies, as well as bigger disasters, where we need to assist large groups of people.

Besides training our own disaster volunteers, the Monterey Bay Area Red Cross is involved in Community Education in Disaster Preparedness. How to create a disaster supplies box, CPR, First Aid, safety tips for the home and our File of Life program are all part of this task. See Disaster Preparedness for further information.

Respond: In a disaster, the Red Cross provides housing, food, mental health counseling, as well as individual and family assistance to meet the immediate emergency needs of survivors. Last June, the Monterey Bay Area Chapter acquired a new mobile disaster kitchen which will allow us to serve over 1,000 meals a day in the event of an emergency.

Recover: After a disaster, the Red Cross works with other agencies to identify and meet the remaining needs of individuals and families. We remain available to support long-term needs and refer clients to other agencies.

If you need disaster recovery assistance  or want to see more information on how the Red Cross prepares for, responds to, and recovers from disasters, please see the following:

• Flooding
• Earthquakes
• Fires

• Power Outages

How Can You Help?
Volunteers are needed to help the local and national community prepare for, respond to and recover from natural and manmade disasters. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please see the Volunteer web pages.

Click here for the online course, Introduction to Disaster.

For current volunteers or prior volunteers looking to re-activate, download the following documents, fill them out and submit them to the Chapter. Health Questionnaire and Statement of Understanding.