WASHINGTON   –  “A red cross is one of the few universally-understood symbols that cross international borders and language barriers.  If you see it on a door or a sign, you know you’re close to emergency aid, medical attention or shelter.

The American Red Cross, on the other hand, stands behind that important symbol.  Where there are ordinarily no hospitals, shelters or kitchens, the American Red Cross can erect them overnight.  In our very own Southern Missouri District, the American Red Cross has visited in several times of need.  After tornadoes and floods, that symbol of comfort and hope has shown up on the heels of disaster – on trucks, on tents and on volunteers’ uniforms.

Even more amazing, the feats of comfort the American Red Cross provides domestically are the same ones they replicate around the world, following disasters of enormous scale with relief efforts of even greater magnitude.

March is national Red Cross Month, and it is an important time to recognize the disaster relief, emergency response, training and education services this organization provides with the help of thousands of regular volunteers.

Together with first responders, law enforcement, the medical community and emergency management officials, the American Red Cross is a stalwart organization ready to go at a moment’s notice.  Living in or near a major seismic zone, the importance of the Red Cross in responding to a major earthquake should not be lost on residents of the Eighth Congressional District. News footage of any national tragedy includes images of people being comforted by a Red Cross volunteer, eating Red Cross meals, or finding temporary shelter at a facility set up and administered by the Red Cross.  Surely, this group of volunteers and professionals would play a major role in the response and recovery effort that would follow an earthquake or any other major disaster in our own communities, and it has.
 
Nationwide, there are more than 700 chapters of the American Red Cross.  They are ready to answer the call in cases of emergency, but they also comprise the nation’s single largest organization devoted to blood donation.  Nearly 44 percent of the donated blood in our country comes through the Red Cross.  Fully one quarter of the plasma donated in the U.S. is a direct result of Red Cross efforts.  In emergency rooms and throughout hospitals every day, these reserves are drawn upon by Americans who would otherwise only have a fighting chance at survival.  In this way, the Red Cross blood services save lives each day.

The American Red Cross takes on another important daily duty in the fight to save lives: preparedness.  The organization is actively engaged in helping U.S. communities get ready for any hazard that might come our way.  The Red Cross has made it a priority to help American families be ready for tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes – along with their companions: power and water outages, interruption in the flow of food and medical services, and needs for shelter.

We’re very lucky that founder Clara Barton brought the Red Cross to America in 1881.  As a nurse, she saw the toll of the Civil War on medical facilities and professionals. Furthermore, Clara Barton understood the need to address emergencies caused by natural disasters in addition to the conditions of war.  We are so fortunate that her vision endures today. 

To find out how to get involved, please visit www.redcross.org.”