Bill Carlson and William Keller head up our Disaster Services Unit, along with a group of 30 Disaster Action Team Members. The York-Poquoson chapter of the American Red Cross is responsible for over 60,000 residents in Poquoson and York County. This includes providing emergency food, shelter, and clothing to clients that have been affected by disaster. While this is a large area, county residents are also well served by professional fire companies, basic life support units, advanced life support units, and local police departments.

Disaster Relief: Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting the immediate emergency needs of people affected by disaster. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief activities is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster. This assistance enables victims of disasters to resume living independently by providing the means to pay for what they need most, such as groceries, new clothing, temporary housing, emergency home repairs, transportation, basic household items, medicines, and occupational tools. The Red Cross also helps those needing long-term recovery assistance when all other resources, such as insurance benefits and government assistance, are not available or are inadequate. The Red Cross also feeds families and emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and blood products to disaster victims, and helps those affected by disaster to find other available resources. All Red Cross disaster relief is provided free of charge as a gift from the American people. It is made possible by generous contributions of people's time, money, and skills.

Planning for Action: Long before a disaster strikes the Red Cross plans what it will do. A disaster response plan identifies what it will take to respond to various disasters, what resources are needed, and how they will be coordinated and used. As part of the planning process, Red Cross chapters also practice by participating in drills and exercises. Such planning enables chapters to respond efficiently and effectively.

Preparing to Respond: Every Red Cross chapter works continuously to be ready to respond by coordinating and collaborating with its disaster partners. As part of this process, chapters identify places to set up shelters and service centers, make arrangements with vendors for needed supplies, and work with local merchants. The ability to respond also depends on having people who are trained and ready. Each year the Red Cross trains thousands of people who can then provide consistent, quality services to people affected by disasters.

Public Safety: The Red Cross is involved in helping individuals and families learn how to get ready, stay safe, cope, and recover from disasters through Community Disaster Education. The more you know, the better you'll be able prepare for and deal with a disaster, if it strikes.

American Red Cross Health and Safety Services (H&SS) provides education and training to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. National Health and Safety Services include First Aid/CPR, HIV / AIDS Prevention Education, Aquatics, and Mission-Related Caregiving. These programs are designed to provide course participants with knowledge and skills, and influence future behavior.

For over 80 years, the American Red Cross has trained millions of people in health and safety education. Based in communities across the nation, Red Cross instructors each year certify an average of 7 million people. The York-Poquoson Chapter of the American Red Cross provides health and safety services to help the community become a safer place to live and work in three main ways:

In the community Red Cross reaches out to the community to help people learn to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Health & Safety courses like Standard First Aid, Adult CPR, Infant & Child CPR, HIV / AIDS, and water safety are scheduled on an on-going basis at the Chapter House and various locations around the community.

In the workplace It does not matter whether your workday is spent in a child care center, on a factory floor or behind a desk, we can provide safety training programs for workers on the job. We can work with companies to provide employees with safety training when and where it best suits their schedules. Courses like First Aid, CPR, HIV / AIDS, and PDT (Preventing Disease Transmission) help companies comply with OSHA/IOSHA regulations and improve risk management.

In the schools Students in York County and Poquoson can learn how to help themselves and others during emergencies through Health & Safety courses that can be offered in area schools. A broad range of age-specific Red Cross Programs are offered to students from preschool through college. These courses teach skills in First Aid, CPR, HIV / AIDS, and water safety and are well-suited to a school's educational curriculum.