Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters throughout the country. The Morgan-Lawrence County Chapter is prepared with paid and volunteer staff to respond to disasters including house fires, floods, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, and other natural and man-made disasters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Disaster Action Teams

Disaster Action Teams respond to calls from both Morgan and Lawrence Counties, focusing their efforts on meeting people’s immediate disaster-caused needs of food, clothing, shelter, and replacement of prescription medicines. After immediate emergency needs are met, clients are given referrals to other agencies for additional assistance when appropriate.

History

Although the American Red Cross is not a government agency, its authority to provide disaster relief was formalized when, in 1905, the Red Cross was chartered by Congress to “carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same.” The Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of duties and obligations to the nation, to disaster victims, and to the people who generously support its work with their donations.

In addition to direct disaster response, the Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and blood products to diaster victims, and helps those affected by disaster access other available resources.

Request a Disaster Preparedness Presentation