American Red Cross Volunteers are Responding to a Multi-Unit Apartment Fire in the Denver Metro Area.
The American Red Cross of Mile High is sending a second team of volunteers to respond to a multi-family fire on Pecos St. in Northglenn, Colorado. A Red Cross team is still on the ground responding to the multi-family fire on 500 block of east 88th street in Thornton, Colorado. Dedicated volunteers in both locations are providing care, comfort, disaster supplies and lodging assistance if needed.
Red Cross volunteers arrived on–site observing social distancing protocols, to offer immediate assistance to displaced residents. Virtual responses will be ongoing to assess and deliver recovery services to the victims. Health and mental health services will be provided to those in need.
COVID-19: The Red Cross has developed new policies to align with CDC safety recommendations and has created a series of virtual trainings and materials to ensure our disaster responders are aware of the changes and prepared to respond to disasters.
Ensuring people have a safe place to stay during a disaster is a critical part of the Red Cross mission, but how we support sheltering efforts during the pandemic may be different in each community, depending on local emergency operations plans. New COVID-19 protocols may include:
- Setting up a health screening process for everyone coming into the shelter
- Planning for setting up an isolation care area in the shelter
- Providing masks, tissues and plastic bags throughout the shelter
- Face coverings must be worn in all Red Cross shelters by both staff and residents
- Follow social distancing practices, as much as possible, by staggering meal times and adding extra spacing between cots, chairs, tables, etc.
- Providing additional handwashing stations, in addition to normal restroom facilities
- Increasing wellness checks to identify potential illness, including self-monitoring and checking temperatures of both shelter residents and staff
- Enhancing both cleaning and disinfecting practices throughout the shelter