By Mary Jo Blackwood, American Red Cross of Colorado, Public Affaitrs
As we discussed previously, the current pandemic has affected all aspects of Red Cross operations and service delivery, but because of our long established ability to pivot when confronted with barriers, Red Cross operations and services have continued. With the high visibility of disaster response, particularly with the spectacularly serious western U.S. wildfire season, our capable pivoting to protect volunteers and staff were also highly visible, and will keep us strong to continue on for the next 140 years!
Disaster Planning and Response
Sheltering: One of the biggest pivots for COVID has been in disaster, where the move has been away from mass sheltering wherever possible. At the beginning of the pandemic when colleges were closed down, Red Cross was able to use unoccupied dormitories to house families in socially distanced quarters. Hotels have also been used extensively.
Disability accommodation: The Red Cross’ Disability Integration (DI) Initiative has worked to make sure that everyone who needs accommodation receives it, regardless of shelter setting. Loni Koller, DI lead for the Zone, says when a disaster like the Colorado fires happens, volunteers in health services or the shelter team interview the people coming for shelter and find out about additional support they may need. With a blue sky shelter plan in effect that identifies key community partners, the DI team turns to them to meet the array of client needs.
Hispanic and Latinx initiative: In the face of a disaster, most communities share certain “universal needs” but also may have unique needs driven by culture or conditions. To identify, understand, and meet these unique needs in the Hispanic and Latinx communities, the Red Cross now has Latino Engagement Teams (LETs) to connect with primarily Hispanic communities within a disaster relief operation. These engagement teams establish and/or build trust and relationships to ensure that each community affected by a disaster can participate effectively in its recovery, while protecting each other from COVID transmission.
Keeping Volunteers and Clients Safe During COVID
No volunteers are allowed out in the field without extensive training on safe practices. Ashley Turner, the Disaster Workforce Engagement Manager for the Colorado-Wyoming Region oversees all of that training. “We have an umbrella policy known by the mnemonic device of CDC: Cover, Distance and Clean. This helps the Red Cross workforce remember the three critical actions for maintaining personal safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
CDC makes sure that, while supporting Red Cross missions, the workforce follows these actions when in any Red Cross facility, public spaces, or within proximity of others, including off hours when physically deployed:
- Cover: All in-person workers must wear face coverings while on shift at all times, including when operating in Red Cross facilities and vehicles and undergoing temperature checks before every in-person shift.
- Distance: Virtual assignments are prioritized whenever possible. When virtual work is not an option, all in-person workers must maintain six feet of distance between themselves and others. When this is not possible, the level of personal protective equipment being used goes up.
- Clean: Every worker washes hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces throughout the day.
With 90 percent of our workforce volunteers, we would never put them in harm’s way as they deliver our essential services. Our next segment shows the pivots we have made to provide a safe blood supply and raise funds for all our essential services. Next up Part 3.