On April 20th, Maria Devlin, chief executive officer for state Red Cross, addressed the Rotary Club of Nashua regarding activities in the NH, VT and ME Red Cross offices. She was accompanied by colleagues, Emily and Patrick. A brief PowerPoint presentation regarding home fire protection and prevention. The Red Cross disaster reaction systems start as soon as they are notified, often being called by the fire department. The Red Cross can provide emotional and mental health care besides the physical restoration and recovery programs.
Their responses to national disasters like hurricanes or pandemics are critical functions as well. They have training programs for the public on best practices to deal with the related situation. First aid training is of course a cornerstone of their training programs for the public.
The Red Cross also provides international services in times of conflict or natural disaster. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products. The donors in the tri-state area are very generous.
Their fire protection programs focus on prevention with the use of smoke alarms and how to routinely schedule battery changes. They also help determine the number of smoke alarms needed per the dwelling/home. Part of the prevention program focuses on children in the school and education regarding fire safety.
The Red Cross is always happy with donations of time, money, blood and service.
Maria finished with some Q & A from the audience.