Red Cross supports military personnel

As part of the New York State Armory's Family Day in Whitestone, the Queens area office of the American Red Cross in Greater New York (ACRR/GNY) provided local military personnel and their families with information regarding means to contact their loves ones deployed overseas through Red Cross services and presented a program to prepare families for emergencies at home.
&#8220We'd like to do more of it,” said Joan Foley, the Queens director of the American Red Cross, of the session. &#8220We like the notion of you keep us safe - that's what soldiers do - and we're trying to keep families safe.”
The event was held for the New York State National Guard 27th Battalion-Finance. One detachment of the battalion currently is training at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin prior to deployment to Iraq. Another detachment is presently in Iraq. The battalion performs payroll and other financial support functions.
David Dunn, who is involved with training and community relations with ARC/GNY, delivered a session of Prepare New York, an emergency preparedness presentation that teaches New York City residents how to create a plan, build a supply kit, and keep loved ones safe and informed during times of disaster. Participants walked away with an interactive CD that can be used to create a customized evacuation plan and other tools that will help any family in times of danger. Also included were various brochures from the New York City Office of Emergency Management and a quiz to test emergency preparedness knowledge.
Jim Shevlin, a Red Cross volunteer whose son served in Iraq in 2003 as a marine, offered information regarding the support available through the American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES). In times of emergency military personnel and their families can connect with soldiers overseas given they have the social security number of the active duty member, the military address where the soldier they're looking to contact is deployed and his or her home base unit.
Through its 24-hour 365 day/year communication network, the American Red Cross can dispatch a message to the serviceperson and his/her command anywhere in the world. The American Red Cross verifies the nature of the emergency, allowing military command to make the decision to notify a service member, grant emergency leave, grant an extension of an emergency leave, or provide financial assistance. Emergency messages may include death or serious illness of a family member, or the birth of a child.
For more information, call 1-877 RED CROSS or visit www.nyredcross.org.