CATHERINE M. LOZADA
The American Red Cross (ARC) and New York Hospital Queens (NYHQ) want to make sure Queens is prepared for any natural or manmade disasters.
On Saturday, May 22, NYHQ will host a Community Preparedness Day where free training programs are available to all Queens residents in English, Chinese and Korean. If a disaster strikes our area, the ARC in Greater New York will need 10,000 Disaster Reserve volunteers ready to staff up to 100 shelters.
“A disaster is any natural or manmade event that overwhelms community resources. Training will ensure that no disaster overwhelms our community’s resources,” said Dr. Mark Kindschuh, associate director of emergency medicine at NYHQ.
Members of the community are invited to become trained ARC Disaster Reserve volunteers by attending the Reserve Training Institute on May 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Attendees will take a Lifesaving Skills class and learn how to open and operate shelters to provide food, clothing, a safe place to stay and emotional support if people are forced to leave their homes. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
There will also be hour-long Red Cross Ready Emergency Preparedness Training sessions held from 10-11 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. in English, from 11 a.m.-noon in Chinese and from 2-3 p.m. in Korean. Participants will learn how to Get a Kit, Make a Plan and Be Informed so that they can keep themselves and their families safe in case of emergency.
Sonia Martinez, director of the Queens office of ARC, stressed the importance of being prepared in an emergency situation.
“We want to get Queens residents as prepared as possible so if something does occur, they can take care of the community and themselves,” Martinez said.
