JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When disaster strikes along Florida’s “First Coast,” emergency officials and the American Red Cross need to be able to respond at a moment’s notice.
“We always want our communities to be resilient,” Donna McNair with the Jacksonville American Red Cross highlighted Friday morning. “So preparedness is number one in our minds for our volunteers and our staff.”
To support its mission, American Red Cross provided “Shelter Heroes” training for a dozen volunteers in the Jacksonville area Friday morning.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
“We’ll be going over the setup, operations, and breakdown of a shelter, how to set up a cot, how do you manage the dormitory, registration, feeding, and any instances that may come up in a shelter where we can provide incredible client care,” McNair told Action News Jax ahead of Friday’s training session.
Volunteers like Rowynn Anderson said Friday that no matter the pressure, the cause at hand always helps keep them focused in times of emergency.
“Having the fact that you’re helping somebody else, for me, it throws the stress out the window until later at night,” Anderson explained with a smile. “When I’m by myself, then it kind of hits me.”
Anderson told Action News Jax Friday that trainings like the one Friday ensure American Red Cross volunteers are ready to jump into action quickly and manage the job at hand under the stress of a disaster situation. It’s all the more important now as we head into the heart of Florida’s hurricane season.
“You can never get enough training as far as I’m concerned,” Anderson said. “So after a few months or a year or so, I like to go back and pick up on stuff that I might have forgotten over the years or forgotten through the last disaster.”
Those interested in learning more about the Shelter Heroes program or how they can get involved can learn more by clicking here. To register for the next training course, click here.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
