Experts predict a busy hurricane season this year and the Florida Gulf Coast to Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross, which serves Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands and Lee counties, needs volunteers to help in the community.

“Emergencies don’t stop during a pandemic and neither do our Red Cross volunteers that continue to support families and communities impacted by disasters every day,” said Jill Palmer, executive director for the Chapter. “Now more than ever, we need the support of the community to train now as a Red Cross volunteer and answer the call to help if the need arises.”

Shelter help

There is a special need for volunteers to support sheltering efforts. To help keep people safe, the Red Cross has put in place additional precautions and developed special training for its workforce. Volunteers are needed to help staff shelter reception, registration, feeding, dormitory, information collection and other vital tasks. There are both associate and supervisory level opportunities available.

Health services support

If you are an RN, LPN, LVN, APRN, NP, EMT, paramedic, MD/DO or PA with an active, current and unencumbered license, the Red Cross needs your support. Volunteers are needed in shelters to help assess people’s health. Daily observation and health screening for COVID-19-like illness among shelter residents may also be required. RNs supervise all clinical tasks.

Roles are also available for Certified Nursing Assistants, Certified Home Health Aides, student nurses and medical students. Volunteers are needed who can provide care as delegated by a licensed nurse in shelters. This could include assisting with activities of daily living, personal assistance services, providing health education and helping to replace medications, durable medical equipment or consumable medical supplies.

Furry friends need help, too

When people leave their homes during an emergency, they take their pets with them. The Red Cross is looking for established partner organizations to support the pet sheltering effort.

For those interested in volunteering

If you are interested in helping the community should a disaster occur, please go to redcross.org/SFLVolunteer or contact your local chapter office. For more information on office locations and phone numbers, visit redcross.org/SouthFlorida.

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The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/ southflorida or visit us on Facebook or Twitter at @SFLRedCross.