As local volunteers and the community celebrate March as the 80th annual American Red Cross Month, many are reflecting on the impact that the organization has had and continues to have for everything from responding to disasters in Otter Tail County and around the world, to blood donations that help keep much needed blood supply for patients in need on the ready.
In honor of the anniversary, the Minnesota and Dakotas Red Cross is honoring all those who provide relief and hope when the need arises.
Maryjane Westra has been a disaster response volunteer who has deployed to more than 30 disasters in the USA and abroad.
Westra recalls the Yutu Typhoon which caused catastrophic destruction on the islands of Tinian and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands.
“The whole typhoon caused 29 fatalities, there were sustained winds of 130 mph and gusts up to 190 mph. So I got to hear the stories of people spending eight hours just laying in a demolished building flat on the ground waiting for it to go away, can’t move, can’t do anything. I worked with a lot of traumatized people there. Beside my work in disaster mental health, I also helped people get housing after the storm,” said Westra.
Westra stated it is very interesting work and would encourage anyone to do it.
She also spoke about how her Red Cross training was applied in a family situation: “As a college student I had CPR training from the Red Cross. When I looked out on the water at the lake my six year old was floating face down, there were adults out there watching him out there and everything, however nobody saw it happen. I went running and my Red Cross training just clicked in just like that and I flipped him over in the water, because we were trained to not drag a victim to shore, just start doing it right there. I flipped him over and gave him a puff of air and he threw up the water and was fine after that."
Westra firmly believes that without her training the situation may have turned out much differently.
Ed Petru has been a long-time disaster action team member and caseworker who supports families affected by disasters, mostly home fires.
“I started volunteering for the Red Cross in Salt Lake City for the disaster action team. We always have two volunteers that go out to a home fire. We would sit down with the person that was in the fire and interview them. We would give them a debit card to keep them off the curb and going for a few days. We try comforting victims when we can. Also if they've lost any medications we will get them connected with one of our health service volunteers to assist them with that or any other medical equipment that was lost in the fire. If they're having some emotional distress, I’m sure we all have a little emotional distress, but there are some that just can’t cope. We also have folks in the field who are trained and licensed in disaster mental health who can also help victims. Spiritual care is also available to speak with them,” said Petru.
Petru said the first thing he and his team does is try to get them away from the scene of a fire, get them away from the disaster and to a hotel for a few nights and some food and a set of clothes, whatever they might need.
“I get the satisfaction of seeing people that have just had their house burnt down and I feel like we're the greatest thing to that person’s worst day. We can give some assurance that we’re going to help them for a few days until they get their feet back on the ground,” explained Petru.
For several decades, Phyllis Knutson has supported Red Cross blood drives, in fact going all the way back to the late 1960’s. When she started in 1968 she was knocking door-to-door and now guides people in scheduling online appointments. Not working at the time with small children, Knutson saw an opportunity to do some volunteering.
“To collect donations for the Red Cross at that time, I found volunteers on each of the blocks on the northwestern part of Fergus Falls. That was my area. Then I put the information together and I delivered folders to the fine young women who agreed to do that and they went around the block and got the appointments (for donations) and then they brought that material back to me and I collected it. That’s how it worked back then,” stated Knutson.
Knutson is most proud of how many units of blood she and fellow volunteer and co-chair Dolly Johnson have collected over the years.
“I have added that up and since I started volunteering again in 2001, the Red Cross in Fergus Falls has collected 13,000 units of blood. I think that’s a big deal. We have had two donors that have given over 150 units and 15 donors that have given over a 100 units. There are some very dedicated blood donors in Fergus and we appreciate them so much,” added Knutson.
Around thirty volunteers are needed for each drive. Knutson said they do have another drive coming up on May 17, 18 and 19. People can register at redcrossblood.org.
The Minnesota and Dakotas Region serves 7.3 million people in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The American Red Cross is part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent humanitarian disaster relief network around the world. This network includes the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. For more information, please visit redcross.org/mndaks.
