Monroe County ARES Completes Red Cross Sheltering Training

posted in: News Articles

Reported by Martin Gonzalez, KC3TOE, Monroe County EC

Four members of Monroe County ARES completed Red Cross sheltering training in November. Those successfully taking the sheltering class included Len Lavenda, KC3OND, Martin Gonzalex, KC3TOE, Julia Fernald, KC3TOF and Nick Puccio, W3NJP. Three of those who completed the class are also members of the Red Cross EmComm team.

ARES members reported the training was very useful and provided greater confidence in serving seamlessly with shelter teams during deployments. The Monroe County ARES team recommended the sheltering training to other ARES units to increase readiness.

Monroe County ARES volunteers serve as the backbone of Red Cross Emcomm between Red Cross shelters, the county’s Red Cross chapter house and the county Emergency Operations Center.

The six-hour training course covered Red Cross shelter setup and organization. Topics included onboarding clients, feeding, dormitory setup, management of service animals and pets, food safety and guidance on which issues can be addressed by volunteers and which have to be forwarded to Red Cross supervisors.

Monroe County ARES EC Martin Gonzalez, KC3TOE, reports the unit now has the opportunity to work with Red Cross personnel including Seth Hoch and Len Lavenda to organize the physical positioning of ARES support teams in or around a Red Cross shelter. Martin states the Monroe County ARES team will have an opportunity in the coming months to participate in tabletop exercises among the Red Cross and the local Office of Emergency Management.

In the photo below, Len Lavenda, KC3OND (center at room front), makes presentation on emcomm efforts to those assembled at the Red Cross office in Wilkes Barre.

Len Lavenda, KC3OND (center at room front) makes presentation on Red Cross Emcomm effort at the Wilkes Barre office.