Red Cross seeks volunteers for two-day exercise

The American Red Cross is seeking volunteers, including members of the disability community, to take part in a two-day exercise on Jan. 31-Feb. 1.
 
The Red Cross is partnering with Sarpy County Emergency Management to conduct a full-scale shelter exercise, with the goal of ensuring that the agencies’ emergency volunteers are trained to work with individuals with physical, developmental and intellectual disabilities.
 
The Red Cross is asking for volunteers from the disability community and their families to come to the shelter, as if they have been displaced from their home due to a winter storm. Individuals and their families will be registered, taken to the main cot area and given snacks/dinner. Shelter workers will then work with the individuals to see what their needs are and how they can help them.
 
Wayne Stuberg, Ph.D., director of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, praised the Red Cross for its efforts.
               
“We are pleased to see an organization such as the Red Cross taking steps to address the needs of members of the disability community,” Dr. Stuberg said.  “We look forward to increasing collaboration between our programs to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
 
The exercise takes place from 3 p.m. Jan. 31 through 9 a.m. Feb. 1.
 
There are shifts available for volunteers beginning at 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. each day. The approximate time commitment would be two hours per shift.
 
No one is required to spend the night, but the Red Cross would welcome individuals with disabilities to spend the night if they can. Volunteers will train to work with individuals with mobility issues, food sensitivities and other challenges, including language barriers.
 
The registration deadline is Jan. 24. To register, click here.
 
The Munroe-Meyer Institute’s (MMI) mission is to be world leaders in transforming the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and communities through outreach, engagement, premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.
 
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.
 
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