LIHUE — The Kauai County American Red Cross Chapter plans to train and recruit at least 30 volunteers in March to assist the 72 it already has in place. “We are the major disaster preparedness group,” said Padraic Gallagher, Kauai
LIHUE — The Kauai County American Red Cross Chapter plans to train and recruit at least 30 volunteers in March to assist the 72 it already has in place.
“We are the major disaster preparedness group,” said Padraic Gallagher, Kauai County Red Cross director. “We are a player for sheltering on the island. If there is a hurricane, or an emergency, the Civil Defense turns to the Red Cross. If we don’t have the volunteers, we tell the Civil Defense we can’t open the shelters. It’s really people helping people here.”
The 14 different shelters on the island require a minimum of two people to adequately run it, he said.
If Red Cross opens a shelter on the island, it opens it for at least 24 hours, Gallagher said. For instance, at Kauai High, each classroom would require two people per classroom to staff it. Even with all 72 volunteers, it wouldn’t be enough, he said.
“I would love to have another 30 volunteers, that would be great,” he said.
Of those, Gallagher said five would be “ready almost at a moment’s notice.”
These volunteers would be hands-on, long-time volunteers that Kauai County Red Cross could call on 24 hours a day.
“They would play a bigger role,” he said.
The other 25 volunteers would be available with a big disaster hits, he said.
His mission is to get volunteers up to speed on all things emergency and disaster to coincide with Red Cross Month in March.
The areas where volunteers are needed the most are the North Shore and Westside, Gallagher said.
Volunteers can also help educate the community on safety plans and other preparedness activities.
The Red Cross plans on installing about 150 smoke alarms in Kauai homes within the next year in conjunction with the Kauai Fire Department, Gallagher said.
The last major disaster on the Garden Isle was in 2012, Gallagher said, after heavy rains flooded the North Shore and emergency officials had to close parts of Kuhio Highway following a landslide in Kilauea town.
Stores were running low on supplies, people were evacuated from homes and hotels and had to seek emergency shelter.
Gallagher said that’s when volunteers are needed the most.
“You’re helping your fellow neighbors down the street,” Gallagher said.
Info: American Red Cross, 4485 Pahee Street, Suite 145, Lihue, (808) 245-4919
