Show SERVICE IN PEACE AND WAR Disaster Relief Work by American Red Cross Swiftly Brings Nationwide Resources fo to Aid Of Areas Stricken by fire Firer Flood or Winds By General George Georg C. C Marshall T BELIEVE the tho disaster relief I work of the Red ned Cross Is more appreciated and better understood than any other service It renders renden Its resources nationwide can be quickly brought to the aid of stricken communities These resources resources re reo sources are not W solely In m funds and trained workers work work- tt era ers but also In Inthe Inthe inthe the organizations organization I y facility for mobilizing mobil izing the sym m sympathy a t 1 pathy of the nation na a lion tion when situations situa dons require It and converting It t that hat h a t sympathy into mat material e I i a 1 MARSHALL I help The ability to rush aid wherever needed Is one of the greatest assets as assets as- as sets of ot the American National Red ned Cross The Instant a disaster occurs the Red ned Cross gets into action action- net not only from outside the disaster I area but also within the community community affected where the local chapter chapter chap chap- ter disaster preparedness plan functions functions functions Instantly The impulse to help someone someone some some- one one in distress is a very human hu hue hueman man reaction It Inspires the staff start personnel and the thousands thou thousands sands of 01 volunteers who give their time and talents to the Red ted Cross Cros Their effectiveness lies lles in providing prompt relief and results from the organizations organization's organizations organization's tion's network of 01 chapters and branches in the United States Its territories and insular insular in in- sular possessions There are only a few county seats In the United States without an active chapter There is scarcely scarcely scarce scarce- ly a town in the country which does not have an active branch There are three distinct phases of every Tied Red ed Cross disaster opera opera- tion The They are preparedness for the disaster emergency relief relict for the victims in fn the form of food clothing clothing cloth cloth- ing shelter and medical care and rehabilitation afterwards for those who cannot finance their own recovery re reo re- re covery This last lait is the least understood understood understood under under- stood and frequently the most important im im- im- im Preparedness means that the local local lo lo- local cal chapter has a disaster committee commit commit- tee which has planned for fast action ac- ac action ac tion whenever and wherever trouble hits It means that the local chapter has understandings with the police fire tire and health departments with p I is 4 tk a ar r r Y e 1 et K I j 1 M NEWS TICKER The Red RedCross RedCross RedCross Cross telecommunications system tem tern plays playa an especially important important important tant role during disasters when messages must be received quickly from stricken areas Here General Marshall looks over the telecommunications room at the Chicago chapter with Mrs 1 1 Mary C C. C Mullen lullen central states statu superintendent of the system veterans' veterans organizations and other groups as u to the roles each will pIa play It means that the committee knows where it can get iet critically needed supplies in a hurr hurry It means that the disaster committee has arranged with radio operators op craters to swing into action It If the regular lines of communication are wiped out In most sizeable disasters dis dI disasters asters these the hams ham have bave proved Invaluable One reason for the effectiveness of the tho Red ned Cross work is that Itcan Itcan it itcan can provide without dela delay funds to carry out relief and rehabilitation That Is s why in its current budget there is 11 earmarked for these purposes in addition to a reserve re- re reserve serve fund of kept on hand band In the event of a minor disaster that is la involving a few families tamm the disaster chairman of the chap ter and his PI committee band handle Ie the situation with local funds or or if U necessary with a supplementary grant from the national disaster relief relief re reo lief lIet appropriation But Dut when a chapter finds It Itself itself it- it self leU confronted by a major disaster dis dia aster a countrywide concentration concentration concen concen- of resources Is the order order order or or- der of the day da First the local officials notify one of the four area administrative headquarters In Alexandria Va Atlanta Atlan Allan ta Is Ga St. St Louis Louts Mo 1 and San Francisco Calif If H the area office finds that the problem is beyond its facilities facUlties it calls upon national headquarters which brings to bear beal the resources of the other areas There are three resources that must quickly be put Into fiction action First if the chapter In the disaster region lacks funds the word is flashed to national headquarters r v. v t 1 v j t SOLICITUDE Red Cross Cress disaster worker Carl Meyers leyers has mealtime chat ebat with Kenneth Kenneth Kenneth Ken Ken- neth Billie Jean and Judy Ann Aun Lunceford of Mo 1 who were among amonI the scores of children with their families who sought ought shelter during the threatened flooding of the Birds Point New Madrid floodway floodway flood- flood floodway way last January which authorizes an immediate grant or allotment so 10 the chapter can carry on without delay Or perhaps the chapter is small and needs experienced h help lp The area office will send workers from its regular staff and if U more are needed it will recruit and assign trained workers from its list of 01 disaster resources Then there is the matter of sup sup- plies Drugs whole blood plasma and the like are brought In hi from the closest sources Food clothing and essential furniture are procured procured pro pro- cured locally if It possible And when additional shelter Is needed tents and cots are borrowed from the national guard lard or the United States military establishment A good example of disaster relief was dem demonstrated recently recent recent- ly when a typhoon struck Guam The chapter there headed by Gov Carlton Skinner Skinner Skin Skin- ner had which could be used for emergency The committee committee com com- mutee moved in fast securing food clothing and medical care caro for lor the victims Because the crops we were e destroyed supplies of food were shipped or flown into the island Rehabilitation tion started as soon as the high wi winds d permitted This is Just lust one of the numerous disasters that the Red Cross has dealt with during the brief period of my association with the organ organ- More recently the organ organ- has bas been called caned upon for help in relieving Midwest flood suf and the victims of winter storms in the Far West In the finest sense this service exemplifies the time-honored time Amer ican scan tradition of neighbor helping neighbor The Red Cross merely promotes and Implements t the h e neighborly spirit spiritA A Free Moving Free Moving Group Man Many duties of the Red ned Cross Cress involve in in- involve volve emergency operations often on a I ver very very large scale In addition to local service b by the chapters Red ned Cross activities nal are both national national na- na and international You can ean see ee that the Red fled Cross Croll must always be free tree to mobilize and expand its services to meet situations as a. they arise arfe It must be able to concentrate concentrate concen concen- its whole strength on the re see lief Ilef of a stricken community or meet the huge huce demands of a national na na- emergency No one can foresee fore tore see lee exactly what burdens the Red ned Cross Croll may be called upon to assume as as- sume some each year ear It therefore should be apparent that the tho organization cannot well delegate its fund raising bitty to another agency Nor can it might commit hinder itself to ton an n alliance Si which its freedom or capacity ca ea pa ll to meet its national t and in la- responsibility |