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With 15 Greater Houston area locations, the Houston Red Cross is ready to help.

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Lines of Service

We are Congressionally mandated to provide services that include "assistance to disaster victims" and "assistance to military personnel and their families". Our Chapter also provides health and safety training as well as non-emergency medical transportation to the elderly, disabled or chronically ill. In addition, the Chapter provides International Services for refugees living in our area and has an array of volunteer opportunities.

DISASTER SERVICES


In 1905, Congress granted a charter to the American Red Cross requiring the organization "to carry out a system of national and International relief in time of peace, and apply that sytem in mitigating the suffering caused by pestilence, famine, fire, flood, and other great natinal calamities, and divise and carry out measures for preventing those calamities.

If fact before the national charter was established, it was American Red Cross founder Clara Barton and Red Cross volunteers who came to the assiastace of our community after the Great Storm of 1900 devestated Galveston, Texas.
Today, in that same humanitarian spirit , trained and dedicated Red Cross volunteers devote their time to help others by responding to a daily average of nearly three single family emergencies. Most of these disasters such as house and apartment fires occur throughout the 16 county jurisdictionof the Greater Houston Area Red Cross which includes Galveston.

Disaster Response

These men and women respond to meet to the immediate needs of disaster victims by providing shelter, food, clothing and sometimes essential medications and medical equipment. All Red Cross services for disaster victims are free.  For large and small disasters, trained Red Cross disaster workers are ready to respond whenever a disaster strikes not only in Harris and surrounding counties, but elsewhere in the country. We provide the following services to help affected individuals and communities return to normal living conditions as soon as possible:

  • Emergency food and clothing
  • Safe, dry, temporary shelter
  • Emotional support to victims and familes
  • Damage assessment to determine the number of homes and families affected
  • Information to the media and local government officials
  • Emergency communications and inquiries
Disaster response is available through our Disaster Action Teams(DAT) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Disaster Preparedness

Disaster Services also works throughout the year to make sure we have enough strategically located Red Cross shelters in our 16-county area for times of disaster. Red Cross provides disaster education and disaster preparedness for schools, community groups, individuals, and the workplace.
Long before a disaster strikes, the Red Cross engages in the following on-going preparedness activities.

  • Recruit, train and develop volunteers - we offer free disaster training to teach volunteers to help individuals affected by a disaster;
  • Identify shelter sites and train shelter teams - we train churches, schools or
    other organizations, with facilities available for use as a shelter, to open their
    facilities to the community in time of disaster.
  • Collaborate with local emergency management offices, businesses, and other
    volunteer/non-profit agencies - we partner with many community agencies
    before a disaster happens to ensure we provide uniform, efficient and timely
    disaster relief to those affected.
  • Provide disaster preparedness information to the community - we provide on-
    site disaster education to help individuals and groups prepare for any type of
    emergency.

Training to Volunteer during a Disaster

The Red Cross provides standardized disaster training to individuals, groups, and businesses interested in helping Red Cross provide assistance during a disaster. After completing Introduction to Disaster Services, the prerequisite training for all other disaster courses, you may attend other training to help you progress to various volunteer positions such as the Disaster Action Team (DAT), the Disaster Services Human Resource System (DSHR) or a volunteer leadership position depending on your skills and interest. To register you can either check out available classes here on the web or call Records and Registration at 713-526-8300 or 1-866-526-8300. You must pre-register to ensure a course will make. Any course with less than 10 participants registered, at least 2 days before the class date, is subject to cancellation.

 

MILITARY SERVICES

In 1905, Congress granted a charter to the American Red Cross requiring the organitation "to furnish volunteer aid to the sick and the wounded of the Armed Forces in time of war .. " and " to act in matters of voluntary relief and in accord with the military authorities as a medium of communication between the people of the United States and their Armed Forces .. ".

Since then the Red Cross has provided not only communication but also a variety of other services to help members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families around the world. Staffed with professional social workers the Red Cross provides:

Emergency CommunicationThe American Red Cross provides a vital communication lifeline between military service members and their families. It relays urgent information during times of emergency.

Whether it is a family crisis, a death in the family, a financial emergency, or a joyous birth, the American Red Cross can relay the information to service members stationed anywhere in the world. The Red Cross is uniquely equipped with the latest technology to provide an exclusive, around-the-clock 24 Hour communications and emergency support network. For the American soldier and his or her family, the Red Cross is the connection to home.

Nobody ever said being in the military was going to be easy for yourself or your family. Adjustments have to be made. Problems will arise. The good news is that the American Red Cross is here to help you and your family. By calling us, you will access a wide variety of services available to both military members and their dependents, for both emergency and non-emergency situations.

Call us at (713) 526-8300 and press the option for U.S. Armed Forces Emergency Assistance for emergency assistance 24 hours/day, 365 days/year.

What You Should Have When You Call

Please have the following information in hand when you call, as it will greatly help us deliver the message to the service member in the fastest manner. (If you do not have this information, we may still be able to locate and deliver the message, but it will take more time). 

  • Social Security Number
  • Full Military Address (Unit Number, Battalion, etc.)
  • Date of Birth
  • Doctor/Hospital/Funeral Home's name, location, and phone number, with alternate numbers if possible. We will need to verify the situation with the Doctor/Caretaker directly.

Counseling, information & referral, and other social services

Red Cross Messages

The Red Cross is the communication link between prisoners of war and their relatives.

For the Military Reservists

Having a family member called up for service can bring on many hardships for the remaining family. Click here for links to websites where you can explore the services/benefits for which you are entitled to as the family of a active duty reservist.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES

Helps refugees living in Houston locate families and loved ones tragically separated in war torn or disaster ravaged countries. Armed conflict and natural disaster leave millions of people around the globe in urgent need of humanitarian assistance every year. Fortunately, Red Cross Tracing Services and Red Cross Messages help families locate each other, send communication, learn each other's fate and help families reconnect.

HEALTH and SAFETY SERVICES

Since 1909, the American Red Cross has trained tens of millions of people in first aid and CPR. Today, Red Cross chapters offer a variety of first aid programs for different age groups and community groups, professional and workplace audiences.   First Aid/CPR /AED Training from first aid, CPR and bloodborne pathogens training to swimming and lifeguarding, babysitter's training. American Red Cross Preparedness programs help people lead safer and healthier lives. The Red Cross constantly strives to respond to the preparedness concerns of Americans at home, in school and in the workplace. Today's innovative programs also include teaching lay persons and professionals how to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to save victims of sudden cardiac arrest. All programs emphasize the importance of prevention and reflect the most recent changes in cardiac care. The goal of Red Cross courses is to teach people not only how to respond to injuries, but also how to prevent them.  Water/Swimming Training The American Red Cross has been a leader in aquatic education since 1914.
 
Aquatic programs are offered for all ages and skill levels with a focus on Learn to Swim, water safety training and lifeguard training. You can help the Red Cross save lives. Become a health and safety instructor or authorized provider, or take a health and safety course.your local chapter.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Helps address a big need in the Houston area…low cost, non-emergency medical transportation service for the elderly, disabled or chronically ill. Each year, Red Cross Transportation Services provides thousand of rides to the elderly, disabled or chronically ill. All drivers are First Aid and CPR trained and provide door-to-door service for their passengers.

VOLUNTEER SERVICES

Recruits and trains volunteers to help deliver services throughout an 16-county area. With the help of our dedicated volunteers the Red Cross is the preeminent provider of life saving services, including disaster preparedness, emergency social services, and health and safety training. There are so many ways you can help your community and yourself.  To learn more about becoming a volunteer, click here.