The American Red Cross is seeking volunteers with flexible schedules to respond to single and multi-family home fires in and around the Lake Cumberland area. Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteers respond to assist families with shelter, support, and access to basic needs immediately following a home fire–often arriving on scene even as the fire is still burning.

An orientation was held last Tuesday, February 9 in Somerset who had signed up.

Tim Armstrong, local Red Cross coordinator, said locally there have been 12 trained volunteers who assist in fires and other natural disaster emergencies, but more are needed.

Armstrong said the highest priority local need to offer services the Red Cross provides is “shelters in place,” or agreements with people that have larger buildings such as churches, to house people who are displaced during an emergency.

“We need to have more shelter agreements and we have asked more churches,” he said. “People (volunteers) trained come and help open the shelters,” he said, adding when enough local volunteers were not available, people were drawn from other counties of the state to help out.

Armstrong said there was also a desperate need for more volunteers to be trained. That training requires, among other criteria, completing First Aid and CPR and some online training. “It depends on what they want to do.” Currently, Armstrong is the only first aid instructor in the county.

Armstrong also said, stressing the need for more shelter locations, that there is currently only one such agreement in place in Clinton County. “We need larger churches with fellowship halls,” he said. Areas primarily only have to have adequate bathroom facilities as the Red Cross brings in cots and other supplies needed.

Those interested in opening a shelter or managing a shelter would need to take shelter management classes and background checks are required.

In emergency situations, such as a family being displaced by a fire, if those individuals have a place to go, such as family, friends, etc., they are sent there first. If not, the Red Cross would issue debit type cards to allow families to pay for lodging, food, and basic needs, including clothing if needed.

“We want to be able to help immediately,” said Armstrong. “We need to report as soon as a disaster strikes.” He also said the fire department called him when a fire was going on and in many cases volunteers are on the scene while the fire is still ongoing.

Armstong recommends that retirees and/or people who have time to volunteer to help provide services for the Red Cross to consider volunteering. “It is truly a blessing to help people in need,” he said.

Anyone interested in volunteering locally may call Armstrong at 387-5828.

The American Red Cross is a 501c3 nonprofit, humanitarian organization. Red Cross volunteers respond to disasters every eight minutes, and nearly all of these are home fires.

For more information contact the American Red Cross at 859-893-2395.