Red Cross volunteer goes to Mississippi

David Carr of Newark, Vice Chair for the Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross, left Thursday afternoon for Mississippi, to join the Damage Assessment Team. Carr expects to be deployed for about 18 days.

He served the Red Cross in San Diego, after the wildfires in November 2007.

'It gives you a sense of doing something good and giving back to the country,' said Carr. 'I'm fortunate to be able to help people in need.'

On this assignment, some Red Cross volunteers are using new hand-held GPS devices to speed up the disaster assessment process and, in turn, get disaster victims the help they need more quickly. Using GPS technology, the Quick Assessment Team is able to transmit disaster assessment data to Red Cross officials across the country instantaneously.

Volunteers inspect damaged homes then fill out paperwork, which is processed later in the day. The data is then entered into computers and subsequently examined by Red Cross officials who can decide what type of assistance is needed most and in what areas. Carr is not sure yet if he will be using these new devices.

For more information, call Wayne County Chapter at 331.3783 or visit 

www.waynecountyredcross.org

Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to the local chapter, at 400 South Main St., Newark.

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