American Red Cross - Mower County Chapter

[Minneapolis, MN] June 22, 2010 — During the weekend American Red Cross volunteers from across the state were helping those affected by the June 17 tornadoes.

Priorities were providing emotional support for the survivors and others assisting them, food and water for clean-up crews, and shelter for those with no place to live.

Among the volunteers on hand was Dick Pike, a Red Cross disaster responder with the Central Minnesota Chapter of the American Red Cross, based in St. Cloud.

Pike returned to a neighborhood in Wadena, MN, that he’d previously visited to assess damage to residences. This time, he was there to make personal contact with families.

“We have a team of nurses and mental health professionals walking the neighborhoods,” said Pike. “People can let them know what they need. We’re here to help.”

Pike checked in with Tina Schluttner. Her home was destroyed during the storm. When the sirens went off, she ran to her basement before the tornado hit.

“You just can’t imagine this until you go through it,” said Schluttner. “But we’re all in this together. This is an incredible neighborhood.”

Also active were several Red Cross emergency response vehicles and volunteer teams providing water and snacks for those doing exhausting clean up work.

“They’ve been here a lot,” said Schluttner. “Everyone has been really great.”

Current Red Cross figures show that 842 homes were damaged because of this disaster. Of those, 113 were destroyed, rendering them permanently inhabitable, and 170 will need extensive repair before people can live in them again.

The Red Cross will continue to provide services, including financial assistance for those who were left most vulnerable following the tornadoes.

If you are in need of Red Cross services, please contact your local chapter. Local chapter information is available at 1-800-RED-CROSS or www.redcross.org.

To date, nearly 50 Red Cross volunteers have responded to this disaster, serving more than 7500 meals and snacks, and distributing more than 70 clean-up kits.

This is an evolving disaster and while our relief operations are ongoing, it’s not easy to nail down the exact cost of our services. Our current best estimate for this disaster is from $259,000 to $406,000.

Help people affected by disasters like the recent tornadoes by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters.

Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. 

To donate, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O.  Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

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Survey documents more than 75 homes destroyed

[Rochester, MN, Saturday June 19, 2010] – Trained Red Cross damage assessment have completed their survey of damage caused to homes, mobile homes, and apartments in Minnesota due to the storms that hit the state on Thursday night, June 16.  The final report shows that a total of 673 dwellings were affected by this disaster.  Of those, 77 were destroyed rendering them permanently uninhabitable. Another 126 suffered major damage, meaning that extensive repairs are needed to make the home habitable; and 192 received minor damage, requiring minor repairs or cleaning to be made habitable.

Wadena and Freeborn Counties are responsible for a large portion of the damage statistics, however damage was widespread throughout the state.  Here is how it looks in each of the affected counties. 

In Faribault County 6 homes were destroyed while 2 suffered major damage and 14 had minor damage.  In Freeborn county, one of the hardest hit areas – 32 homes were destroyed, 17 showed major damage and 57 showed minor.  In Olmsted County, 8 homes were destroyed, 19 had major damage and 35 had minor.  To the west in Steele County 4 homes have been destroyed, 12 had major damage and 10 displayed minor damage.  The majority of damage was in  Wadena County which has 27 destroyed homes, 76 with major damage and 76 with minor damage.   

    “Gathering this disaster damage information is critical to the success of our operation,” said Melanie Tschida, Executive Director of the Southeast Minnesota American Red Cross.  “With this information, we can determine priorities for providing assistance, verify the damage suffered by families requesting Red Cross disaster assistance and determine where needs are most urgent.  Additionally, decisions such as staffing supply needs, estimating relief costs and providing a basis for fund-raising decisions are all based on a complete and accurate damage assessment.”

As a result of the tornadoes, the Red Cross opened several shelters and is currently feeding in several locations.  Health and Mental Health Services as well as individual assistance is available.  

Though the survey has been completed, the number of affected dwellings may still vary somewhat during the following weeks.  “Historically, when dealing with disaster areas as wide spread as this, we will find variations of a few homes as relief efforts move forward,” said Tschida.  “Examples include when structures recorded as single family homes turn out to be duplexes, or when damage is inside the home and not readily visible from the outside of the dwelling.”

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org.

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