The American Red Cross – Heart of Tennessee Chapter is pleased to announce the formation of a new partnership with the government of Rutherford County to execute a leave policy which grants fifteen days of additional leave to County employees who have been trained as Red Cross disaster volunteers, to participate in disaster response activities.
Per the direction of Mayor Ernest Burgess, an email is being sent to all employees of Rutherford County Government, informing them of the existence of this leave policy, and encouraging them to become trained as Red Cross disaster volunteers. A similar announcement will be posted on a website for County employees.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have the support of Mayor Burgess and the County Government,” said Brian Toll, Emergency Services Director for the Heart of Tennessee Chapter. “The Red Cross relies on volunteers to respond to emergencies, but two major obstacles that we face in getting volunteers to help are that they aren’t aware of the need, and they can’t commit the time because they don’t have control over their work schedule. Rutherford County’s government is helping us to address both of these issues.”
When disasters happen, it’s neighbor helping neighbor. Many people usually want to get involved only after a disaster strikes, but the Red Cross encourages volunteers to become pre-trained to serve in specific roles, so that the organization can maximize efficiency and effectiveness during a relief operation.
The Red Cross has partnered with Mayor Burgess and the County Government to recognize and address this issue, in order to help Rutherford County become more prepared before the next major disaster strikes. In addition, this structure is designed not to cause a strain on local government or reallocate any taxpayer dollars.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; 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 mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.