Background …show more content…
American Red Cross is a nonprofit and non-governmental organization in humanitarian service, which responsibility and function are to protect human beings who survive from disasters and emergencies in the United States and the whole world.
This is also primary mission of this charitable third sector, which make it dispatch huge amount of volunteers internationally to help individuals and families facing their problem, relieving personal stress after they are affected by a disaster strike. The aspiration of American Red Cross is able to achieve by the strong connection among its volunteers, donors and partners to help and support victims for what they need ( relief item, blood donation, mental services, etc. ) immediately. Moreover, the seven principal rules based on the International Red Cross framework are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. (Mission, Vision, and Fundamental Principles. ( n. d.). Retrieved
from www.redcross.org/about-us/mission). Followed by these principles, American Red Cross can easily and totally devote to preventing the loss of lives nationally and globally, and even promote all human beings become much friendly, cooperatively, and understandingly with each other with their advantages of independence, neutrality.
History
At the beginning of the established period, American Red Cross charactered as a pioneer and prime of the military agency to provide first-aiding, care for victims, promote the communication between soldiers and their families during the wartime. After that, it became a professional voluntary organization for society because of the challenges from natural and physical emergency. It is recommended to understand the Clara Barton who created this organization, and Red Cross in American History.
Founder Clara Barton Clara Barton is one of the most respectful American women, and she was the first woman to be employed by government and taught in a school which majority teachers were men. JHA (2009) said Clara provided lifesaving items and help soldiers during the Civil War before she started American Red Cross in 1881. Ms. Barton guided and conducted the American Red Cross to bring help and voluntary service which opened a new field. Meanwhile, she added a concept what American Red Cross should serve when a disaster happened during a peace time to complete the system of the disaster emergency relief. She used her personal motivation to give support to soldiers, children and the injuries for necessities for life, such as food, clothing, and bedding when the war began. In addition, she taught men how to keep hope of spirits and collected lifesavings to distribute to the poverty and the hungry by herself until the government gave her leadership to supply and provide voluntary services to the field and battle. After a list of work for war-time period, Clara found the American Red Cross and was its leader during the later 20 years. She is also a best conductor who led American Red Cross to have an aid to American military, and had outstanding contribution in areas of supplying relief and giving support services to Cuba when the Spanish-American War was happening.
Red Cross in American History American Red Cross is an important partner which accompanies nation’s military responding to the natural emergency and war suffering. So the history of the United States did influence the Red Cross’s history. On the other hand, the history of American Red Cross can’t be separated from American history. Firstly, it acted as an essential chapter in the Spanish-American War through its strong voluntary services to giving nursing support, medical supplies for American soldiers in Florida and Cuba, so that the U.S. Congress award American Red Cross first patent. Similarly, American Red Cross gave response at medicine and entertainment for the armed force nationally and internationally during the World War I. And more and more nurses and volunteers were sent to the front line wherever at home or aboard during the Vietnam War to help the people who needed services and their families by light recreation and entertainment activities in order to relieve their stress during the wartime. This project called supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO), which is the most outstanding contribution in Vietnam War. According to the Red Cross history, it is clear to find that American Red Cross has an excellent outcome in disaster relief, recreational activities, and medical care. Under the leadership of Clara Barton, American Red Cross became the world-famous nonprofit and non-governmental agency, and gave significant help to the American armed force.
Disaster Relief Department of Disaster Relief is one of the most important and principal part in American Red Cross and has impacted thousands of human beings in term of natural disasters, terrorism, and other humanitarian calamites. The Disaster Response carries out the teams for volunteering in disasters and emergency and devotes to supporting people with immediate needs. There are four main chapters in terrorism response, American military families’ support, volunteers’ work, and relief supplies.
Terrorism Response Because the increasing of the terrorists who are against the US since 1990s, American Red Cross (ARC) began to train volunteers to distinguish with various kinds of weapons and help contort security problem with American army. After the terrorist attacked the World Trade Center, ARC obligated the collection of fund and used it to help thousands of families which were affected in this terrible destroy. Furthermore, they provided disaster mental health services to resume people’s post traumatic problem. Hamilton (2005) mentions that volunteers who are employed by the department of Disaster Relief have to complete a series of trainings and taught to understand the obligation and rules of their work before they choose a function, like mass care, family services, and health services. The responsibility of this charter is to face to the current terrorism treats and disaster strike with their professional knowledge.
American military families support
Since Clara Barton employed nurses for supporting American armed force, American Red Cross has increased the demand of services for retired soldiers and their families. Nowadays, the expanding of this project employs more members to connect servicemen with their families using high-technologies when they affect a crisis
Volunteers’ Work Volunteers follow the American Red Cross mission to support victims through their hardest time. This department offers emergency response ambulances which can arrive at the site at once when there is incident. The members of Red Cross supply food, lifesaving product, immediate information and relieve people recovering from the dark hour. Otherwise, they have to help open shelters for people who lose their home and make sure everybody can stay in shelter overnight safely with hot food and clean water. Also, they provide health and mental health service to ensure the fundamental needs for people who can’t recover from the dark side. In addition, workers have to cope with the emergency that people need first-aiding.
Relief Supplies These essential products include hot meals, snacks water, shelters from the emergency association, which give to people in disaster communities and neighborhoods. There are some extra lifesavings for daily life and bath, such as clothing, toothbrush, shampoo and body wash. Sometimes, Rad Cross will prepare some tarps, shovels and bags in order to untangle their damaged home. And all of the relief items are transported by emergency response vehicles.