PHILADELPHIA >> Even with more than 1,000 volunteers coming from around the country and a bevy of activity humming with tons of charts and maps posted on the walls, the papal visit this weekend is just another ordinary operation for the American Red Cross.
“Originally, the pope’s visit outside of Philadlephia was going to be quite narrow,” Renee Cardwell Hughes, CEO of the American Red Cross Eastern Pennsylvania chapter, said. “The job always started in Philly.”
So, Red Cross operations for New York and Washington were also based out of the City of Brotherly Love.
She explained the World Meeting of Families approached the Red Cross about a year ago to request assistance. So, the chapter is providing support with reunification tents, medical support, consequence management and sheltering for the Red Cross volunteers, as well as the 5,000 for the papal visit.
To house them, centers have been set up at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the Community College of Philadelphia, in the sports arena complex and in Norristown where a multi-agency operations center has been established.
Hughes explained that U.S. Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement officials will be positioned at the Red Cross Norristown center, which will be one of several reunification centers set up so that the lost may find their group.
“That way all the resources necessary to find a family, to reconnect that loved one with the family are at our disposal,” Hughes said.
She recommended people to use the Red Cross toll-free number 855-259-2114 to report anyone who has been separated. There is also the Red Cross’ Safe and Well app.
“It works both ways,” Hughes explained. “It lets us alert people that you are safe and it also is a way to let the community know we need your help locating this person.”
Hughes explained that all Red Cross volunteers have gone through background checks and training.
Something that makes Pope Francis’ visit different for the American Red Cross is the advance notice they had. “This is a planned disaster response,” Hughes said, comparing it to the presidential inauguration. “We planned for this as opposed to …. a call in the middle of the night, ‘There’s massive flooding.'”
She explained that Red Cross staff and volunteers are constantly participating in exercises to be as prepared for scenarios as they can.
“For us, it builds this type of muscle memory,” Hughes said. “So when a call goes out, Red Cross volunteers throw that vest on, they grab their credentials, they’ve got a go bag and they come on. They are all trained and they are ready.”
Don Verdiani, a volunteer one of the Red Cross’ nationally recognized strategic planners who lives in West Chester, was involved in designing the Philadelphia operation since the World Meeting of Families request last year.
“That needed a city response anyway and the Red Cross would have been part of that no matter what,” he said. “Then, the pope said, “I’m coming,’ so now it’s times three. It’s a lot bigger. The crowd gets a lot bigger.”
It also elevates the event to national security status, which brings entities such as the Secret Service and the FBI.
“Now there’s more involved,” he said.
In the meantime, Hughes said the Red Cross continues to respond to its everyday calls such as the four fires they sent assistance last night.
“Many times we only think of the Red Cross with natural disasters but the Red Cross is a community partner,” Hughes highlighted. “That’s who we are. So when there are big things that impact the community, when there are small things that impact the community, whatever impacts the community, the Red Cross is there to help our communities be stronger, better and safer.”
