Red Cross to recruit, train new volunteers

The Cascades Region of American Red Cross is hosting volunteer recruitment and training sessions across Southwest Washington and Oregon through this week.

Red Cross is sending 13 area residents to help people living near potentially devastating weather events, and it is holding the training sessions in hopes of recruiting new volunteers to deploy, according to a news release from the nonprofit.

There are disaster responders from Vancouver, Longview, Beaverton, Ore., Bend, Ore., Clatskanie, Ore., Gold Beach, Ore., North Plains, Ore., Portland, Salem, Ore., and St. Helens, Ore., already on the ground or on their way to Hawaii, North Carolina and South Carolina to assist with hurricane preparations.

“As we reach the peak of hurricane season, several powerful and potentially destructive storms are currently threatening to impact thousands of people in the United States and nearby countries. In order to be ready to assist in the relief efforts related to these potential disasters, the local Red Cross Cascades Region (serving Oregon and Southwest Washington) is recruiting volunteer disaster responders,” the news release says.

The recruitment session in Vancouver is 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at the local Red Cross office, 5109 N.E. 82nd Ave., Vancouver.

Red Cross staff will present an overview of disaster deployment basics, and new volunteers will have the opportunity to speak with workers, learn about volunteer opportunities and sign up to volunteer on site. No sign-up for the session is required.