If you could do something to protect your family, strengthen your community, build your confidence, and save time, money, and perhaps even someone's life, would you do it? Now, what if that "something" took just a few minutes of your time and was explained in three simple steps?

• ES Calendar of Events
• Preparedness calendar
• Be Red Cross Ready online presentation

We have had an extraordinary amount of interaction with our colleagues at the national Headquarters of the Red Cross in the last two months, most of it precipitated by the long awaited arrival of Mark Everson as the new national CEO.

American Red Cross and VOAD volunteers were out in force on August 6, 2007 as Philadelphia tested its ability to respond to a mass casualty incident.

For the month of September we will be thanking our Disaster Action Team volunteers who have answered the call of duty day or night when asked to respond.

Emergency services staff and volunteers have earned praise for their fine work responding to regional emergencies.

Opening a shelter just became easier thanks to SEPA Chapter's partnership with PackRat, a mobile storage container company.

The SEPA Chapter is honored to host its 11th year of AmeriCorps National Preparedness and Response members. Six AmeriCorps members will be serving for 10 months in various internships throughout the Emergency Services department, as well as a two- month rotation in the Youth Services department providing disaster education in Philadelphia schools.

ES, VOAD and Citizen Corps representatives were on hand as the Department of Homeland Security presented a series of counter-terrorism trainings called Soft Targets Awareness at the Montgomery County Fire Academy the week of August 6, 2007.

At VOAD, we are always working to increase our impact in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region. To keep the program growing and to meet our preparedness goals, we depend on volunteers throughout the region who can help us make personal preparedness a priority within their communities.

SEPA volunteers are helping the American Red Cross respond to a series of national disasters across the country from floods in Oklahoma, Minnesota and Wisconsin to tornadoes in North Dakota.

From July 10-23, 2007, I was deployed as a Disaster Mental Health Services volunteer to respond to flooding in Southeast Kansas. Eventually, I was sent to Coffeyville, Kansas, a blue-collar town of 11,000 on the border of Kansas and Oklahoma.

You are invited to the 2007 Annual Meeting and Celebration of Volunteers. Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, September 26, 2007 to attend this special event where we have the opportunity to recognize you and all your contributions to the American Red Cross, SEPA Chapter.