Help the Red Cross

By Kath Gannaway
YARRA Valley Red Cross teams are desperate for volunteers.
Emergency Services liaison officer Rainey Vella said both the catering teams Yarra Glen and Woori Yallock were struggling for numbers and Lilydale could also do with more willing hands.
Taking delivery of a new freezer and cabinet last week, Ms Vella said the Yarra Valley teams were well resourced to handle the challenges they are sure will come over the summer fire season in every way but man – or woman – power.
“These units were much bigger however our very dedicated and long-serving members are ageing, many have moved on, or moved away, and we’re not getting the people to replace them,” Ms Vella said.
The role of the Red Cross is so varied, and so vital.
As a rule of thumb, where there’s a large-scale emergency – storm, floods, bushfires where emergency services such as CFA, police and SES are involved, the Red Cross will also be there.
“We had teams helping out in Gippsland last season and at the Yarra Junction fire in February that ran for four days and nights. We catered for 400 at a sitting during those fires,” Ms Vella said.
“Just recently we had four activations in just a matter of days,” she added.
“A bushfire at East Warburton, storm damage at Croydon, another bushfire at Hoddles Creek and a search and rescue at Starling Gap. It can get very busy and so the more people we can call on, the better.”
Volunteers working on catering will receive accredited food-handling training and good support from the team.
“Nobody is on their own,” Ms Vella said. “We’re part of a team.”
There is a desperate need also for people to tow the trailers and, again, training and insurance is provided.
A Seville-East or Woori Yallock resident is also needed to be custodian of the catering trailer.
Ms Vella said there is no pressure placed on people to be available all the time and added the only requirement is that volunteers must be over 18.
The maximum age?
“I think it’s 90,” Ms Vella said.
Anyone who would like to join the dedicated bunch of volunteers at Yarra Valley Red Cross can contact Ms Vella on 5967 4395 or 0417 580 676.