Red Cross Tornado Training

The American Red Cross is seeking to increase its pool of disaster assessment volunteers in advance of tornado season by offering a pool of upcoming training courses. One of the first tasks undertaken by Red Cross volunteers is a disaster assessment. This duty is critical to the organization because it helps them determine how many families are affected, how many meals need to be prepared and how many volunteers will be needed to respond, according to a news release from the Red Cross.

According to the Victoria Advocate, the Red Cross is urging new volunteers to get trained in February so that they can participate in the agency's first tornado disaster drill that will take place across the states of Texas and Oklahoma on March 2, according to the news release. "We're tornado prone in both Texas and Oklahoma, so we have to prepare ahead of these storms," said Linda May, the emergency services director of the American Red Cross Crossroads. "The time to take your training is when the sky is blue, so we're hopeful that many people will take the opportunity to join us."

To become a Red Cross volunteer, go to the agency's website.redcross.org/tx/victoria  "You'll get all of the instructions on how to register, and you'll receive your next steps," May said.

For more information, call 361-573-2671 or 361-894-1232.