By: Tara Johnson
Published: Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Seacoast Online
Concord, NH
CONCORD — The American Red Cross Granite Chapter received a $58,810 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation and American Red Cross $5 million Disaster Readiness and Capacity Building Program.
The check was presented April 9 at the American Red Cross Granite Chapter in Concord. The chapter is one of 128 Red Cross chapters nationwide that will receive funding as a part of the Wal-Mart Foundation’s initiative to support disaster response and building projects.
“The grant allows us to install an inverter inside an emergency response vehicle,” said Doug Hewitt, emergency services director at the American Red Cross Great Bay Chapter. “This allows for a temperature secure environment. This is especially helpful when there is a fire, to be able to bring clients into the environment to talk with them.”
Hewitt said funding would also help provide temporary lodging.
The grant will help fund specific equipment and training for emergency response team staff. Kay Mahoney, Red Cross volunteer specialist and disaster coordinator, said the funding helped purchase a variety of equipment including a portable generator, nursing kits, two way radios, cots, two Red Cross box trailers to transport and store disaster equipment, and Cambros which can be used to help store hot and cold beverages.
The funding will also be used to covert an ambulance donated by the Rockingham Ambulance services into a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle. Training for disaster volunteers and host disaster simulation drills in the Lakes Region and North Country will also benefit from the grant.
The grant will also ensure the Granite Chapter has the necessary sources required for effective response to local disasters.
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