One major event for the organization was the aftermath of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. Shortly after the event, rescue brigades appeared but the scale of the damage and death was more than they could handle. Not only were there too few, many were under-equipped lacking spikes, sledgehammers, machinery and special equipment. There were also shortages of medicines and blood for medical facilities. Four days after the disaster, on September 23, patients confined to bed, from the Red Cross Polanco, were rearranged in rooms that were decorated with flowers, stuffed animals and even television in order to distract them from the tragic incident.