Preparation and rigorous building codes also played a large part in limiting the damage in the Northwest. On February 28, those precautions paid off. But there was still one life lost and there were many injuries and many families forced from damaged homes. Preparation was also the key for the American Red Cross. Local chapters responded immediately and within days national teams were on the scene within days providing relief and support.
Disasters can happen anywhere and at any time.
Locally, a rising number of disasters, primarily house fires, continue to afflict the greater Kalamazoo area. News People in the News One of our chapter's quiet heroes , Francine Kryger, was honored in February as Volunteer of the Month. A records and reports specialist for Emergency and Social Services, she has been serving our chapter since 1989. Her first exposure to the Red Cross dates to World War II, when she was in Indonesia and the Red Cross came to her aid. Years after, when a friend mentioned that our chapter needed volunteers she didn't hesitate to help.