Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-11-04
January Floods Reveal
Strength Of Red Cross
Aid Given 100000 Persons
Through Set-Up
by Agency

The elasticity and scope OF Red Cross
disaster work is shown In a recent re-
port on Red Cross relief measures dur
ing the unpa :alleled Ohio. Mississippi
Valley food OF this year.
At the height OF the emergency Red
Cross relief Offices were established in
1872 inundated counties and in l46 coun.
ties where refugees were cared for. the
report stated. Eight regional head.
quarters Offices controlled the 1913 coun.
ty offices. and were in turn supervised
by the National Red Cross in Washing
ton. D. C.
A statistical summary of persons
aided by the organization indicates
that the floods constituted the greatest
peace.time emergency ever faced by
the nation. The Red Cross gave some
form of assistance to l.O62.O0O men. wo-
men and children. From January to
August hundreds of trained workers
helped by thousands Of volunteers ad.
ministered to the sufferers.
A Red Cross rescue fleet of $500
boats was organized. according to the
report. Emergency hospitals estab.
lished totaled 300 and $500 nurses were
assigned to food duty. In more than
1000 refugee centers the victims of
the food were sheltered, clothed and
fed. Through the Red Cross medical.
health program and the work of public
health agencies sickness was kept to
normal for the time of year in I'll
inundated areas.
Because Of It's disaster experience
the Red Cross was directed by the
President of the United States, who is
also president of the Red Cross, to CO.
ordinate the effor, OF all federal food
relief groups. Government and Red
Cross officials met daily at the Red
Cross headquarters building in Wash.
ington to plan relief measures and pre-
vent duplication of effort.
I'VE were fortunate in having Sc
years Of disaster relief experience to
call upon in meeting the emergency"
Admiral Gary T. Grayson. chairman Of
the Red Cross, said.
1t was found that $4,000 families
composed of 100000 persons had to
have their resources supplemented or
an entirely new start provided by the
Red Cross. the report stated. Red Cross
emergency and rehabilitation assist,
ance was as follows: rescue. trans.
portation and shelter for $4,000 fam.
lilies; food, clothing and other mainte-
nance for 10000 families; building and
repair for $4,000 families; household
goods for $4,000 families; medical,
nursing and sanitation Lelp for $1,000
families; agricultural rehabilita ton for
10000 families; other occupational aid
for 5000 families and other types Of
relief for 1000 families.
"Credit for this largest peace-time
relief operation in the history of the
nation must go to the American people
Who contributed Red Cross relief
fund of more than $25.000.00O." Admiral
0rayson said.
During the yeal the Red Cross gave
~ 70 Tue VlctlmS OF lU0 OtQer 0lB'
asters IN SO states. Alaska and the
District Of Columbia. The Red Cross
financed the majority Of these relief
operations from money contributed
through memberships during the an
nual Roll Call last November. since 1t is
only in case of large scale disasters
that national drive for relief funds is
made.
This year the Roll Call is from No
vember 18th to the 25th. The Red Cross
seeks greater membership to meet
its disaster reie1 and other service
obligations during 1888.
Last year Red Cross Chapters gave
vital help to 100000 needy families.