Red Cross Offers Support System To Overwhelmed Volunteers

When disaster strikes like it did recently in the Philippines , we’re used to disaster response teams coming to the assistance of those who have lost homes and loved ones. But the situations the caregivers find can be tough to handle. At times, even response team members break down in a crisis.

Shannon Dunham of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Red Cross says they have a support system to help overwhelmed volunteers when they return home.

“There’s a lot of camaraderie within the Red Cross and we do work very hard to support one another and we try not to do what sometimes our basic instinct is to do, is to say 'it’s not really that bad,'” Dunham said.

She says the Red Cross support includes mental health counselors to check on the troubled volunteers and make sure then get enough food, water and sleep for their challenging missions.