Planning for Y2K
With the beginning of the millennium proving to be a tough and trying time for much of the Greater New York area, ARC/GNY was consistently there to help our neighbors. We were prepared for the potential problems of the Y2K bug as the world marked the beginning of the new millennium. On December 31, after months of planning, more than 500 volunteers and staff were ready. Shelters were opened and volunteers were on call. Although midnight came and went without computer-related incidents, we were kept busy responding to the 31 fires that raged overnight throughout Greater New York.

Northern Tier Blasted By Tropical Storm
Tropical Storm Floyd ripped through Greater New York in September of 2000, wreaking destruction on Orange, Putnam, and Rockland Counties. More than 600 Red Cross volunteers worked tirelessly to meet the needs of nearly 1,000 displaced persons, provide shelter, emotional support, residential damage assessment, storm cleanup supplies, and means to obtain food, clothing, and other child- and senior-care necessities. When the region was declared a federal disaster area and more than 21,000 homes were without power, we provided services and comfort until the stricken families could begin to put their lives back together.

Flight 990
In late October of 2000, the tragic loss of EgyptAir Flight 990 brought a Red Cross team of trained mental-health professionals to offer counseling and solace to the families of the 217 passengers lost in the crash.

September 11, 2001
Our world was changed forever on September 11, 2001 when two planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The American Red Cross in Greater New York launched a massive relief effort to help those affected by the attacks. A complete timeline of our response it can be viewed here.

Flight 587
While the city's wounds were still raw in the aftermath of 9/11, the Red Cross responded to the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in Belle Harbor, Queens in November 2001 and assisted the families of the 265 people who perished in the plane or on the ground. We operated a service center in Washington Heights to accommodate the needs of the relatives of the victims who were on the plane.

Blackout 2003
When blackness spread throughout the city on August 14, 2003, New Yorkers faced the challenges of finding a way to get home, worrying about finding food and water, and dealing with the emotional distress of the situation. American Red Cross in Greater New York responded to the power outage by setting up cooling centers, distributing blackout and heat tips and providing mental health support. By the end of the weekend, we had assisted some 237,000 members of our community and responded to 76 fires, many of which were caused by candles. From our headquarters at 150 Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan and from our chapters and service centers in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Harlem and Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and Orange counties, we came to the aid of New Yorkers.

Planning and Preparedness
In September and November of 2003, the Red Cross launched a massive "Together We Prepare" program to help prepare New Yorkers for all types of emergencies.

In January 2004, the American Red Cross in Greater New York welcomed our new CEO, Terry Bischoff. During March is Red Cross Month, we released a survey of residents and the first, we believe, of businesses that found that while many have made some progress in preparedness since September 11, 2001, we still have a long way to go. The good news is that while a majority say they have not received training, most (64% of businesses and 83% of residents) are interested in getting trained.

We worked with the city on its plans to prepare for the Republican National Convention and we responded to the call of the American Red Cross's national office to aid the victims of the four back-to-back devastating hurricanes in the Southeast. Many American Red Cross in Greater New York employees and volunteers traveled south to assist those affected and we helped raise funds in various ways, including organizing a major event at Yankee Stadium.

In the fall of 2004, we launched a new interactive CD-ROM titled Together We Prepare New York to help families take the five basic preparedness steps: make a plan, build a kit, get trained, volunteer and give blood. Together with the New York City Office of Emergency Management, our partner in preparedness, we launched a special series called Ready New York Nights, which brought preparedness training to all five boroughs.