The American Red Cross in Greater New York's Ready When the Time Comes (RWTC) program trains volunteer teams from local companies, organizations and community based groups in disaster relief and deploys them to disaster sites in the New York area.

All participants receive free basic training in disaster preparedness and response. RWTC volunteers serve as a reserve task force that will be called upon when disaster response requires increased volunteer staffing to support major New York Chapter emergency relief operations.

How Does RWTC Work?

Local companies, organizations and community based groups partner with the American Red Cross in Greater New York to train their designated members as disaster relief volunteers. Partners commit to making these group members available for major local disasters, such as large scale flooding and significant power outages.

When a major local disaster occurs, the Red Cross calls the RWTC partners, who then deploy their volunteers to Red Cross service sites.

Services RWTC Volunteers Can Provide

All RWTC volunteers who have attended the introductory course (3 hours) are eligible to take additional training needed to perform one of the following disaster relief activities:

• Mass Care and Feeding
• Sheltering
• Disaster Response Call Center
• Client Casework 
• Logistics
• Disaster Assessment

What is required of RWTC Partners?

• Recruit volunteers for the team (minimum of 20).
• Designate a Team Leader that the Red Cross can call at any time when the RWTC team needs to be deployed.
• Assist in identifying training sites for their RWTC team.

Company and Employee Benefits of Joining RWTC

• Provide a way for organizations to be involved in their communities.
• Strengthen effective teamwork and leadership skills.
• Work side-by-side in partnership with the American Red Cross, the non-profit organization that is most widely recognized for providing disaster relief.
• Receive nationally recognized training in disaster preparedness, response and life-saving skills.
• Enable New York organizations to help their communities with essential services when they are most in need.
• Gain a greater understanding of how to personally prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters.
• Gain practical field experience by actively participating in local large-scale disaster operations.
• RWTC partners and their volunteers are recognized in Chapter newsletters and websites, at award and media events, and in promotional materials such as press releases.

For more information and to become a part of the Ready When The Time Comes Team please call 1-877-REDCROSS ext. 2284.