During the New York City transit strike, from Tuesday, December 20 through Thursday, December 22, 2005, three American Red Cross in Greater New York Red Cross Emergencies Response Vehicles positioned at the foot of the Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Queensboro Bridges each morning and each evening, served coffee and hot chocolate, cookies, and Granola bars to more than 33,000 cold, footsore commuters trekking to and from work in freezing temperatures, revitalizing both their spirits and their energy.

"I am particularly grateful to the hundreds of volunteers who made their way to and from our headquarters and the East River crossings in frigid pre-dawn darkness and biting night time cold to clean, stock and staff the ERVs, said ARC/GNY CEO Theresa A. Bischoff.  “Most volunteers had to walk great distances to reach their posts. They maintained a bright, upbeat, professional attitude, which helped cheer commuters and reflected very positively on the Chapter.”

Typical of the volunteers were Web programmer Jeff Clark and retired schoolteacher Judith Ross, both of whom walked more than three miles from their homes in Manhattan to Chapter Headquarters at 150 Amsterdam Avenue in order to clean, stock and staff the ERVs.

“I'm glad it isn"t raining or snowing, but if it had been, I would have come anyway,” said Ross, who also served for three weeks this fall as a Red Cross volunteer in Florida after Hurricane Wilma. Clark, who took half a day off from work to volunteer, said that he was also willing volunteer the following week if it became necessary. “I decided it was time to stop watching emergencies on TV and to help out,” he said.

During the three days of the strike, dozens more enthusiastic volunteers like Judith and Jeff, along with Red Cross staff members, responded to more than 30 emergencies throughout the five boroughs and the lower Hudson Valley. At the beginning of the strike, the Greater New York Chapter had deployed response ERVs to the outer boroughs on a standby basis in order to quickly and efficiently answer emergency calls.

"The Red Cross continued to execute our primary mission of disaster response at the highest level during this strike,” said Scott Graham, Chief Response Officer of the American Red Cross in Greater New York. “Our staff and volunteers responded to emergencies around the city in a professional, timely manner.” 

During the winter, the American Red Cross in Greater New York responds to an average of 8 to 10 emergencies a day throughout New York City. 

ARC/GNY lifesaving and disaster training classes were cancelled the first day of the strike, but resumed on Wednesday, December 21.