Red Cross Volunteers Ready to Respond to Disasters in Sumner County, Tennessee

Sharon driving an emergency
response vehicle (ERV)

The American Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) in Sumner County, Tennessee is an excellent example of the type of work the Red Cross does when there is any type of disaster. Whether it is a single family home fire, large apartment building fire, tornado, flood or highway accident the DAT team is ready to assist people in need. Once a call comes in, whatever team members are available are almost always ready to mobilize within two hours, any time of the day or night, and for as long as they are needed.

Presently, there are only seven members of the Sumner County DAT team, but they are a committed team of volunteers, including retirees and people with full-time jobs. Even though they have different backgrounds and ages, they all have in common a desire to help others who have experienced some type of tragedy. When they arrive on the scene, they quickly evaluate what has happened and what is needed.  Many victims have just lost their homes and are in need of a place to stay, food, water, clothes, medicine, clean-up supplies, financial support and often just want to know that someone cares about them.

Sharon Voss has only been a Sumner County DAT team member for about 18 months but during that time she has been busy responding to fire and flood victims in the county. She says she is ready to go whenever a call comes in, whether it is during the day or the middle of the night. Plus, she went to Florida after hurricane Irma and then to California during the wildfires in the Napa area as a disaster responder. She has also worked with the local fire department to install free smoke alarms in homes without any because the Red Cross doesn’t just respond after an emergency, but they also want to prevent them from happening.

Sharon said, “I really enjoy volunteering as a Red Cross DAT member and find it very stimulating because I can make a positive difference in people’s lives, at a time when they need it the most.”

If you'd like to become a DAT team member in your county, sign up to become a volunteer on our website.

Story by American Red Cross volunteer, Peter Fechheimer