RED CROSS OFFICE HERE STATION FOR NEW EMERGENCY VEHICLE

When disaster strikes, American Red Cross emergency relief vehicles move in quickly.

"There are 270 of these national ERVs stationed across the United States," said Mary Burton, executive director of Cape Girardeau chapter of the American Red Cross. "Wherever the vans are needed, they go."

One of the special $45,000 units is stationed at Cape Girardeau.

"We received a new one Monday," said Burton. "Our previous ERV was too old, had too many miles on it and just wasn't dependable any more."

The new unit, said Burton, "increases our capacity to respond to disaster situations both locally and nationally."

Mike and Mary Kreuter, two volunteers for the local Red Cross chapter, drove the unit from Atlanta.

The Kreuters flew to Atlanta last week, where they underwent a day of training in the operation of the new van.

The ERV units are owned by the national Red Cross.

"They're built on an ambulance frame and are used for mass care in disaster situation," added Burton. "They don't contain emergency medical equipment, but are used for feeding victims and Red Cross workers.

"They also serve as a family service unit, meeting people in disaster areas, determining their needs and helping with paperwork necessary for additional help."

A total of 19 ERVs were sent into the Southeast Missouri area during the last year's flooding. During the summer, the vehicles served more than 330,000 meals.

"We used them to deliver food and cold drinks to people who were bagging sand," said Burton. "We also sent the unit into the Red Star area, where the Cape Girardeau County Health Services were providing tetanus inoculations."

Volunteers are an important part of the ERV program.

"There is a great need for volunteers who can go with vehicles," said Burton. "The national Red Cross provides the ERV, but we have to provide volunteers to operate them. And, if we're called on to send the ERV into another area, we have to send volunteers -- two for each vehicle -- whether it's to an earthquake area in California, or hurricane area in Louisiana. There is a great need for volunteers."

Burton noted that more than 200 volunteers came to the Cape Girardeau area during the past spring.

The Cape Girardeau-based ERV was called out to Louisiana during last year's hurricane and has been sent to a number of other national disaster areas.

"Locally, we sent the vehicle into Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri last June when that area was hit by heavy winds. We served more than 4,000 meals in those areas," said Burton. "We're in `tornado alley' and have a lot of windstorms each year. We're also along an earthquake fault. You never know when the ERV is going to be called out."

Last November, during flash flooding and tornadoes, the ERVs provided more than 14,000 meals throughout a wide area of Southeast Missouri.

Burton emphasized that the local Red Cross chapter would train volunteers in the operation and use of the vehicle.

"We're always looking for volunteers," she said. "Anyone interested in volunteering should call 335-9471."