Anne Arundel County, American Red Cross sign agreement to strengthen disaster response partnership

ANNAPOLIS, Md — The agreement builds on years of collaboration between the county and the Red Cross, with the goal of ensuring residents receive help quickly and effectively when they need it most.

"Anne Arundel County and the Red Cross have worked together for many years in preparedness, response and recovery," Preeti Emrick, director of the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management, said.

Within the last year alone, disaster struck Anne Arundel County more than 100 times.

"A hundred times these amazing volunteers that you are seeing today and some of the fire team and Preeti's team have been standing side by side on a street corner, helping a family here in Anne Arundel County, responding to those disasters," Dale Kunce, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region, said.

Anne Arundel County Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford said the partnership reflects the county's commitment to its residents.

"Comfort, safety, security, to me that is what I see on this side of the podium and I'm exceptionally grateful for that. There is over 15 hundred firefighters in Anne Arundel County and we're taking care of a lot of residents, a lot of guests and you all just help us do that," Wolford said.

Lynn Hottle, who has been volunteering with the American Red Cross for over 13 years, said the work is both necessary and rewarding.

"We meet people at their most vulnerable time, when they are feeling very hopeless and helpless and we help try to restore that hope that they have," Hottle said.

"I feel like I get so much more out of this than I give out to people and it's just been a true treasure," Hottle said.

Hottle said having a formal partnership and coordination with county emergency responders makes the work easier.

"We couldn't do it alone and so the fact that they are reaching out to other people to partner, good for them because we need everybody to do it, on disasters local or national, we have to have partnerships so this is a big step in the right direction to do that," Hottle said.

The American Red Cross is also encouraging residents to make sure they have plans in place for all types of potential disasters in recognition of National Preparedness Month.

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