The American Red Cross has been serving Indiana for more than a century as it works to "prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors."
The Red Cross Indiana chapter offers the following services:
- Blood donations
- Immediate disaster response
- Training for emergency preparedness
- Volunteers
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are local teams in neighborhoods, workplaces and schools that are trained in basic disaster response skills, including fire suppression, medical operations and urban search and rescue. These volunteer citizens take an active role in local emergency preparedness.
Volunteers of the Indiana Wing Civil Air Patrol, based in Terre Haute, have been performing emergency services since 1941. The Indiana Wing help with search and rescue, disaster relief, humanitarian services, Air Force support and counter drug operations.
Indiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) is an affiliate of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD). VOADs are associations of organizations that mitigate and alleviate the impact of disasters. Indiana VOAD consists of both locally based organizations and local representatives of national organizations.
The Mennonite Disaster Service is a volunteer network of Anabaptist churches that responds to disasters, focusing on cleanup, house repairs and house rebuilding.
The Ports of Indiana is the Indiana Port Commission, the governmental authority to operate the state's ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. The ports handle large amounts of cargo, which may be needed in times of emergency.
The American Red Cross Indiana chapter adapts to every disaster, but at its core The Salvation Army provides food and water services, shelters, cleanup and emergency communication assistance. The organization also helps with long-term recovery, emergency preparedness and spiritual and emotional care
Depending on the type of disaster or emergency, different state agencies can be involved in numerous ways. In addition to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security's leadership and coordination, the following state agencies commonly assist:
IDHS also coordinates a team of trained and qualified volunteers to help assess structures affected by disasters. Government employees, architects, engineers and the like are invited to learn more about the Indiana Building Emergency Assessment and Monitoring Team at the I-BEAM page.
