Their roles include registering evacuees whose homes have been flooded and offering care and comfort. 

The Red Cross personal support volunteers include Alan and Marg Benson of Melbourne, who have been volunteering together for more than 25 years – they supported their community in the Ash Wednesday bushfires.

They are part of Red Cross’ outreach and recovery role – visiting affected families to support them and link them up to other services – and helping in recovery centres.

Also joining the effort are staff members, including Red Cross south-west emergency services coordinator Vicki Collins of Ballarat, who is assisting with the management of outreach, and Red Cross emergency services Melbourne metro coordinator Jen Walsh. 

Jen joined the organisation in January after three years at American Red Cross in Chicago, where she worked in disaster response for major emergencies including Hurricane Katrina.

Australian Red Cross Victoria Emergency Services state manager Adam Dent said he was very grateful to the volunteers and staff, and said they would be involved in the important recovery phase.

'The Red Cross response, which has been Australia-wide, has been there from the beginning – from managing evacuation centres to providing personal support - but now we are shifting to the outreach and recovery phase.  We’re in it for the long haul,' he said.

In Victoria, Red Cross is committed to training 4000 of its existing emergency services volunteers in personal support between now and 2010, to ensure they are even better prepared to help their communities.

Available for interview:  Australian Red Cross Victoria emergency services manager Adam Dent, and volunteers.

Australian Red Cross is part of the largest humanitarian organisation in the world, with around 100 million volunteers in 186 countries.

Those interested in becoming an emergency services volunteer can call 1800 232 969.

For further information please contact Laurelle Keough at Australian Red Cross