RED CROSS WORK KEEPS A.V. MAN ON ROAD; RETIREE PITCHES IN TO AID IN DISASTERS.Byline: Romy Jacobson Daily News Staff Writer Del Hester always has a suitcase packed in case disaster strikes - not to make a quick getaway, but to rush to the catastrophe to help provide food and shelter to victims. The 72-year-old Lancaster resident is an American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. volunteer, who over the last seven years has helped flood victims in Northern California Northern California, sometimes referred to as NorCal, is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, the state capital, Sacramento; as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern , tornado victims in Arkansas and apartment fire survivors in Kansas City Kansas City, two adjacent cities of the same name, one (1990 pop. 149,767), seat of Wyandotte co., NE Kansas (inc. 1859), the other (1990 pop. 435,146), Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties, NW Mo. (inc. 1850). . He just got back from 14 days working in Red Cross kitchens to feed winter refugees in upstate New York Upstate New York is the region of New York State north of the core of the New York metropolitan area. It has a population of 7,121,911 out of New York State's total 18,976,457. Were it an independent state, it would be ranked 13th by population. , where an ice storm left thousands without power and heat in their homes and businesses. ``If hell ever freezes over, I know what it's going to look like,'' said Hester, a retired electrician. Hester, a mass care and logistics specialist, got involved with the Red Cross after he retired from Pacific Gas and Electric in Northern California and moved to St. Louis. ``I was looking to do some volunteer work,'' said Hester. ``I tried the Red Cross and they jumped on me like a hungry dog on a bone when they found out I was retired and living on my own.'' Hester spent five years working with the St. Louis chapter before his move to the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley in November 1995. He works with the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. chapter. He has taken approximately 25 classes in disaster relief, cardiopulmonary resuscitation cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), emergency procedure used to treat victims of cardiac and respiratory arrest. CPR can be done in a hospital with drugs and special equipment or as a first-aid technique. and first aid. When he's out of town providing aid to victims, Hester's friends help him out by handling his bills. ``I give them checks to cover my rent,'' Hester said. ``They take care of my bills and I'm off and running.'' When a disaster occurs, the Red Cross makes a 21-day commitment to help. Hester has been at a disaster site for up to six weeks. This time around, his stay was 14 days. ``Whenever they need me, they call me,'' said Hester. ``They come up pretty regular.'' Hester and his fellow volunteers worked in the kitchen that fed displaced residents and emergency workers. At one point, volunteers were serving 1,400 meals per day. ``In mass care, that is always our purpose,'' said Hester. ``At one time, we had six shelters open in Franklin County Franklin County is the name of 24 counties in the United States. All except Franklin County, Idaho are likely named for Benjamin Franklin, a Founding Father of the United States. . We shelter them and feed anybody that needs to be fed.'' Hester encourages Antelope Valley residents to contact the Red Cross and see how they can get involved in donating their time. ``The whole operation is basically run by volunteers from all over the country,'' said Hester. ``I'd like to get the people in the Antelope Valley interested in doing this.'' To help disaster victims, donations designated for the ``Disaster Relief Fund'' should be sent to any American Red Cross chapter. The address of the Los Angeles chapter is 2700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057. Internet users Internet user n → internauta m/f Internet user Internet n → internaute m/f can make an online credit card contribution by visiting the American Red Cross national World Wide Web site at http://www.redcross.org. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) (Color ran in AV only) Del Hester of Lancaster recently assisted in storm-wracked upstate New York. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News |
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