After watching the Westgate condominium fire on the news, Edward McDonough, president of the Warwick Rotary Club, couldn’t help but think he should be there doing something to help. He immediately thought of the Rotary Club and how, despite all the charity work they do, nothing is in place to help in times of local disasters.

Inspired, he reached out to the district governor, Valerie Perry, about creating a district-wide disaster response team that could be available to assist the American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter. He began his own committee in Warwick and then notified all the other clubs, suggesting they create their own as well.

“That way we could geographically cover the whole state,” he said.

Now Rotary District 7950 will assist the Red Cross during times of crisis and disaster within their communities.

On July 28, at the Clean Care New England 40 Rotary members from around the state attended a Red Cross orientation and training session.

“This is what Rotarians do, we want to help people,” McDonough said. “We are ready to go if the Red Cross needs us.”

In a press release Elizabeth McDonald, American Red Cross Senior Director of Emergency Services said, “The Red Cross is powered by volunteers and Rotarians are always looking for ways to help. This is a great fit.”

In Rhode Island the Red Cross annually responds to more than 200 disasters, most often residential fires. But they do experience larger disasters, such as the Westgate fire or after major storms.

Rotary members were not called to help in the most recent storm and McDonough suspects it is because they haven’t been through enough training or because the Red Cross hasn’t completed BCI checks.

The Rotary club is also affiliated with Shelter Box USA, a disaster relief organization providing emergency shelter.

The Rotary team will continue attending different trainings, for such things as CPR, to be prepared should the Red Cross call on them.

We want to be there to help out in anyway we can physically mentally or spiritually,” he said. “Even if we are just passing out blankets or food that’s more time for Red Cross to get down to the real nitty gritty of the situation.”