A Message From CEO T.D. Smyers: North Texans Helping Our Neighbors After Tornado Outbreak

by T.D. Smyers, CEO, American Red Cross North Texas Region

T.D. Smyers

In the past week, thousands of people were affected by the tornadoes and floods that caused heartbreaking devastation to neighborhoods and communities across the south. Our own Gail McGovern went to see the Red Cross response in Arkansas and wrote this first-hand account. As these storms were touching down, I was glued to my TV and Twitter monitoring the weather situation. We dodged a bullet in North Texas. Had those storms developed only a few hours sooner, they might have put us in the same situation, requiring Red Cross help from other states. 

In fact, it was only about a year ago that we were reeling from such an event. Fresh off of the West, TX fertilizer plant explosion, we responded to fatal storms in Hood, Johnson and Parker Counties. With this latest response, our newest capability, the North Texas Region Digital Operations Center, has been a tremendous asset in helping us connect those in need with resources available at the Red Cross. Of course, it's not only technology that North Texans are wielding help. We've deployed more than 40 volunteer disaster responders to the affected areas, along with a fleet of Emergency Response Vehicles.

A Fort Worth Emergency Response Vehicle
provides support to people affected by tornadoes in Arkansas

We can't do any of this without your support, which brings comfort and hope to people when they need it most. As you saw with the tornado threat in Dallas just yesterday, a disaster can happen at any time and when it does, we'll be in need of the same kind of help that we're now providing to our neighbors. Help people affected by disasters big and small, give to disaster relief.

Our sincerest thanks for your support.

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Seeking Digital Volunteers!

Like everything else, the world of disaster response is going online. And the American Red Cross is following, so we can continue to help people, wherever they are, when they need it the most. Recently we opened our new North Texas Digital Operations Center (DigiDOC) in Dallas, a social media command center designed to help us better connect with people online with resources during disasters. Here's how it works:

Digitizing the Power of Volunteers

To make the most of this innovative technology, we need your help! We're looking for digital volunteers to help us staff our new DigiDOC and help our communications team monitor and engage on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter before and during disasters to let people know how to stay safe during emergency situations and connect them to Red Cross resources afterwards. 

What do digital volunteers do?

• Support the Red Cross mission through social platform interactions and content creation. 
• Use personal social media accounts to engage with donors, clients, and other members of the public on Red Cross-related subjects.
• Monitor and post to official Red Cross social channels as assigned.
• During disasters, provide moral and emotional support, connect affected communities with critical disaster information and resources and identify actionable posts or information on social platforms. 
• Tag, sort and categorize posts from social platforms using software and processes established by the social engagement team. 
• Communicate perceived trends in conversations, information about Red Cross-related topics back to the social engagement team. 

What are the requirements for becoming a digital volunteer?

• At least one active social media account 
• An active and regularly checked email account 
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in using social media sites 
• Familiarity with social media monitoring applications and online group collaboration tools (examples: Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, online forums) 
• Regular access to the internet 
• Access to a computer than can run required software with no issues
• Communications/marketing background or experience using social media professionally is a plus.

What are the availability requirements?

• During times of disaster or severe weather, digital volunteers are asked for on-call availability to take 4-hour shifts, including during overnight hours.
• During non-disaster periods, the volunteer can take assignments as their schedule allows. Time requirements will vary by activity, but are flexible.
• Digital volunteers work both in the DigiDOC at the Dallas chapter during times of disaster and also remotely. In-person availability is NOT required to be a digital volunteer.

Socially savvy and interested in using your online presence to help people during disasters? Become a Red Cross digital volunteer!

Email amy.yen@redcross.org to learn more or visit RedCross.org/DFW to apply.

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The North Texas DigiDOC is Officially Open!

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross North Texas Region

Our big launch event for the new North Texas Digital Operations Center was a huge success! We even took it out for a test run with the severe weather in the Metroplex last night. Big thanks to everyone who came out for the launch, especially our panelists and our partners at Dell, who made this all possible.

If you weren't able to be there, here's a summary of what you missed. Learn more about our new DigiDOC at RedCross.org/DFW, including how you can become a digital volunteer & do some good with your online presence!

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