By Special to the Town Crier

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the East Coast, the American Red Cross in Palo Alto received several calls from people wanting to go to the East Coast as Red Cross volunteers.

“Unfortunately, none of these people had any training,” said Mac McMillian, director of disaster services at the Palo Alto chapter. “For folks who are interested in helping out at disaster locations across the country, I strongly recommend they get trained as Red Cross volunteers,” he said.

The first step in that process is a basic class that introduces people to different types of disasters and how they affect people. “When a disaster strikes, Red Cross volunteers assess damages, open and operate shelters and work with local agencies to meet the immediate needs of the victims,” he said. “This takes training.”

He stressed that disasters are chaotic events and it is critical to have trained individuals to help those in need. “Red Cross disaster services personnel operate as a cohesive team while performing hundreds of tasks,” he said.

An Introduction to Disaster Services class has been scheduled 6.30-9.30 p.m., Oct. 2, at the Olive Tree Shopping Center, 2290 El Camino Real, Mountain View.

All disaster training classes are free, but registration is required. To register, call 688-0431.

For more information on the training courses, call 688-0423 or logon to www.paarc.org/classes_disaster.