MINEOLA, N.Y., May 31, 2008 - Volunteers and staff of the American Red Cross in Nassau County were put to the test when the nonprofit held a large-scale hurricane drill, Saturday, May 31.

“Over the past two years, we have gone to great lengths to better prepare Long Island for a major storm by identifying shelters and staging supplies,” said Frank Cassano, chief executive officer of the Nassau Red Cross. “Yet the true measure of our success will be the ability of our volunteers to effectively open and run our shelters.”

During the drill, shelters were opened at Locust Valley High School, Locust Valley, and McKenna Elementary, Massapequa Park. The Red Cross also staffed its emergency operations center at its Mineola headquarters to oversee the exercise.

Volunteers faced a number of challenges throughout the event including the "loss" of power, as well as cellular telephone communications. One scenario even simulated a fire, using actual smoke in the shelter, which forced a surprise evacuation.

“Obviously, no matter how detailed your response plan is, major storms bring a level of uncertainty with them,” said Cassano. “We created many obstacles for the volunteers to overcome, which we hope will make them better able to react during an actual disaster.”

A disaster that is long overdue, according to the National Hurricane Center. On average, Long Island historically receives a direct hit from a hurricane once every 17-18 years. The last major coastal storm to pound the Island was Hurricane Gloria in 1985.

The Red Cross was assisted in the drill by a number of partner agencies, including Nassau County's CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), the Nassau Amateur Radio Emergency Services, and members of the public who acted as evacuees.

For more information about the American Red Cross in Nassau County and its efforts to better prepare Long Island for disasters like hurricanes, call (516) 747-3500 or visit the chapter online at www.nassauredcross.org.

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