The American Red Cross published on its own blog yesterday its response to an investigative journalism article that criticized the Red Cross’ response to recent disaster, including super storm Sandy.

In the blog, the Red Cross denies that it diverted vehicles and resources to press conferences instead of using them to deliver services.

The organization also indicates that there is “no evidence to support” an assertion that After Hurricane Isaac made landfall, the Red Cross sent 80 empty emergency response vehicles through neighborhoods in Mississippi, only for show.

Read the response for yourself at http://blog.redcross.org/#sthash.n1apoVxU.rbD1fK3e.dpuf

When the Red Cross finally appeared (in the Rockaways, N.Y.) weeks after the storm (Sandy), volunteers were planning to distribute flashlights but discovered they had no batteries, she (a volunteer for the relief group Occupy Sandy) says. One Red Cross staffer came to a Rockaways community center and asked them to donate some. “I was infuriated,” she recalls. “Didn’t Lady Gaga just donate a million dollars to you guys?” she asked the Red Cross staffer. “Buy some batteries with it.”

The above paragraph is an excerpt from “The Red Cross’ Secret Disaster,” a piece of investigative journalism published today by ProPublica, a non-profit corporation that describes itself as an independent non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. The except demonstrates just one of many ways the American Red Cross apparently allowed poor leadership at top levels to hinder (if not disable) its ability to meet the needs of the victims of Hurricane Isaac and super storm Sandy.

For a long time, the American Red Cross has been the default recipient of monetary donations from Americans who feel compelled to do something to help disaster victims. Reading ProPublic’s piece might lead you to consider other recipients for your next donation.

If so, and if you, like me, are a Christian, consider looking first to your own denomination. Many have their own disaster response ministries. If you’re not certain whether your denomination does, ask your pastor or other church leaders.

That said, I believe it would be a shame if the American Red Cross ceased to exist due to drying up donations as a result of ProPublica’s exposé. The American Red Cross has significant resources and should not be allowed to die. Instead, donors should insist on reform and greater transparency, so that the organization can better respond to the next disaster.

I welcome you to use the comment link below the title of this post to add your thoughts. And if you’d like to share this post, you’ll find convenient links below.

Facebook has announced implementation of a new communication tool designed to help people learn quickly whether a disaster has harmed their loved ones.

The tool, called “Safety Check,” will help users:

• Let friends and family know they’re safe
• Check on others in the affected area
• Mark their friends as safe

Only the user’s friends will see the user’s safety status and the comments the user shares.

Safety Check will be available globally on Android, iOS, feature phones and desktop.

Facebook will activate the tool after any major disaster. When Facebook does so, any users who Facebook’s servers believe might be in the disaster area will receive a message through their Facebook accounts, asking if they’re safe.

Users may then indicate that they’re safe, or, if Facebook got their location wrong, that they’re outside the disaster area.

Whenever users mark themselves as safe, Facebook will send a message to all of the users’ Facebook friends to inform them.

Another way people can inform their loved ones that they are safe after a disaster is the American Red Cross’ “Safe & Well” program. Everyone who has access to the Web may go to the Safe & Well website and list themselves as safe and well. Users outside the disaster area may use the same website to search for registrants by name, phone number or home address.

How useful do you think such tools are? Add your comments using the comment link under the title of this post.

Our Allen County Office of Homeland Security now has its own Facebook page! Make sure to “like” this page to get… http://t.co/DR9GinUND5
— Allen County INfo (@allencountyinfo) February 26, 2014