When Disaster Strikes, Will Your Community Be Ready?

Deb Fleming doesn’t wait for disasters to happen. As Executive Director of the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, she spends her days building the kind of community infrastructure that kicks into action the moment everything goes wrong. In a recent conversation on The Valley Today with host Janet Michael, Fleming pulled back the curtain on a quiet but powerful transformation underway across 11 counties in Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland — and why it matters to every single resident in the region. Click here to listen.

Rethinking What “Helping” Really Means

For decades, people have associated the Red Cross with two things: blood drives and disaster relief. However, Fleming is quick to point out that the organization’s mission runs much deeper than either of those associations suggests. “We don’t want to come to the community,” Fleming explains. “We want to be part of the community.”

That distinction drives everything the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter is doing right now. Rather than positioning itself as an outside organization that swoops in during a crisis, the Red Cross is actively embedding itself into the fabric of local communities — building relationships with nonprofits, civic organizations, government officials, and everyday residents long before an emergency ever strikes.

This approach, known as community mobilization, starts with a simple but powerful question: What does this community actually need? And the answer, as Fleming is quick to note, looks different in every single county.

No Two Communities Are the Same

The Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter covers a remarkably diverse geographic footprint. From the military-connected neighborhoods of Martinsburg to the rural hollows of Page County to the urban corridors of Winchester and Hagerstown, each community brings its own demographics, income levels, industries, and cultural makeup to the table.

“Every community does need something different,” Fleming says. “Certain communities are really good at mobilizing certain aspects of their community, but need support in other areas.”

As a result, the Red Cross is moving away from a one-size-fits-all model. Instead of spreading resources thin across every county in the same way, the chapter is now asking harder questions: Where is the greatest need? Who is already doing this well? And where can the Red Cross step back and simply support what’s already working?

Taking an Honest Look in the Mirror

Before fixing anything, Fleming and her team are doing something that takes real institutional courage — they’re conducting a maturity matrix, a structured self-assessment that measures the depth of their community partnerships, the inclusivity of their volunteer base, and the effectiveness of their operational strategies.

Importantly, the Red Cross isn’t rushing to fix what it finds. “Don’t try to fix anything yet,” Fleming recalls being told. “We want a realistic, honest answer to where you are.”

This kind of transparency is rare in the nonprofit world. Nevertheless, Fleming sees it as essential. Only by understanding where gaps exist can the organization meaningfully close them — and ultimately serve clients better when disaster arrives.

The Idea That Started Over Coffee

Perhaps the most exciting development to emerge from this community mobilization effort is the Disaster Leadership Academy — and it has an origin story as local as it gets.

Fleming and host Janet Michael were sitting together over coffee when the conversation turned to a gap they both recognized: community leaders, nonprofit staff, elected officials, and emergency managers were all doing important work — but they were largely doing it in silos. When a disaster hit, nobody fully understood what anyone else was supposed to be doing.

“Sometimes they know how to do what they know how to do very, very well,” Michael reflects. “But they don’t think about the other things that have to happen before, during, or after.”

Out of that conversation, a program was born. The Disaster Leadership Academy brings together people from across sectors — nonprofits, local government, elected officials, volunteers, and community members — to learn each other’s roles, build relationships, and develop a shared language around disaster response. The first cohort launches in Washington County, Maryland, with expansion to Winchester and the broader region to follow.

Why It Matters When It’s Happening

The stakes become clear the moment Fleming walks through a real scenario. When a tornado tears through a neighborhood, the immediate instinct for most people is to think about the victims — the families who need shelter, the children who need to be accounted for, the homes that need to be assessed. What most people don’t realize, however, is that there is an entire command structure that has to function correctly before any of that help can flow.

“Egos can get pretty big during a disaster,” Fleming says plainly.

When people don’t know each other, when roles aren’t clear, and when communication breaks down, the people who need help most are the ones who suffer. Furthermore, misinformation spreads rapidly — often through social media — filling the vacuum left by unclear official communication.

The Disaster Leadership Academy directly addresses this problem. By building relationships and clarifying roles before a crisis hits, participants are equipped to respond faster, communicate more clearly, and ultimately reduce the suffering that disasters inevitably bring.

You Can Be Part of the Solution

Beyond the Academy, Fleming is actively recruiting the 37 remaining volunteers the chapter needs to meet its regional deployment goals. Volunteers can sign up at RedCross.org and choose a path that fits their lifestyle — whether that means staying local and supporting their own community or eventually deploying to disaster zones across the country.

And for those who think they only have a few hours to spare? Fleming has a story for that too. One volunteer came to her saying he had exactly five hours a week and no intention of doing more. Today, he leads regional feeding operations and deploys nationally — and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“People really enjoy their experience,” Fleming says. “We have a over 94% happiness score with our volunteers.”

A Community That Takes Care of Itself

Ultimately, the vision Fleming is building toward is one where the Shenandoah Valley doesn’t have to wait for outside help when disaster strikes. Through community mobilization, the Disaster Leadership Academy, and a growing network of deeply connected partners, the goal is a region that knows itself — its strengths, its gaps, its people, and its plan.

That kind of community doesn’t build itself overnight. But as Fleming and Michael’s ongoing conversations make clear, it builds one relationship, one conversation, and one cup of coffee at a time.

🎙️ Ready to hear the full conversation? [Click here to listen to this episode of The Valley Today] — and share it with someone in your community who needs to hear it.

To volunteer with the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, visit RedCross.org.

 

When Disaster Strikes, the Red Cross Is Already Ready

behind the red cross pod
How the Greater Shenandoah Valley chapter prepares year-round — and why your community needs to know about it

Most people picture the American Red Cross arriving in the aftermath of a disaster — handing out blankets, opening shelters, feeding families. What they don’t picture is everything that had to happen first. On a recent episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael sits down with Deb Fleming, Executive Director of the Greater Shenandoah Valley chapter of the American Red Cross, to pull back the curtain on the extraordinary preparation that makes those moments of relief possible. Click here to listen.

The Work Nobody Sees

Long before a flood warning sounds or a house catches fire in the middle of the night, the Red Cross is already working. Fleming explains that the organization maintains an intricate network of relationships with local governments, fire departments, emergency management directors, first responders, and nonprofit partners across 11 counties — all so that when disaster strikes, everyone already knows their role.

“We don’t want to send somebody out there without a knowledge of what to do,” Fleming tells Michael. “Because that can cause a disaster within a disaster.”

To prevent exactly that, the Red Cross trains volunteers across more than 30 specialized roles — from shelter workers and feeding coordinators to information planners who track weather systems 14 days out and monitor storm activity as it moves across the Atlantic. Furthermore, staff regularly participate in exercises like the “Thunderbolt” drill, where national headquarters can call at any moment within a 14-day window and require local volunteers to stand up multiple mock shelters simultaneously. The organization also participates in large-scale simulations involving plane crashes, train incidents, and even nuclear scenarios.

Volunteers Are the Engine

Perhaps the most striking detail Fleming shares is this: with only three paid staff members serving the entire region, the Red Cross runs almost entirely on volunteers. In fact, 90% of the people you see responding to a disaster are unpaid community members who gave their time, completed their training, and showed up.

Consequently, training never really stops. Volunteers come and go, disasters evolve, and best practices change. “Constantly,” Fleming says, when asked how often training cycles repeat. The organization doesn’t just train once and move on — it continuously prepares its people for a rotating cast of emergencies, because the next one could look nothing like the last.

And the emergencies come fast. Fleming recounts a stretch as a disaster program manager when she managed 26 disasters in just 10 days — most of them house fires, but also flooding, a mining incident, and more. “Disaster is not an organized response,” she says plainly.

Small Disasters, Big Impact

One of the most important points Fleming makes is that the vast majority of Red Cross responses never make the news. While large-scale disasters like hurricanes and wildfires capture public attention and donations, the everyday work — the 2am house fire, the single family displaced by flooding, the individual who escaped with nothing but a blanket — happens quietly and constantly.

“Most people don’t know we’re there,” Fleming acknowledges. Nevertheless, the Red Cross shows up every time, regardless of the size of the disaster or the size of the audience watching.

Where the Money Goes — and Why It Matters

In the second half of the conversation, Michael and Fleming tackle a question donors often wonder about: where does the money actually go? Fleming answers it directly, breaking the cost of disaster relief down into tangible figures that make the stakes immediately clear:

  • $20 feeds one person breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • $22 installs a 10-year battery smoke alarm in a home
  • $124 covers one day of shelter, meals, and travel for one person
  • $135 provides cleanup kits for five families after a flood
  • $670 delivers immediate assistance — hotel, clothing, food, and shoes — to a family after a house fire

Moreover, for donors in the Shenandoah Valley, Fleming offers reassurance on a question she hears often: money donated to the Greater Shenandoah Valley chapter stays in the region. “You can be assured that the money that you donate to the American Red Cross of the Greater Shenandoah Valley chapter stays in our area,” she says.

How Businesses and Individuals Can Help

Beyond individual donations, Fleming outlines several creative and accessible ways that businesses and community members can get involved. Corporate matching programs, for instance, can double the impact of every dollar raised. A local company recently received a matching gift of up to $250,000 — proof that these programs work at every level.

Even smaller businesses can make a meaningful difference. As Michael points out, a company with 10 to 15 employees that raises $500 through an internal fundraiser and matches it internally suddenly delivers $1,000 to the local chapter. Similarly, Fleming highlights point-of-sale roundup programs at grocery stores and gas stations as an effortless way for customers to contribute spare change that adds up to thousands of dollars over time.

For those who prefer a more personal touch, Fleming shares one of her favorite ideas: the “bring your checkbook” dinner, where a host invites friends and family to enjoy a meal together while raising funds for the Red Cross. “You’re not even spending anything more,” she notes. “But now you have six, eight friends spending it with you.”

Every Dollar Counts

Ultimately, Fleming’s message is simple and urgent: no donation is too small, no effort too modest. Whether it’s $5 a month set up online at redcross.org, a one-time check, or a conversation with Fleming herself about larger giving opportunities, every contribution directly supports the people in this community when they need help most.

“When people give and when they volunteer, they feel better,” Fleming says. “Mentally and emotionally, it’s helpful for people.”

Listen to the Full Conversation

This article only scratches the surface of what Janet Michael and Deb Fleming cover in this episode. To hear the full conversation — including details on disability integration in Red Cross shelters, how the organization tracks disasters across the entire United States, and what it’s really like to be on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — click the link below to listen to the full episode of The Valley Today.

Behind the Red Cross: The Volunteers, Planning, and Prep That Make Disaster Relief Possible

New episodes of The Valley Today are released weekdays. Visit thevalleytodaypodcast.com for show notes, links, and resources from this episode.

Building Disaster-Ready Communities

disaster ready community pod
 Red Cross Does More Than You Think

When most people hear “American Red Cross,” they immediately think of blood drives. However, as Deborah Fleming, Executive Director of the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter, explains to The Valley Today host Janet Michael, disaster relief and recovery represent a massive—and increasingly critical—portion of the organization’s mission. Click here to listen to the conversation.

Deborah oversees operations across 11 counties spanning West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia, including Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Hampshire, and Hardy counties in West Virginia; Washington County in Maryland; and Shenandoah, Frederick, Warren, Clarke, Page counties and the city of Winchester in Virginia. Beyond blood drives, the chapter provides training services like CPR and first aid, supports military families, and most importantly, coordinates disaster response and recovery efforts.

A Growing Threat We Can’t Ignore

The statistics paint a sobering picture. Disasters are increasing in both frequency and intensity every year. While the Shenandoah Valley hasn’t experienced catastrophic events on the scale of recent flooding in Southwest Virginia or the devastating wildfires in California, Deborah warns that complacency could prove dangerous.

“These disasters are happening more rapidly, and their intensity is greater,” she explains. “We haven’t had the big disasters like we’re seeing right now in California, but unfortunately we do expect that we’re gonna be seeing more of those types of things.”

Moreover, the landscape of disaster response is shifting dramatically. Federal support through FEMA has been cut, and the focus is returning to local communities. This represents a significant reversal from the post-Katrina era when federal disaster response expanded considerably.

“After Katrina, that’s where FEMA expanded, because it’s really difficult for one community to come up with the resources they need,” Deborah notes. “So now that we’re headed back in that direction, it’s really important that each member of the community is prepared for themselves, but also to support the community that they live in.”

Building Your Emergency Kit: Beyond the Basics

Deborah emphasizes that preparation begins at home. The first essential step involves creating an emergency kit that can sustain your household for a minimum of three days—though she strongly recommends preparing for two weeks.

The kit should include one gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, medications, hygiene products, a battery-operated or crank radio (particularly NOAA weather radios), flashlights with extra batteries, a first aid kit, copies of important documents like passports and driver’s licenses, and cash.

Interestingly, Janet raises an important point during the conversation: emergency kits need regular updates as life circumstances change. She admits that despite maintaining a basement emergency kit for years, she never added supplies for her dogs after adopting them—no extra collars, leashes, pet food, or medications.

Deborah validates this concern, explaining that pets are now accepted in Red Cross shelters because people often refuse to evacuate without their animals, putting themselves in dangerous situations. She recommends not only including pet supplies in emergency kits but also researching which hotels accept pets in advance.

Making a Plan: When Technology Fails

Having supplies represents only half the equation. Deborah stresses that families must also create comprehensive evacuation and communication plans.

“How do I get out of the house? Do we have phone numbers that we have shared with other people so that they can get a hold of us?” she asks. “Do we have a meeting place? Where the centers are that are most likely gonna be a place of support for us?”

Critically, these plans cannot rely solely on smartphones. Deborah emphasizes writing down essential phone numbers and information because communication systems may fail during disasters. This is where AM radio becomes invaluable—a point that resonates strongly with the podcast’s station owner, Andrew.

“If your phone is not down, having those apps so that you can get the correct information as well,” Deborah explains. “But of course we do communicate with the AM radio stations to make sure that we can allow people to know what is going on at any given time.”

For families with children in different locations during the day or household members with sensory conditions who might hide during emergencies, practicing evacuation plans becomes even more crucial. She recommends running through these plans several times a year.

The Disaster Leadership Academy: Coordinating Community Response

Recognizing that effective disaster response requires coordination among multiple organizations, Deborah announces the launch of a Disaster Leadership Academy. This initiative aims to bring together government agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and community members to ensure everyone understands their role when disaster strikes.

“When disaster strikes, effective communication and coordination of leadership is essential in helping the community become resilient,” Deborah explains. “When you have a lot of players, which you need in a disaster, if they aren’t coordinated and talking with each other, they’re gonna be tripping over each other.”

The academy doesn’t compete with existing structures like VOADs (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) but rather helps people discover and engage with these resources. Different communities have different needs—what Shenandoah County requires may differ drastically from what the city of Winchester needs based on geography alone.

Deborah illustrates the importance of coordination with a practical example: if one organization opens a shelter without communicating this information, another might open a competing shelter, leaving disaster victims confused about where to seek help. Similarly, when people donate supplies without a coordinated distribution plan, those resources can go to waste.

The academy will include simulations and mock Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs), typically coordinated by emergency management, which bring together all organizations that can support disaster recovery. These exercises reveal not only what each organization does but also what they don’t do, helping identify gaps in community preparedness.

Community Mobilization: Your Neighbor Needs You

Beyond organizational coordination, Deborah envisions a network of trained community members—ideally someone on every block or every two blocks—who know what questions to ask and where to direct neighbors for resources during emergencies.

“Just imagine if you had somebody on every block of every community or every two blocks that were trained to know what questions to ask, where to go if there’s a fire in your community, to get those resources to those people,” she says. “What an amazing resource that would be.”

This grassroots approach proves particularly valuable for “minor” disasters—though Deborah acknowledges they’re anything but minor to those experiencing them—like single-family or multi-family fires where residents lose everything.

The commitment required isn’t overwhelming. Deborah notes that even highly engaged Red Cross volunteers typically deploy only twice a year. The organization welcomes people who want to contribute a little, a lot, or anywhere in between.

“A lot of people think, well, I’m not qualified or am I too old?” she says. “And no, you’re not too old. And yes, you’re qualified if you care for people, you are qualified to help.”

Taking the First Step

For listeners inspired to get involved, Deborah recommends visiting RedCross.org to volunteer or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. The organization will match volunteers with opportunities based on their interests and skills—whether that’s disaster response, administrative work, finances and fundraising, or participating in the Leadership Academy.

As Janet notes, there are people in every community who instinctively stop to help when they see someone pulled over on the roadside or come upon an accident. “You are that person,” she tells listeners. “That’s all you need to have is that, oh my gosh, I have to see what I can do.”

The Bottom Line

Deborah’s message throughout the conversation remains clear and urgent: the time to prepare is now, before disaster strikes. With federal resources shrinking and disasters intensifying, communities must build their own resilience through individual preparedness, organizational coordination, and neighborhood-level support networks.

The Shenandoah Valley may have been fortunate so far, but that luck won’t last forever. By building emergency kits, creating family plans, participating in community preparedness initiatives, and volunteering with organizations like the Red Cross, residents can ensure that when disaster does strike, their community will be ready to respond, recover, and rebuild together.

As Deborah will continue to emphasize in her monthly appearances on The Valley Today throughout 2026, disaster preparedness isn’t just about surviving the immediate crisis—it’s about building communities strong enough to support each other through whatever challenges lie ahead.