Ed Robertson’s Remarkable 70 Year Red Cross Story
Written by Ed Robertson
More than 70 years ago, on March 19, I was sitting in my small apartment in Boston’s Back Bay area listening to my radio and watching the snow come down. At the end of an hourly local newscast, there was a public service announcement that changed to course of my life.
I was still in college and had also received a Local Preacher License from the Methodist Church in Medford, MA where I then worked part time as an assistant to the minister. But on March 19, 1956, the Boston area was snowed in so I was home.
From History of the Boston Fire Department and Boston Fire Alarm System 1859-1973 by William Werner. “The month of March 1956, produced much snow: there were blizzards on March 16, 19 and 24, resulting in a total snowfall of about 29 inches in 8 days, greatly hindering department operations.”
The Public Service Announcement said that many of the local Red Cross volunteers could not get to the chapter because of the snow. The Red Cross needed additional volunteers who could get to the chapter at the corner of Comm Ave. and Gloucester St. I lived only a block away so off I went to volunteer.
An Enthusiastic “Yes” to a Red Cross Volunteer Career
The gentleman who greeted me at the door, Gardiner Dean, who was Chair of the Disaster Transportation Committee, asked just one question. “Can you drive in snow?” When I replied I could, he told me where the already dug out station wagon was, where the keys were, where the cots and blankets were and where they were needed. “Let me know when you get back.” When I completed my final delivery that night and returned to the Chapter, Gardiner asked me if I would like to continue as a Red Cross volunteer, and I enthusiastically said, “Yes.”
That “Yes” was the start of a volunteer career with Greater Boston Red Cross from 1956 to 1980 that included Disaster Vice-Chair for Operations and Training, First Aid Chair, Branch Disaster Chair for two towns and Greater Boston Board member.
ABOVE: Red Cross First Aid training, Waltham, MA late 1960's. (I still have the hat and badge.)
Along the way in the Boston journey, I transported caseworkers from the chapter to a local service center after a 24-family fire. One of them was a very special woman who accepted my proposal, and we were married in June 1958. We were a Red Cross family.
ABOVE: My worst Red Cross day in Boston. June 17, 1972 - 4 alarm fire in old Hotel Vendome. The fire was knocked down, and companies were overhauling when part of the building collapsed killing 9 Boston firefighters. In this photo, we were assisting with the removal of one of the nine.
National Disaster Assignments, Health & Safety, and Armed Forces Emergency Services
The journey continued in North Carolina where I started national disaster assignments along with paid Health & Safety Instructor jobs. Then, I went to Maryland with many local and national disaster assignments (some as a Temporary Employee) along with an after-hours Armed Forces Emergency Services paid job.
As I aged, it was time to settle down with less disaster travel. In January 1998, I accepted the Director of Emergency Social Services position in Harrisburg at a chapter that later became ARC of the Susquehanna Valley.
Emergency Services; Post 9/11 NYC Family Assistance Center and Again Not Retiring
Retirement at age 65 did not last long. About 6 weeks later the Executive Director of an adjacent chapter asked me to “fill in” as his emergency services director until he could hire a permanent one. Then New York after 9/11 (Night Director then Manager of Red Cross component of NYC Family Assistance Center).
The list continued with more interim assignments and disaster responses until I went back to work full time as a national employee in the Northeast Service Area in 2005.
When the Service Area closed, I went with Audit Services at NHQ for two years until it was time to retire again. This ‘retirement’ included more local and national disaster and training assignments until Super-storm Sandy brought me back full-time as NHQ Disaster Liaison to FEMA and NJ for long term recovery for a year. That was my last Red Cross paid job.
ABOVE: December 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami caused widespread death and destruction across a large area of southeast Asia. World-wide response sent aid through many Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In 2008 I was part of an American Red Cross internal audit team sent to the Maldive Islands to audit the programs in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. (Staff came to the Maldives for their audit since Red Cross security would not let us travel to Sri Lanka because of political unrest there.)
Return to Harrisburg and Years With VOAD
I came back to Harrisburg and accepted a Red Cross volunteer job as State Disaster Relations Liaison for Pennsylvania and developed some wonderful relations with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Association and some of the county coordinators which continue today.
At the same time, my Episcopal Diocese elected a new bishop who understands the impact of disasters on the communities. I accepted her offer to become the Diocesan Disaster Coordinator. And the Diocese joined PA VOAD.
In 2018, I was elected President of Pennsylvania Volunteers Active in Disasters (PA VOAD) for the first of 2 two-year terms: I remained on the board for 2 more years as immediate past-president and another year as an At-Large member. As my PA VOAD Board time concluded, I stayed active as the Lead Agency (PA VOAD) Representative to the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center.
Still Volunteering at 90!!
My birthday March 1 was my 90th, and I have health challenges, so I asked to be replaced as the PA VOAD Lead AREP. I will continue a bit longer as one of the AREP’s for PA VOAD.
Our diocese merged with another January 1. We are now The Episcopal Diocese of the Susquehanna. I’ll continue as Diocesan Disaster Coordinator for a while longer.
There are many wonderful and many very sad experiences in between the lines of this short disaster career summary. Through it all, I am blessed to have been able to be there for many disaster survivors when “Help Can’t Wait.”
ADDED:
Red Cross NHQ 1967 newsreel-style “motion picture” - features Ed and the Boston Red Cross, Red Cross in Vietnam, and more. (13 mins)
https://youtu.be/C3cG3zVPTms
Ed notes: "There is one brief scene showing an older Red Cross volunteer sitting with an elderly woman. The volunteer was a construction carpenter originally from Newfoundland. The woman was blind and had just been brought down a ladder by firefighters from the fourth floor of a burning hotel. He was able to talk with her, reassure her that she was safe and that she would soon have a safe place to stay. She didn’t want him to leave her alone until it was time for her to go to her next temporary home. He stayed with her as she requested."
Thank you for your life of service, Ed!!!
