A local Red Cross executive is in charge of the agency's disaster operation in New York, supervising more than 5,000 Red Cross volunteers.

        He is Gary Miller, director of Disaster Services for the Cincinnati Red Cross Chapter.

Costello

Miller

        Mr. Miller and Vincent Costello, director of International Services for the local chapter, drove to New York Wednesday.

        Both have been with the Red Cross 28 years.

        Mr. Miller is one of seven individuals in the American Red Cross qualified to serve as a job director at a “Level Five” disaster, such as what occurred in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

        He was part of the $58 million Red Cross relief operation in Puerto Rico and the Caribbeanafter Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and the 1997 floods here.

        Mr. Costello is considered an expert in reuniting families during a disaster. He has worked in national disasters, including five hurricanes, four floods, and the Oakland, Calif. fire in 1991.

        His job will be to locate and determine the welfare of families.

        “My job will be to find out who are injured and inform families,” Mr. Costello said.

        “Experience can help prepare you, but it doesn't harden you beyond emotions. It does help you to separate some of your own feelings.”

        He worked with the International Red Cross Committee during the Kosovo conflict in 1999.

        “Much of our work will involve mental health counseling,” Mr. Miller said. “This is different from being on a fire scene where the main emphasis is getting people some place to stay. We will have to deal with a lot of families who don't know what has happened to their loved ones.”

        Two other local Red Cross staff members left for Pennsylvania Wednesday night. They are Tricia Anderson, volunteer recruitment and training specialist, and Steve Moeggenberg, director of workplace health services.

        Ms. Anderson will work on the disaster volunteer team as a technician and Mr. Moeggenberg will serve as a mass care specialist.

        Local Red Cross volunteer Jerry Dickens, a member of the chapter's medical assistance team, went to New York Wednesday to work as a health service specialist.

        David Major, director of General Services for the local chapter, left for Washington Thursday evening to work on logistic functions.

        In terms of tangible donations, the Red Cross is planning on using resources closer to the affected areas before asking for help from farther away.

        Mindy Hammer, director of financial development at the Red Cross, said money donations are needed to help the victims.

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