Red Cross trains more relief helpers at Kalispell session

The Daily Inter Lake

The American Red Cross of Montana will stage mass training sessions statewide on Saturday to qualify more volunteers to respond to the needs of disaster victims.

In Kalispell, the training takes place at the Red Cross office, 17A First Avenue East.

The effort is part of a national Red Cross effort to train 40,000 more volunteers before Nov. 30 to meet the long-term needs of Hurricane Katrina victims.

A typical Red Cross disaster assignment is three weeks.

Those who participate in Saturday's training will be eligible for assignment in the next few weeks, according to Mel Holtz, director of preparedness and response for the Montana Red Cross.

"We expect we will have more applicants than we can accommodate on Saturday, so advance registration and confirmation is required, but we will be doing additional trainings in the near future," Holtz said in a prepared release.

The course includes the basics of Red Cross disaster response and skills needed in sheltering and caring for large groups of people.

There are 44 Montana volunteers already assisting in Gulf Coast areas.

Call the Kalispell office at 752-6433 for further information.