This time Red Cross needs our help

Inter Lake editorial

There was first shock, then dismay when the Red Cross announced two weeks ago it is severing its entire Kalispell Service Center staff and leaving the job of providing front-line disaster assistance to volunteers.

For decades, the local Red Cross consistently has been the organization people turn to in times of crisis, whether it's a house fire or a flood. Without paid staff, it's questionable what level of service will be left in the wake of the cutbacks.

Flathead County Emergency Services Director Mark Peck, a linchpin for area disaster preparedness, noted this week that the unexpected staff cuts affect disaster plans not only in Flathead County but also in Lincoln, Sanders and Lake counties. All four counties have been served by the Kalispell Service Center. That's a large territory left vulnerable in the event of any number of disasters.

Volunteers historically have been a vital part of the Red Cross, both locally and nationally, but Peck is right when he says there's no way volunteers can continue services at the level of the paid staff.

Apparently the state Red Cross has been financially hemorrhaging for years. Contributions are down; the frequency of disasters is up. The need for fiscal responsibility is understandable, but we wonder if the cost-cutting measures were too hastily imposed without giving area service centers time to brainstorm ways of staying afloat.

The local Red Cross leadership council proposed seeking donations as a stopgap measure to keep the office going for three months while permanent funding could be sought. But the state board said the only way it would consider an extension is with solid commitments for long-term sustainable funding.

We're glad to see the local Red Cross leadership council nevertheless is pushing forward with a fact-finding meeting with the organization's state board and chief executive officer.

Kalispell wasn't the only center hit hard by the Red Cross cutbacks. Centers in Billings and Helena also have been shaved to all-volunteer offices. Paid staffers remain only in Great Falls, Missoula and Bozeman.

As we discovered in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and other national disasters of late, the government can't do it all when it comes to disaster relief. The Red Cross, a group that has faithfully doled out help for more than a century, is needed more now than ever.

If you believe in the cause, give generously. There must be a way to resuscitate this worthy organization that's there for us, day or night, when disaster strikes.