Fairfax, Va. (Nov. 6, 2009) – The American Red Cross in the National Capital Region brought home a new baby this week. The region’s newest response vehicle was an innovation to better serve the District and surrounding areas. On Monday, Nov. 9, from 10:30 a.m. until 12 p.m., the Red Cross regional headquarters will host an opportunity for press to tour the vehicle and to hear more about the emergency services of the American Red Cross. The event will be held at Regional Headquarters, 8550 Arlington Boulevard, Fairfax. Light refreshments and coffee will be served. The vehicle was made possible by a generous donation from an anonymous donor.

In response to the local Red Cross’ need for a vehicle better equipped to serve the needs of the public more quickly and easily, and a vehicle sized more appropriately for the narrow streets and alleyways of the District and other urban areas, Ian Sterne, coordinator of response technology for the Red Cross regional headquarters designed, ordered and traveled to Texas, along with long-time volunteer and Casework Manger Tommy Thompson, to retrieve the new canteen vehicle.

“We have had situations where we have had difficulty getting our canteen down a particularly narrow road.” Sterne said. “This vehicle has all the resources of ‘Canteen 1,’ but it is only the width of a mini-van. We can maneuver this vehicle almost anywhere and park it easily.”

The canteen is equipped with special safety lighting and loud speakers. Inside, it has a 500 pound ice bin and brewers to make enough coffee for a small army—and to keep it coming. The on-board coffee makers can produce 14 gallons, or 224 cups, of coffee per hour. Because it’s lower to the ground, it makes loading supplies on the fly fast and easy.

At a given local disaster, an apartment fire or other local disaster, the Red Cross canteen can serve hundreds of meals in an hour to victims and first responders. Being able to get to the scene and to begin serving meals, snacks, water or hot beverages fast, is crucial.

The American Red Cross in the National Capital Region is a volunteer-led organization that provides relief to victims of disaster and empowers people in the D.C. Metro Area to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters and other life-threatening emergencies. Financially supported by the generosity of the local community, the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year responding daily to local disasters while continuing to build its capacity to effectively prepare for and respond to the next major disaster to strike our community. The region consists of the National Capital Area chapter (the counties of Prince George’s, Montgomery and Fairfax; the District of Columbia; the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and field offices at Fort Belvoir, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Andrews Air Force Base, National Naval Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health) and chapters in Alexandria, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William.

To cover this event or for other media assistance, contact Kathy Thompson, director of communications and media relations at 703-584-8412 or ThompsonK@redcrossnca.org or contact Kim Covington at 703-584-8455 or CovingtonK@redcrossnca.org.

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