February 05, 2009
Staten Island Campus Prepares for
Emergencies in Providing Services to Community
The American Red Cross in Greater New York (ARC/GNY) and St. John’s
University’s Staten Island campus have entered into a joint
partnership made official earlier today by the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the school’s Kelleher Center.
In attendance for the signing were Theresa A. Bischoff, CEO, New
York Chapter, American Red Cross; Robert P. Wilson, Senior Director
of Planning and Preparedness, New York Chapter, American Red Cross;
Rev. Patrick J. Griffin, C.M., Executive Director for Mission and
Branch Campuses, St. John’s University; Gerard A. McEnerney,
Assistant Vice President and Executive Director, St. John’s Staten
Island Campus; and Kevin J. Ryan, Esq., Community Relations
Associate, St. John’s University.
“When you think American Red Cross you think effective and
efficient and their partnership with us is an opportunity to help
train our students to be good citizens and to be prepared in the
event of an emergency,” said Rev. Griffin, C.M. “St. John’s
University has a great responsibility to service our community and
the Greater New York City Area and working with the American Red
Cross affords us a unique opportunity at our Staten Island
Campus.”
The MOU plan is designed to prevent, prepare and respond to
disasters that may affect the Staten Island Campus and the Staten
Island community at large and includes: housing ARC/GNY emergency
supply containers (cots, blankets, flood kits, etc.) on the
University’s Staten Island Campus, making classrooms available for
disaster and lifesaving training, developing ARC/GNY Academic
Response Teams as part of a Student Life initiative and conducting
free Red Cross CPR/Defibrillator trainings for one member of every
Staten Island High School held at St. John’s.
Plans are also underway to pre-deploy emergency ARC/GNY supply
containers to St. John’s University Queens Campus and to also have
emergency supplies sent to its Manhattan Campus.
“We
have a saying at the American Red Cross, ‘We do great things every
day’ – but we can’t do it alone and rarely do you find an
organization like St. John’s that has the same mission as you do to
service others and service the community,” said Mr. Wilson. “We are
confident and excited about our partnership and know that we’re
going to do great things together.”
“We, as a University, have to be prepared and this is another vital
step in the emergency process for us in teaming with an established
organization like the American Red Cross,” added Mr.
McEnerney.
About The American Red Cross in Greater New York
The American Red Cross in Greater New York responds to
approximately 150 disasters per year in Staten Island. It is
important to prepare for disasters, both large and small, with
proper training, supplies and volunteer support.
The organization is a key humanitarian partner and a vital
participant in New York’s plans and programs to help the nine
million people in New York City and Orange, Putnam, Rockland and
Sullivan counties prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
ARC/GNY responds to an average of 8 to 10 emergencies a day,
including fires, floods, building collapses and power
outages.
The Chapter also helps New York residents and businesses prepare
for emergencies by offering hundreds of lifesaving courses and
emergency preparedness training programs and resources. ARC/GNY is
not a government agency, and relies on donations to fund its free
humanitarian services. For more information about how you can help,
call 1-877-RED CROSS (1-877-733-2767), or visit www.nyredcross.org.
About St. John’s University
St. John's University is one of America's leading Catholic
universities – nationally ranked (by The Princeton Review and U.S.
News & World Report) and recognized for its superb academic
programs, diverse student life, New York vitality and BIG EAST
athletic excitement. Founded in 1870 by the Vincentian Community,
St. John’s has distinguished itself by giving students the
knowledge, skills and confidence to serve others while achieving
lasting success – personally, professionally and spiritually. With
more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 44 states
and 122 countries, the University offers housing for more than
3,000 students in six friendly residential campus locations
(Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan and Oakdale, New York as well
Rome, Italy and Paris, France).
St. John’s is the perfect choice for an affordable, high-quality
private education that blends academic study, service learning
opportunities, professional training and real-world experience
within a diverse and highly supportive community. For more
information about St John’s University, visit
http://www.stjohns.edu.
For more information regarding the American Red Cross contact
Denise Bloise, ARC/GNY Community Development Director at (718)
983-1600. For information regarding St. John’s University contact
Dominic Scianna, Assistant Vice President for Media Relations at
(718) 990-6185 or e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.