CHARLESTON, WV, (WOAY) — The American Red Cross West Virginia Region dedicated a new Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle, otherwise known as an “ERV” today at Encova Insurance offices in Charleston. A brand new, next-generation Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle is here, the first of its kind in West Virginia thanks to the generosity of Encova Foundation of West Virginia.
“With the support of the Encova Foundation of West Virginia the Red Cross has a new vehicle to respond to disasters and serve those impacted by providing comfort and care,” said Erica Mani, Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross West Virginia Region. “Whether it is severe storms, flooding or the all too common home fire, our Red Cross volunteers are there when people need them the most and they now have a vehicle that can help them deliver our mission.”
“At Encova, we give back to the communities which we work and live. Our partnership with the Red Cross helps us support our local community and those who are impacted by disaster here and across the country,” said Greg Burton, Executive Chairman of Encova.
The American Red Cross iconic emergency response vehicles remain at the heart of our disaster relief and recovery work that serve as a sign of hope when people need them the most. When devastating events occur—from home fires to large scale disasters, people in need turn to the American Red Cross for immediate relief, hope to overcome staggering losses and support as they piece their lives back together. Our compassionate Red Cross volunteers and employees respond at a moment’s notice—when help can’t wait. The ERV serves as an island of comfort and assistance. Every eight minutes, the Red Cross responds to disaster. Last year, in West Virginia, the Red Cross assisted over 1,000 families who experiences a disaster, 90% of those were devastating home fires. Locally Red Cross volunteers were deployed to fourteen other states, providing help and hope to those affected by large scale disasters like the California wildfires and tornadoes in Ohio.
With industrial designers and Red Cross volunteers, the Red Cross completed the ERVs first major redesign since its creation in 1984. The resign remove barriers, increase and improve the interaction between the client and the volunteer, improve ergonomics of the ERV and its systems for the volunteer experience, increase the ERVs role in promoting prevention and preparedness, increase flexibility of the ERV to respond and adapt to future conditions and to reduce ERV operational costs. Thanks to the generous support of the Encova Foundation of West Virginia, this vehicle will bring hope and help following disasters down the street and across the country.
