October 2005
Contact: Dorothy Wills-Raftery
(845) 255-1400 xt. 1209

Ulster BOCES Provides Defensive Driving Instruction to Red Cross Volunteers

Ulster BOCES, in conjunction with the New York Safety Program, is providing free instruction of the Defensive Driving: NYS Point Reduction course to Ulster County American Red Cross volunteers heading south to assist in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

“The volunteer drivers are required to have Defensive Driving Certification in order to drive the Ulster County Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV), as well as other state and county ERVs,” says Bill Oneto, Defensive Driving instructor at the Ulster Adult Career Education Center in Port Ewen. Oneto, a Red Cross volunteer for 30 years, is teaching the Ulster BOCES course to the volunteers at no charge.

In addition to learning defensive driving techniques such as how to avoid a collision; dealing with inclement weather; and promoting an attitude of mutual understanding, courtesy, and cooperation on the road, volunteers are introduced to the special features of the ERV, including its physical layout and dimensions.

Driving an ERV is a very valuable skill following a disaster the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina. In the beginning days of disaster relief, ERVs arrive with trained crewmembers to operate them, but when these volunteers go home, there are rarely enough skilled replacements. “They’ll be relieving drivers and field workers who have been there since the hurricane hit,” says Susan Rounds, executive director of the American Red Cross Ulster County Chapter. According to Rounds, volunteers will be working in teams of two to three, driving into affected neighborhoods, providing food and water to the response workers, clean-up crews, and families who are stranded. The volunteers have all agreed to a 21-day deployment and to be available within 24-hours notice.

Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 900 field units dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Led by one million volunteers and 36,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 70,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills, and keeps U.S. military families connected worldwide. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide.

“We’re so grateful to Ulster BOCES,” Rounds says. “We usually pay $40 per person for the Defensive Driving course and $15 to the New York Safety Program for materials. We are very grateful to both agencies for their contributions.”

For more information about the Ulster BOCES Defensive Driving course, please call 845-331-0902, Ext. 2224.