Answering the Call: What It Means to Serve on the Disaster Action Team

“For me, responding to home fires alongside fellow volunteers is not just a responsibility. It’s an honor.”

Javier Gonzalez

Written by Javier Gonzalez, American Red Cross Volunteer and Board Member

As a board member of the American Red Cross Kern County and Eastern Sierra Chapter, I have the privilege of seeing our mission from a strategic vantage point — strengthening programs, supporting volunteers and helping guide the direction of an organization that serves nearly a million people across Kern, Inyo and Mono Counties.

But being part of the Disaster Action Team (DAT) brings that mission into sharp, human focus. It’s where strategy meets reality, where compassion becomes action and where the Red Cross promise is delivered one family at a time.

For me, responding to home fires alongside fellow volunteers is not just a responsibility. It’s an honor.

When we arrive at the scene of a fire, we’re often meeting people on one of the hardest days of their lives. They may have lost their home, their belongings, or their sense of safety in a matter of minutes. In those moments, the Red Cross becomes more than an organization. We become a source of stability, comfort and hope.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow DAT volunteers, people who give their time, their energy and their hearts to help strangers, is profoundly humbling. These volunteers are the embodiment of our mission. They show up in the middle of the night, in the heat of summer or in the cold of winter, ready to offer shelter, resources and reassurance. Their compassion is immediate and unwavering. Being part of this team reminds me why the Red Cross exists and why our work matters.

My connection to the Red Cross began long before I joined the Board of Directors. In 1994, while serving aboard the U.S.S. Tarawa in the U.S. Navy, I received devastating news about a family member’s passing. That message came through the American Red Cross. In one of the most difficult moments of my life, the Red Cross was there—quietly doing what it has always done for service members and their families.

That experience left a permanent mark on me. It’s one of the reasons I serve today. It’s why I believe so deeply in paying forward the compassion that once supported me.

Professionally, I’ve spent more than 25 years in Environmental Health & Safety, working to protect people in high‑risk environments. As a Certified Safety Professional and Health & Safety Supervisor with PCL Industrial Services, my career has been dedicated to preventing harm and building cultures of care. Disaster relief work feels like a natural extension of that purpose. It’s another way to keep people safe, to reduce suffering, and to strengthen the resilience of our community.

Serving on the board allows me to help shape the long‑term vision of our Chapter. Serving on the Disaster Action Team allows me to live that vision firsthand. Together, these roles create a full circle understanding of what the Red Cross truly is: a network of volunteers, donors and leaders working together to prevent and alleviate human suffering.

When I put on that Red Cross vest and step onto the scene of a home fire, I’m reminded that our mission is not abstract. It’s personal. It’s immediate. It’s lifechanging. I’m deeply grateful to stand with the volunteers who make that mission real every single day.

If any part of this story resonates with you — if you’ve ever felt the pull to serve, to help or simply to be there for someone who needs support, I want to personally invite you to get involved with our local chapter.

The American Red Cross is powered by volunteers, and there is a place here for every gift, every background and every willing heart. Our Disaster Action Team needs compassionate people ready to show up for families on their hardest days. Our Board and Committees need leaders who want to strengthen the safety net of our community. And our Chapter needs neighbors who believe, as I do, that we are stronger when we serve together.

If you’re curious about how you can make a meaningful impact right here in Kern County and the Eastern Sierra, connect with your local Red Cross. There are plenty of volunteers available ready to help explore how your talents, your experiences and your passion can support the mission of the Red Cross. Sometimes all it takes is a conversation to discover where you fit and how you can help.

Together, we can build a more resilient community — one act of service, one volunteer and one moment of compassion at a time.