
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, January 26, 1995                   TAG: 9501260105
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: B. LYNN WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: PEARISBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

GILES TO GET FLOOD AID

Saying "no disaster is too small," the Radford Chapter of the American Red Cross announced Wednesday that $9,500 in disaster relief is available to victims of the recent flooding in Giles County.

To make the funds available quickly, Paula Downs, director of the Radford Chapter of the Red Cross, signed an agreement with Giles County Administrator Janet Tuckwiller to provide "custodial care for the county." The agreement allows the Red Cross to begin writing checks to aid the victims faster. It also paves the way for more cooperation between the Radford Red Cross and Giles.

According to Red Cross officials, seven families within the county are receiving help from their office. Four mobile homes have been determined to be total losses after damage from the high waters of Jan. 16.

After determining that the Giles flooding caused more damage than initial assessments indicated, the Radford office has designated it be a Level II Disaster. This means that on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 meaning that little damage was sustained and 5 indicating heavy damage) the recent flooding was "very serious." The designations are important, because they affect the level of relief funding available to victims, according to Downs.

"Giles County has been a chapter that does not have full [Red Cross] service - a gap area," Downs said, in explaining her office's reason for signing the agreement to provide care for the county.

"However, Giles County is one of the few counties in Southwest Virginia whose Social Services personnel have been trained under Red Cross guidelines in damage assessment," said Marty Gordon, Red Cross chairman for Radford. This greatly aided the speed by which the damage was determined.

The Radford office has opened an emergency disaster account at the First Virginia Bank-Southwest offices in Pearisburg, Pembroke, Narrows and Rich Creek. Donations may be dropped off or mailed to these locations. All donations should be designated to: American Red Cross, Radford/Giles Disaster. Donations also may be mailed to: Giles Flood Aid, Radford Red Cross, 616-I First St., Radford, Va. 24141.

People affected by the flooding are urged to call the Giles County administrator's office at 921-2525 or Giles County Social Services at 921-3008 for more information.

by CNB