Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.

Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently.

The Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and blood products to disaster victims, and helps those affected by disaster to access other available resources. 

From January through October 2008, the Ashland County Red Cross has responded to 13 single family fires, assisted 41 fire victims, supported more than 330 emergency responders during 8 Mass Care incidents, opened two receptions centers to assist evacuees forced from their homes during hazmat situations, and provided more than $12,000 of financial assistance to help meet the needs of local disaster victims.