Disasters Untold is a six-part American Red Cross in Greater NY podcast that provides an intimate look at some of the emergencies that have shaped our country over the past 20 years. It examines the Northeast Blackout of 2003, 9/11, Hurricane Maria, the 2018 Campfire (Paradise, CA), and the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Interviews with survivors, first responders, volunteers and news reporters bring different perspectives into focus and offer lessons for handling future emergencies.

On January 15th, 2009, at 3:25 PM, a US Airways Flight, carrying 155 passengers, departed from LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, for Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a routine flight that quickly became anything but routine. Shortly after takeoff, both of the plane’s engines failed, forcing the captain to make a life-and-death decision. Many called what happened next a miracle. 

In this episode, we will look back at US Airways Flight 1549, also known as the Miracle on the Hudson. We’ll hear from some of the passengers and crew who recall the short flight, the terrifying water landing, and the harrowing rescue. Also featured are Red Cross team members who immediately sprang into action to help on the banks of the Hudson River.

Photo Caption: Photo taken during the production of the 2016 film Sully, where Red Cross volunteers served as extras, reenacting their role back in 2009.

Host: Olivia Kozlevcar

This episode is the second in a two-part series that looks back at the November 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed the small California town of Paradise and neighboring communities in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The wildfire, which took 85 lives, was the deadliest in California history. Part two of the series features residents who escaped the flames and those who helped community members recover.

• American Red Cross Gold Country Region Shelter Lead Robin Brinson (from Sacramento) helped open and run the largest shelter for Camp Fire evacuees at the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley, Calif.

Producers: Michael de Vulpillieres and Chi Kong Lui

This episode is the first in a two-part series that looks back at the November 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed the small California town of Paradise and neighboring communities in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The wildfire, which took 85 lives, was the deadliest in California history. Part one of the series features four residents who helped saved lives amid the flames:

• Kevin McKay, a school bus driver in Paradise, Calif., helped rescue 22 stranded students on his bus, driving them along gridlocked, dark roads as pockets of fire burned all around them. Ponderosa Elementary School teachers Mary Petersen Ludwig and Abigail Gerspacher-Davis assisted during the journey, helping to reassure the kids and using torn, dampened pieces of a T-shirt as improvised breathing masks for the children. All the students safely reunited with their families.

Producers: Michael de Vulpillieres and Chi Kong Lui

On Sept. 20, 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by one of our country’s most destructive natural disasters ever, Hurricane Maria.  In this episode, we hear from Red Cross team members who were on the front lines of the response to this storm, as well as two news reporters who covered the storm’s impact and aftermath—all of whom have a personal connection to the island. They recall the devastation and overwhelming challenges they witnessed,  along with the spirit and resiliency of the Puerto Rican people. 

The following individuals are featured:

• Gaby Acevedo is a reporter at NBC4 New York and Telemundo 47. He was on a special assignment in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria made landfall and covered the storm’s aftermath in the days and months that followed.    

Producer & Host: Michael de Vulpillieres 

In this episode, American Red Cross volunteers who were inspired to join the organization in the wake of the horrific 9/11 attacks, recall that fateful day 20 years ago and recount their experiences helping others. These everyday heroes give a voice to all who worked to provide healing and hope to fellow Americans. Each remains an active member of the Red Cross today, continuing to help those in need in their New York communities and beyond:

• Lumber-yard worker Sal Montoro of Syosset, N.Y., brought and distributed building materials at Ground Zero in the days and weeks after the attacks. He joined the American Red Cross on Long Island in January of 2002. 

Producers & Hosts: Olivia Kozlevcar and Michael de Vulpillieres 

Today, we’ll remember one of the most widespread power outages in recent memory, an emergency that put our great City to the test. 

On a warm late summer afternoon 18 years ago this week, all of a sudden, it seemed as though the world went dark. On August 14, 2003, the Northeastern US and parts of Southeastern Canada, an area with a population of 50 million people, lost power. In NYC it would last more than 24 hours.  

The summer heat, hours without electricity, communications disruptions, and memories of 9/11 brought with it a host of worries and hazards. But New York City came together.

In this episode we’ll be hearing from some of the agencies and organizations, including the Red Cross, tasked with keeping New Yorkers safe and informed. 

The following individuals are featured in the episode:

• Robert McGrath, volunteer, American Red Cross in Greater NY

News Clips: NBC Nightly News, Eyewitness News ABC7NY

Producer & Host: Michael de Vulpillieres

Dr. Joseph Prewitt Diaz is a pioneer in the field of disaster mental health with decades of international and domestic field experience following disasters. In his time with the American Red Cross he has supported 52 domestic deployments across the US. Internationally, he has worked in 29 different countries with the organization.

Originally from Puerto Rico, Dr. Prewitt Diaz is a highly-accredited educational psychologist with degrees from the University of Puerto Rico, the University of Connecticut, and the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.

In this final episode of our second season we discuss how his long and accomplished Red Cross career led him to a unique role supporting vulnerable communities dealing with the pandemic. 

Producer & Host: Michael de Vulpillieres

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been an outpouring of interest from residents seeking out new ways to give back to their communities. Vanessa Diez, from Yonkers, N.Y., is a full time student pursuing her master’s in public administration/emergency management and a full time social worker, helping immigrant youth in NYC. She is a remarkable young woman who, despite a busy schedule,  made it a priority to serve through the American Red Cross as a volunteer. She recently joined the Red Cross and just graduated from our Disaster Action Team Academy, a specialized training program for our volunteer leaders. In this conversation, she talked about her passion for helping others and her work with the Red Cross providing assistance to individuals affected by local emergencies during the pandemic.

Producer & Host: Michael de Vulpillieres

Our military communities sacrifice so much in “ordinary” times, but COVID-19 has brought new anxiety and uncertainty to their unique situations. For nearly 140 years, the American Red Cross has been there for active and retired service members and their families at every stage of service. During the pandemic, we have adapted our work to these trying times.

This Red Cross program goes by the name of Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) and takes many different forms in communities and on military installations across the US and on bases all over the world.

Katherine Jones, Asia-Pacific Division Manager for the American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces Program, supports military men and women at Yokota Air Base outside of Tokyo, Japan. In this short podcast discussion, she discusses the many different ways she supports service members overseas 24/7, 365 days a year. She also talks a her unique history with the Red Cross and her commitment to service.

Producer & Host: Michael de Vulpillieres