Red Cross outlines local sheltering, smoke‑alarm program and volunteer limits at Falmouth LEPC meeting

Maria Sudega, community disaster program manager for the American Red Cross, told the Town of Falmouth Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) that the Red Cross provides short-term sheltering, meals, supplies and casework after local disasters but depends heavily on volunteers and donated funds.

"I'm going to be driving to Brockton at 02:00 in the morning," Sudega said, describing how staff and volunteers sometimes travel overnight to support multi-family fire responses. She described regional capabilities — two equipment trailers and roughly 100 cots — and said teams also provide registration, feeding and mental‑health first response while community partners supply meals.

The presentation focused on the Home Fire Campaign, through which Sudega said her teams install free smoke alarms and carbon‑monoxide detectors and conduct education and planning for households, emphasizing…