$25,000. That’s the estimated cost of one stolen trailer filled with supplies stationed at the West Texas Red Cross.
The 15-foot trailer held items for use in relief shelters, including cots, blankets, first aid kits, and surgical masks.
In the wake of a disaster, every ounce of emergency materials makes a difference to those in need. For organizations that rely on donations to operate, thefts such as this aren’t something to take lightly.
Relief organizations like the Red Cross have chapters spread across the country where they house utility trailers, regularly falling victim to criminal activity.
In Santa Cruz, thieves pulled up to one such trailer, which they simply pried off the hitch lock before connecting it to their SUV, making off with $10,000 in medical supplies.
In Bakersfield, CA, robbers drove through the perimeter fence at the local Red Cross and made off in the night with $1,400 of materials.
As non-profits, disaster relief groups often need to partner with community organizations to house and distribute supplies in an emergency.
In Greensboro, SC, the local Red Cross kept its trailer stationed at a local church to house winter emergency resources only to have it stolen from the parking lot.
The trailer was equipped with enough materials to open an emergency or disaster shelter to help up to 200 people.
When these incidents occur, it requires extra coordination with other organizations or chapters to ensure the necessary materials are available in the event of a disaster.
These robberies can limit the number of distributable resources and delay their arrival to a disaster area.
Overall, disaster relief organizations must protect their materials so they can serve our communities during the most critical moments.
Halt Crime and Remain at the Ready with Pro-Vigil
Whether it’s a fire, flood, earthquake, snowstorm, or hurricane, a quick response from disaster relief organizations can mean life or death for some.
Yet, as cruel as it may seem, thieves have made it clear they will take advantage of disaster relief non-profit organizations to make a quick buck.
Disasters can strike anywhere at any time, which is why these organizations must be fully stocked and ready to move 24x7x365.
That’s also why crime deterrence is essential to preventing financial and material losses while also ensuring they can serve communities in need.
While your trailers and supplies sit unmanned, ready to respond, Pro-Vigil keeps watch wielding powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) with intelligent surveillance cameras to detect and deter theft and vandalism.
With our cutting-edge cameras, our crew of virtual security guards monitor your site and materials remotely around-the-clock and can deploy audio visual deterrents within 24 seconds of a detected intrusion, repelling 97% of intruders before they ever commit a crime.
And, when the situation calls for it, we can deploy the authorities to your location within minutes.
Contact us today to make sure you don’t fall victim to theft by leveraging our remote video monitoring tools. You no longer need to settle for keeping your mission-critical supplies vulnerable to crime.
