A Great Example of Preparedness

A Red Cross Volunteer Profile of Josh Carin

Written by: Kelly Norton, Volunteer 

Josh Carin, a native Washingtonian, embodies the American Red Cross pillar of preparedness. Josh is the proprietor of Geppetto Catering, a full service catering company in the DC area, and lives in Maryland with his wife and two children. Something that he has committed to in both his personal and professional life is making sure that he and others, especially his family and staff, are prepared in the case of a disaster. By safety learning tips and making emergency plans Josh has become a great advocate for his community. 

Josh engages in informal discussions about preparedness in a way that socializes it and encourages others to make it an ongoing priority. “I've always felt that we have to be ready in case something serious was to happen,” he explained to me. 

Years ago, Josh bought preparedness kits for his family, including ones for their personal vehicles. These kits already have been put to use. Once he found himself stuck on the road during a snowstorm and used the blanket in his kit to stay warm. 

Recently, Josh purchased kits for all the vehicles in his catering business (about 50 kits in total). He also held a staff meeting to discuss disaster preparation. “Now I feel as though our team is educated to ensure their safety,” Josh said about the meeting. In addition, Josh makes sure to remind his staff, because they are delivering food all over the region, that if they “see something, say something”. He provided his staff with a list of emergency numbers in English and Spanish for their wallets. Josh also confirmed that his team is appreciative of all the steps he has taken, and he considers it a wonderful investment and a way to show them how much he cares. 

Josh’s long standing relationship with the Red Cross began by donating. He has been a donor of platelets and blood for years. Josh was inspired to get even more involved when he met Linda Mathes, CEO of the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region, at a community event. Josh is also an active member of the DC Police Foundation. 

Follow Josh’s example and learn more about how to be prepared. If you want to make your own preparedness kit, the Red Cross website has a number of tips to get you started. You can also purchase a kit through the Red Cross store.