St. Louis - - 7/20/02 -On Saturday, Red Cross disaster volunteers will participate in a mock-airline disaster exercise at Lambert Airport. Under the provisions of the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 and the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act of 1997, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has designed the American Red Cross to be the "independent nonprofit organization" to provide for the emotional well-being of the families of survivors and those whose lives are lost in an aviation disaster.

During the mock exercise Red Cross mental health and health services volunteers will work with designated airline personnel to run through procedures on debriefing families of affected passengers. In addition a team of Red Cross volunteers will work to identify a nearby location where a staffing center could be set up to respond, should an airline emergency occur in St. Louis. For more information on how the American Red Cross helps families affected by airline disasters, click here. Trail, Fairview Heights, IL 62208, online at www.redcrossstl.org, or by calling (618) 397-4600.d