Since 1881, the Red Cross has been around to offer emergency assistance and relief to those affected by disasters. The Red Cross was on the scene during the Great Blizzard of 1888, the sinking of the steamship General Slocum in 1904, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911.

This episode of New York: A Portrait in Sound focuses on the flooding of the mid-Atlantic states, brought by the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962. Testimonials from survivors describe how much they lost from the storm, and how the Red Cross provided shelter when all they had was gone.