Sylvia Preciado-Platero, manager of the American Red Cross’ Imperial Valley Service Center, part of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Chapter of the Red Cross, is pictured in front of an emergency response vehicle outside her El Centro office. Preciado-Platero has led the local office for 16 years.

In the conference room of the American Red Cross’ Imperial Valley Service Center are two plaques–one signed by President Warren G. Harding, the other by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Both commemorate the work of the Red Cross office in the Imperial Valley. Both point to the history of the American Red Cross and the important role it has played nationwide, but more specifically the role of the organization in this remote part of California.

Sylvia Preciado-Platero, manager of the Imperial Valley arm of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Chapter of the Red Cross, takes pride in the long history of the organization in the Imperial Valley,

Read More