A woman who has spent countless hours training and preparing the Whitman-Hanson community for disasters has received a prestigious award.

Janine Eaton serves as the Red Cross Community Disaster Service Liaison for the towns of Whitman, Hanson, Halifax and Plympton. She is also the liaison for the Red Cross emergency operation centers.

During last week’s Disaster Services Annual Recognition Banquet, Eaton received the Chandler Blackington Community Impact Award. The award is one of the highest honors that can be received by a member of the Disaster Serves Department in the Massachusetts Bay Chapter. Chandler Blackington, a long-time volunteer at the Concord Chapter, understood that strong partnerships are essential for the Red Cross to carry out its mission.

“This year’s award recipient is a member of the Chapter Partner Service Committee, in addition to serving as a community liaison to four towns on the South Shore. She works tirelessly to promote and support the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay through collaborative work with other community partners; a service which has significantly impacted our chapter’s quality of service on the South Shore,” Deborah Jackson, of the Red Cross, said.

After receiving the award Eaton was asked to give a remark.

“I spoke from my heart,” Eaton said. “I was very proud to be nominated and selected for the award, but it is all of us working together that makes the difference in what we do with the Red Cross.”

After receiving a plaque, Eaton was also given a pin, which she was told to “wear with pride.”

Eaton is responsible for running the national shelter training for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Association, community emergency response teams, health departments and school departments.

When Eaton is working in an emergency operation center, she is busy informing the volunteers on the weather conditions and keeping them updated on what type of facilities the community has for sheltering and how well-equipped they are.

“My role is to call all our different towns’ emergency managers, and see how they are doing and if they needed any assistance with Red Cross such as food, clothes or shelters.

Eaton has recently worked with the Whitman CERT team on shelter training.

During Whitman CERT meetings, Eaton said she explains to the volunteers what the Red Cross has to offer.

Director of the Whitman CERT Bob Schmitt said that Eaton trains the team on how to take care of themselves, their families and the community in the case of an emergency or disaster.

Schmitt said that Eaton attends most local events that CERT goes to and also any incidents.

She also has coordinated many drills, fire training and safety days, he said.

Schmitt said Eaton is a deserving recipient of The Chandler Blackington Award.

“As the director of the Whitman CERT, I consider her a very valuable member of our CERT group,” Schmitt said.  “Eaton, along with of all the volunteers, helps make a difference in the community, and she dedicates numerous hours to her volunteer work.”

Eaton said until she began volunteering with Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina she wasn’t exactly sure what it entailed other than blood donations.

Eaton, a social worker, has been able to dedicate her time to educate the community in disaster situations. She has also been able to use what she knows about Red Cross with her full-time job.

“I’ve been able to reach out to that population and help them to prepare for what might be coming along,” she said about her social work cases.

Eaton said it is important that people have a “Go Kit.” The kits are made up of medicines, water, food, personal items, contact information and even an old cell phone that is charged, because it can still be used to call 9-1-1.

The more informed and prepared people are for a community allows them to better respond the situation, she said.

To get involved with the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay visit bostonredcross.org.