PITTSBURGH — In a move to increase local services and disaster response capacity and to save money, the two regional chapters of the American Red Cross in Western Pennsylvania will merge Jan. 1.

The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Region, which covers Butler County, will merge with the American Red Cross Northwestern Pennsylvania Region to form the new American Red Cross Western Pennsylvania Region.

That will include 11 chapters, covering all 25 Western Pennsylvania counties from the New York border to the West Virginia border, according to a statement released Friday by the Red Cross.

The consolidation takes place just four months after The American Red Cross chapter in Butler, which also covered Mercer County, merged with the chapter that had Beaver and Lawrence counties.

That Sept. 1 merger also was done in the interest of streamlining service capacity and saving money.

According to that statement, offices throughout the newly formed region will work closely to share resources, expertise, volunteers and staff, increasing both efficiency and response capacity.

“This is a very positive move that will strengthen our organization,” said Patricia Waldinger, CEO of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Region, and now the Western Pennsylvania Region, in the statement.

“By combining resources, we are even better prepared to provide our important services to those in need. The benefits we can provide by working together are far greater than any chapter, alone, could bring.”

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Region includes five chapters covering 13 counties: Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, Mercer, Westmoreland and Armstrong.

The Northwestern Pennsylvania Region includes six chapters covering 12 counties: Clarion, Crawford, Forest, Venango. Erie, Warren, McKean, Potter, Cameron, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson.

For information, visit www.redcross.org