Once again, the chance for severe thunderstorms containing high winds, damaging hail and isolated tornadoes is possible across North Texas. The time to prepare is now. The American Red Cross offers the following tips to keep families safe:
Pick a safe place in your home where family members could gather during a tornado or straight-line windstorm. The safest place to be is underground, or as low to the ground as possible, and away from all windows. Make sure there are no windows or glass doors in your safe place and keep this place uncluttered.
Check with your employer to determine where to seek shelter during the workday. Make sure your employer has a battery operated radio or a weather radio and essential supplies in the company safe room(s).
If you live in a mobile home, choose a safe place in a nearby sturdy building. Mobile homes are much more vulnerable to strong winds than site-built structures. If your mobile home park has a designated shelter, make it your family's safe place.
If you are in a vehicle, get out immediately. Find a sturdy nearby structure and take shelter. If there is no building nearby, go to a low-lying area until the storm passes. Taking cover under bridges is not recommended.
If you are in a high-rise building, pick a place in a hallway in the center of the building. You may not have enough time to go to the lowest floor. Center hallways are often structurally the most reinforced part of a building.
Check with your children's schools and day care centers to learn tornado emergency plans. Every building has different safe places. It is important to know where they are and how to get there in an emergency. Do NOT drive to your child’s school or day care center during a severe storm outbreak.
Conduct periodic tornado drills so everyone remembers what to do when a tornado is approaching. Practice having everyone in the family go to your designated area in response to a tornado threat. Practicing your plan makes the appropriate response more of a reaction, requiring less thinking time during an actual emergency situation.
Discuss tornadoes with your family. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together. Discussing disaster ahead of time helps reduce fear and lets everyone know how to respond during a tornado.
BE RED CROSS READY. Follow 3 Action Steps for Preparedness—Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed. A free online education module is available at www.redcross.org/BeRedCRossReady to guide users through the three preparedness steps. The ten minute presentation, available in English and Spanish, includes a downloadable disaster supply kit checklist and emergency contact card.
Gail McGovern, the President and CEO of the American Red Cross, arrived in Joplin, MO Saturday following the recent tornado which devastated the area. The main purpose of her visit was to reassure the people of Joplin that the Red Cross will do everything within its power to continue helping in their recovery. If you would like to support Red Cross disaster relief, please visit redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text the word "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Rope tornado over Denton, Texas on May 24, 2011 at 8:05pm. Photo Credit: Brian Vinson (@brianvinson on Twitter)
After fanning out across the area to assess damage left behind by violent storms on Tuesday night, Red Cross teams have discovered that more than 100 homes received some type of damage. The breakdown is as follows:
(2) Homes Destroyed (both in Dallas County) (32) Homes with Major Damage (Dallas Apartment Building) (79) Homes with Minor Damage such as fences down, trees down, shingles off, windows out
In all, 113 families were affected by the storms. For those families who have no home left, the American Red Cross is assisting them with a safe place to stay and assistance so they can purchase new clothing, new shoes, groceries, items for their kids and more.
Given the seriousness of the storms, the Red Cross is relieved that more people didn’t suffer. For many, they recognized that they were not fully prepared for the intensity of the storms, so the Red Cross has created a site with free information that can help residents learn what to do if a tornado is approaching and they’re at work, at school, in a vehicle, mobile home and more. The best time to get educated about tornadoes is before the sky is rotating so citizens are encouraged to visit www.redcrossdallas.org/blog for helpful information.
People in Joplin, MO seeking immediate transportation to shelter can find information on the Joplin city web site.
The Red Cross is providing food, shelter and emotional support for the people whose lives have been disrupted by these tornadoes that devastated neighborhoods in Missouri, Minnesota, and other parts of the Midwest.
Red Cross workers opened shelters in the damaged areas within hours and provided people with food and water and a safe place to stay.
Red Cross emergency response vehicles in Missouri responded immediately and more vehicles are on the way to help distribute food, water and relief supplies in the affected neighborhoods.
Red Cross workers are being deployed and relief materials, including personal hygiene items like toothbrushes and shampoo, tarps, coolers, rakes and other clean-up supplies, are now being sent to Joplin, Missouri.
Trained health services and mental health workers are enroute to areas affected by the tornadoes to help people cope in the aftermath of these tragic storms.
People should register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to let loved ones know they are safe. They can also call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). People in the affected areas can list themselves as “safe and well” on the site. Friends and family outside the disaster area can then search for messages from their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address.
A Red Cross worker disseminates information to Jimmy Ault, resident of Greenville, Mississippi at an Information Station outside of a Walmart. Photo Credit: Allison Graber/American Red Cross
As flood waters crest in multiple cities this week, the American Red Cross is working around the clock to ensure residents along the Mississippi River are prepared.
In Mississippi, the Red Cross has opened nine “information stations” where people can get flood preparedness information and talk to Red Cross workers about the services the Red Cross provides during a flood.
Residents who visit these stations can learn where shelters are located, and can also pick up bottled water, snacks and comfort kits (which contain daily personal items such as shampoo and toothpaste).
Teams of Red Cross workers trained in mental health, health services and spiritual care are also going door to door in some areas to talk to residents about flood preparedness. Volunteers from AmeriCorps National Community Civilian Corps (NCCC)—a long-time partner of the Red Cross—are also involved in these efforts.
In addition to distributing preparedness information, the Red Cross has opened seven shelters in Mississippi, with more on standby to help residents who evacuate from their homes.
In Louisiana, where the opening of the Morganza Spillway on Saturday is expected to affect thousands of people, Red Cross workers are also distributing flood preparedness information in potentially impacted parishes.
The Red Cross is prepared for a prolonged feeding and shelter response, with more than 20 shelters ready to open if needed in Louisiana. To ensure there will be enough volunteers to support a long-term sheltering operation, the Red Cross in Baton Rouge, La., is also recruiting and training more local volunteers.
Red Cross is ready to support flooding of Louisiana. Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) and dedicated volunteer crews, now totaling 11 in the state, stand ready to deploy from Disaster Relief Operations HQ in Baton Rouge. Photo Credit: Eric Jones/American Red Cross
Meanwhile, truckloads of Red Cross relief supplies made their way into the state over the weekend, including thousands of cots, blankets and comfort kits. The Red Cross is working closely with government and community partners to ensure workers, equipment, shelters, food and relief materials are in place as people evacuate from their homes.
Residents in inundated towns along the river not only need things to meet their physical needs, such as food and shelter, but also someone to listen and support them through this difficult and uncertain time.
Brenda Griffin has been through great emotional upheaval this year, and that was before the area known as “the cutoff” in Tunica, Miss., was covered by flood water. Many of the homes in the area were stilted as a precaution, but those homes and three fishing camps were wiped out by the Mississippi last week.
As Griffin talked with Red Cross emotional support worker Dominic Di Girolamo, she told him that her mom had recently died after a battle with cancer, and she that had to put down one of her beloved pets. The small town has also lost several of its residents to illness in the past few months. And now she’s lost her home.
“I’ve never been in a situation where I don’t have anything,” said Griffin. “I’m separated from all my stuff; I feel disoriented, like I’m floating on a raft in the ocean. My mom was always there for me and now she’s gone. She was the person who grounded everything.”
Griffin described the Red Cross shelter in Tunica as a safe haven where she and other Tunica residents from the cutoff can meet to catch up. Local restaurants and businesses have been closed, so the folks from the cutoff meet at the shelter to check in with each other.
For weeks to come, as waters remain high through many parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, Red Cross volunteers like Di Girolamo will be there to help residents through what is for many a life-changing disaster.
The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster. Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS; you can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. 2011 Spring Floods
When an F4 tornado rips through Alabama and over 300 tornadoes strike 11 states, a lot of phone calls are made once the skies stop rotating. One call is to our nationally trained and selfless team of experts in disaster response. The American Red Cross - Dallas Area Chapter sent nearly 20 of these volunteers to Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and other areas affected by the recent and devastating spring storm outbreak. Three of those volunteers shared with us the unimaginable and, at times surprising, things they witnessed and experienced in their first week.
Maureen Gargiulo and Sylvia Rodriguez rolled out of the Dallas Area Chapter less than 24 hours after the tornadoes hit. Driving one of the many Emergency Response Vehicles (ERV) that would eventually be deployed for these storms, Maureen and Sylvia made their way through Tuscaloosa and then on to Birmingham for the night. Upon arriving, they were met with stark darkness, a reminder that there was little or no electricity in many areas.
Reaching their final destination in Rainsville near the northeast corner of Alabama, they realized this was unlike any other tornado operation they had worked before. Sylvia summed up her initial reaction saying, “It’s like someone just threw a bomb here. Everything is flattened.”
Traveling sometimes hours, they drive to hard hit communities in Alabama as well as crossing over to areas in Georgia and Tennessee. With their primary role to provide feeding in the communities, the logistics of 7:00 pm curfews and debris covered roads became something they would have to adjust to. During breakfast and through lunch, the neighborhoods would be bustling with people sifting through what was left of their home looking for any belongings that could be salvaged. By dinner, everyone would be gone, heading off in every direction to the homes of friends or family before night, and curfew, fell.
Through the devastation and the debris that Sylvia calls “The Mountains” surrounding them, there is an undeniable spirit of strength and community in the air. In one area, a place was set up where residents could take papers and documents belonging to their neighbors so they could get them back. In another area where one person’s home was a total loss, they are seen helping to put a new roof on their neighbor’s home. Another man who had lost his wife, went to volunteer to help his community rebuild.
The most surprising thing Maureen and Sylvia have encountered is the outpouring of support the Red Cross and other relief workers have received. As they make their way through the neighborhoods handing out meals, people are offering to donate money to the Red Cross and asking the volunteers how they are holding up. Sylvia recalled one woman commenting about how hard it must be for her to be out there, away from her home and family.
“I could only think to myself – no, it is harder for you!” Sylvia said. “They have lost their homes and they are asking if we are ok. It’s like they feel they have to take care of everybody else in addition to themselves.”
Maureen has seen this amazingly strong spirit from the people they meet too.
“All the locals want to help,” she said. “The people are taking care of the people up here.”
Over in northwest Mississippi, volunteer Ben Linke has experienced much of the same. Ben has been assisting with bulk distribution, helping with disaster assessments and generally getting needed items out to support the community.
In the 17 counties Ben has been working in, he has seen varying levels of damage. The town of Poplar Creek is one that was completely devastated and, in his words, a total loss. Right now, he and other Red Cross workers are doing their best to meet the needs of this community with comfort and clean-up kits and even diapers and baby food for those that have no other way to get these items.
Photo by Rusty Surette/American Red Cross
While visiting Prime Flats, he noticed one house standing with minimal or no damage with everyone pitching in to fix the roof. Two houses down, there was nothing left but the kitchen walls. Where you might expect to see despair here, instead stood pride. Since they no longer had a front of the house to hang their American flag, the homeowners made a makeshift flag pole from what was left of their mailbox post and some duct tape where that flag is now flying high.
In another area, Ben went to go check in on one gentleman who greeted him at the door and reached out to shake his hand.
“I looked down and noticed we were shaking hands through his screen door.” Ben said. “He didn’t seem shocked by it though and just walked out on the front porch and started talking to me.”
In all, it seems everyone is just grateful that help is there. “Our presence here is hot being overlooked,” Ben said.
Each of these Red Cross volunteers has consoled many tears and felt some uncertainty along with the residents. There still hangs a very present sense of anxiousness among the community. Storm spotters are still on the ground and the television stations are still running a constant scroll across the bottom of the screen telling people where they can get help and what they need to do.
For all of our Red Cross volunteers the days are often long and challenging. In the ERV, there is constant construction, difficult roads and long drives.
“Sometimes we will drive one or two hours to get to the place where we need to be going,” Maureen said.
Ben praises the very cohesive team he is with for keeping things running. A true sign of unity can be found in the staff shelter that was donated to them, a former United Methodist Camp which was unanimously dubbed “Camp Clara Barton”.
Now the areas are facing rains and the fear of widespread flooding is creating renewed concern. Maureen said there was a definite sense of urgency in the neighborhoods with people working as quickly as possible to salvage belongings before the water comes. Not sure when they will return home as the situation continues to change, two things to remain certain. One, these Red Cross volunteers are ready to stay as long as they are needed and, two, they will return with many more stories of strength and resiliency from the these amazing communities. Video: Getting to Know Red Cross ERV Drivers
Photos: Tornado Damage in Alabama and Mississippi Photos from Anita Foster and Ben Linke
American Red Cross Responds To Deadly Tornado Outbreak Across The South
Dear Friends,
Watching the tragic images unfold in so many states including Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas over the past week has been heartbreaking to say the least. Thousands of people are coping with tremendous loss of loved ones, their homes and irreplaceable memories.
While it may seem like we’re powerless to help when such a vast portion of the country has been devastated by the worst tornado outbreak in our nation’s history, help is likely easier than you think. In this update, I’ll share with you all of the ways that we can send your help to these countless communities from right here in Texas.
Please know that all of us at the American Red Cross - Dallas Area Chapter are committed to helping our neighbors move forward from these terrible storms. And you can be right there with us every step of the way. We can’t thank you enough for caring so much for others. Please accept our deepest gratitude and let me know if you have any questions that I don’t answer in this update.
Warmest Regards, Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones, CEO American Red Cross--Dallas Area Chapter
Current Operation Status
Red Cross disaster workers have been working tirelessly to help people in need, focusing on making sure people have a safe place to stay, food to eat, emotional support, basic health services and relief supplies. Early estimates show more than 13,000 homes across six states were destroyed or damaged by last week’s tornadoes. Now communities along the Mississippi River, that are only beginning to recover, are faced with the fear of widespread flooding.
Since March 31, the Red Cross has opened more than 130 shelters in 16 states providing more than 10,000 overnight stays to people in need. Tuesday night alone, more than 1,200 people spent the night in shelters in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
To date the American Red Cross has:
Deployed more than 4,500 Red Cross workers from all 50 U.S. states to assist with recovery efforts. The Dallas Area Chapter has sent 7 volunteers to Alabama, 12 more to Mississippi so far with more local deployments anticipated.
Worked with community partners like the Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Convention, to serve more than 560,000 meals and snacks.
Sent 153 Red Cross emergency response vehicles to help distribute meals and supplies. The Dallas Area Chapter has sent one ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) to Mississippi.
Distributed more than 253,000 relief items like hygiene kits, mops, brooms, tarps, shovels, work gloves and coolers to affected neighborhoods.
Telethons Hosted by Local Television Stations
Less than 24 hours after the storms hit, local TV stations reached out to the Dallas Area Chapter to host fundraising telethons for the Spring Storm Disaster Response. On Friday, April 29th, the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter hosted telethons at WFAA Channel 8, CBS 11, and TXA 21 to collect financial donations. It could be considered an understatement to call the night successful raising over $50,000 in the span of about five hours. We owe a heartfelt thanks to all of our generous donors that called in to support the efforts of the Red Cross as numerous storms raged across nearly half the country.
How You Can Help
Any donation, large or small, will help. For example, $3 can provide a comfort kit for someone in a disaster. $6 can cover the cost of a blanket, $10 the cost of a hot meal. For $150, someone’s donation can cover the cost of providing food and shelter to a family of four for a day they spend in a shelter.
Donating is easy and only takes a moment. Those that want to help can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Top Headlines
American Red Cross President & CEO visits Birmingham, Alabama
Gail McGovern, American Red Cross President and CEO, joined Federal, State and local officials on a tour of tornado damage in one neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama. She describes what she saw, and the work of the Red Cross in the area. Watch the video
American Red Cross Responds to the unspeakable tornado destruction across Alabama
Words are not adequate to describe what the people of Alabama endured when Mother Nature unleashed her fury on April 27, 2011. The American Red Cross has fanned out across Alabama, and many others, doing everything possible to help. Watch the video
American Red Cross responds in 11 states to Spring Storms’ aftermath
From the Deep South to the Northeast, the American Red Cross is at work in 11 states to help people devastated by the recent deadly tornadoes and floods. Read more
American Red Cross ships desperately needed blood supplies to Alabama
The Red Cross is moving hundreds of blood products to Alabama to make sure hospital patients have the blood they need following the deadly tornadoes. Read more
