Hurricane Katrina: Memories Still Vivid

by Bridgette Joye, volunteer contributor

In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma ravished the Gulf Coast as one of the worst hurricane seasons in history. Out of the turmoil came a sense of hope and camaraderie as millions across the country banded together to donate or volunteer in order to assist over 400,000 evacuees in emergency response efforts.

Running one of the largest shelter operations in American Red Cross history, the American Red Cross in Dallas, Texas saw an unprecedented number of evacuees. Even though the years have passed, the memories haven’t faded.

James “Dr. Will” Williams, project manager for Lufthansa and long-time Red Cross volunteer, was the shelter manager at the Dallas Convention Center, home to thousands of Katrina and Rita evacuees for nearly two months.

Red Cross volunteer Will Williams knows that
this family is going to need a lot of help

“I responded to the call for help and reported to the shelter at the Convention Center. My heart immediately tore.” Dr. Will stated. “People realized there was assistance being offered there and at Reunion Arena and were coming in droves.”

“One story that I’ll never forget was a gentleman who had just had bypass surgery,” said Williams. “He was having a bad reaction because he had been in the water and we had to get him transported to the hospital. He had to have surgery again.”

“A few days later,” Dr. Will continued, “his family came looking for him. Of course we couldn’t give out any information at the time; but I was familiar with the family and the gentleman. The family went into the registration area and confirmed their relation, and I called the hospital to connect them so they could visit him in the hospital.” The family was reunited and the gentleman’s surgery was a success.

Unlike Dr. Will, many people became Red Cross volunteers because of Hurricane Katrina, because they wanted to help. One of the new Red Cross volunteers during Hurricane Katrina was Michelle Tanner, a PR and marketing consultant and now a veteran volunteer on the public affairs team. “I had three hours of orientation,” Tanner recalls. “Then they gave me a t-shirt and said ‘go forth and volunteer.’”

Reunion Arena was the site of one of the largest shelter
operations in American Red Cross history.
(Photo credit: KERA)

On her first day, ironically September 11, Tanner was tasked with helping to announce how financial assistance would be distributed to evacuees and she had to help reporters understand how the Red Cross was working with the City of Dallas to being moving people from the shelter into apartments.

“I was completely exhausted,” said Tanner. “But it was the most exciting day I’d ever had in my entire career as a PR professional…so I signed up for the next week.”

The outpouring of local volunteers who wanted to help out was overwhelming. Susie Spartano, director of volunteer services, remembers the chaos to this day.

“We typically had about 25 people fill out a volunteer application each month before the storm,” said Spartano. “After Hurricane Katrina we received approximately 8,000 volunteer applications.”

A challenge the Dallas-area chapter faced was managing the massive influx of volunteer support. It was not easy; but it was necessary to revamp the volunteer in-take process within days after the storm hit.

“Katrina was a wake-up call for the Red Cross and for the country in terms of emergency management,” Spartano added.

Eight years ago, volunteer applications were paper only and volunteers experienced a slight delay in getting assigned to duties as background checks and training had to be conducted. These things took time. Today; however, the Red Cross has an online application system, web-based training and a database for volunteer tracking.

Due to the overwhelming support of new volunteers during Hurricane Katrina, the Red Cross has also developed a process for creating a spontaneous volunteer in-take center, which during an emergency response, is set-up to specifically assist the Red Cross in training and facilitating new volunteers.

Like Dr. Will and Michelle Tanner, many individuals that helped out during Hurricane Katrina are still volunteering with the Red Cross. While there may not be a need for thousands of volunteers at your local chapter on a daily basis, it’s still beneficial to sign up to volunteer whether you’re assisting with the day-to-day efforts or if you want to help out during times of emergency response.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to be involved at the level you want to be involved,” Spartano explained. “Because of Hurricane Katrina, we developed a volunteer reserve corps... a group of volunteers that would like to help out during a large disaster like Katrina. They are still connected to the organization, so we already have their background checks and their training and applications done.”

The process of becoming a Red Cross volunteer takes time. It is a much quicker process today than it was during Hurricane Katrina, thanks to lessons learned and the new technology; but there is still a protocol to be followed and you can get ahead of the next storm if you apply and get trained now.

Spartano puts it best by saying, “Train when the skies are blue so you are ready when the skies are grey.”

Start your Red Cross story today. Learn more about volunteering at RedCross.org/DFW.

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Red Cross Volunteer Richard Wood: A Lifetime of Achievements – One Moment at a Time

by Micaela Rosinski, intern contributor 

Richard Wood pulled a piece of paper from his desk drawer to recall the exact year he began his work with the Red Cross, explaining he does not focus on himself very often. That will momentarily have to change as Wood celebrates his selection as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the Dallas Red Cross Annual Awards on Thursday, June 27.

Working in the mental health field for 30 years, Wood found his ideal position as a volunteer for Disaster Mental Health at the Red Cross in 1994. While working with the community mental health department in Dallas at the time, Wood said Gov. Richards declared that MHMRs (Mental Health Mental Retardation workers) would work in disaster services to help the state.

“I took the training and we had a horrible tornado in Lancaster then, and I worked with the MHMRs and responded to the disaster,” Wood said. “I worked alongside the Red Cross members who were there working and said, ‘Oh, they’re doing it so much better than we were trained, so let me jump ship and start working with the Red Cross.’”

Wood said he liked the work the Red Cross was doing and it was much more organized than he was used to, leading him to decide to work with the Red Cross as a volunteer while keeping his job with the county.

Throughout his many years with the Red Cross, Wood said working with people in need of mental health services has been the most rewarding.

“The Red Cross has the program to help folks feel empowered about taking care of themselves and getting back to active participation in their life,” Wood said, “and providing support as needed and making referrals to places that might need to have longer term follow-up.”

He said he previously worked with chronic patients who had long-term, ongoing treatments with very slow recovery processes. Wood said, with the Red Cross, he was excited to do work, see changes and go on to a new task.

“We could see folks move on,” Wood said, “and we could move on ourselves.”

Today, Wood serves in an administrative role in the mental health department, which includes actively responding to disasters. He said he is grateful to the Red Cross for allowing him to continue his work after becoming disabled from a serious brain infection.

“I was actually supposed to not be able to work anymore,” Wood said. “At the Red Cross, I was actually able to continue the work I’m doing and be quite grateful I can continue to do that work on some level.”

After nearly 20 years of service to the Red Cross, being recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award was not an idea that had crossed Wood’s mind. He said he is both overwhelmed and surprised by the honor.

“I’m honored and humbled because I just think I’m kind of doing what I can do, and glad I can continue helping the community and help my team be better prepared to serve,” Wood said with a grin. “I wasn’t really looking for any kind of acknowledgement.”

The Red Cross uses volunteers of all kinds to make the mission of service to other possible. To become a Red Cross volunteer, visit us online at redcross.org.

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Like Mother, Like Son: Teaching and Learning in Service as a Red Cross Mom

by Rebecca Lawson, staff contributor 

Red Cross Dallas Chapter
Board Member Jodi Lash

Growing up, Jodi Lash remembers watching her parents pay their bills every few weeks – and how they always set aside a little for charity, even though they didn’t have much. Now, as a Bonnie McElveen Hunter Lifetime Tiffany Circle member, Legacy Society member and Chair of the Dallas Area Chapter Board, Jodi has not only continued her parents’ charitable example with her children, but continues to make a lasting impact within the Red Cross. 

When Jodi first began supporting the Red Cross, like many, she associated it with disaster relief, blood and the lifesaving classes she had taken as a child. But once she got more involved, she discovered the full scope of its mission and was inspired by the spirit of volunteerism and seeing “ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” She felt compelled to do something on a bigger scale. 

Upon moving to Dallas in 2006, Jodi recalls touring the Dallas warehouse along with her son, Jonathan, who she and her husband were teaching about charitable giving: “I remember welling up with tears as they explained how the warehouse mobilizes and what it’s used for…I was thinking, I have to be part of this.” Her son was equally impressed, and as a result made his first charitable gift, purchasing much needed blankets with his Bar Mitzvah money for the Red Cross. 

As it turns out, that warehouse tour was only the beginning of the Red Cross journey for both mother and son. Jonathan began volunteering at the Dallas Area Chapter, at first working in the warehouse and then gradually in each of the other departments, as part of the Volunteer Public Service component of the Congressional Award. At age 16, he also became a certified CPR instructor, teaching others how to save lives. Jodi recalls how Jonathan wanted so badly to go with the disaster teams out on calls: “He would say to me, ‘I don’t feel like I’m doing enough.’ But I explained to him, you really are – because someone you train may go out and save a life.” 

Jodi was equally taken with the Dallas Tiffany Circle when she attended one of their luncheons shortly after moving to Dallas. “They had such a passion for the mission, and such big generous hearts, and they welcomed me with a huge Texas welcome” Jodi joined the Dallas Tiffany Circle in 2008 and became a Bonnie McElveen Hunter Lifetime member in 2011. “The women who are part of this special group are so incredible,” says Jodi. “They span all age groups and backgrounds and professions and geographic locations, but they all come together in this tightly bonded group of women who rally around the mission of the Red Cross.” 

Jodi and Jonathan’s Red Cross experiences came together at a Dallas Tiffany Circle event last year, where Jonathan was the speaker and gave a hands-on CPR demonstration. 

Overall, Jodi says, “The different ways everyone helps really makes up the heart of the Red Cross. And it has such broad implications as it spreads out into the community.” Jodi has certainly lived that message – both through her own work as board chair and with Tiffany Circle, and by passing that legacy of philanthropy to her children, as it was passed to her. 

To begin your Red Cross story, visit us at redcross.org/dfw.

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Talk About Tornadoes: How to Prepare Your Family for Storm Season at Home or School

by Kay Pinkerton, volunteer contributor 

A tornado outbreak hit the DFW Metroplex
April 3 last year

As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas.  

It can definitely be true when it comes to storms.

On April 3 of 2012, just one year ago, a tornado outbreak roared through North Texas, leveling houses, damaging schools and tossing tractor-trailers into the air like toys.  

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the storm system’s most violent tornado occurred in Forney/Rockwall. The F3 tornado touched down in Forney’s Diamond Creek subdivision, located near Crosby Elementary School. Crosby wasn’t directly hit by the tornado; however, high winds broke windows, damaged air conditioning units and ripped off sections of the roof. Children were in class at the time of the tornado. Neither students nor staff members were injured during the storm. 

The Fujita Scale classifies tornado intensities with ratings between F0 (weakest) to F5 (strongest). An F3 tornado is considered severe, with wind speeds between 158-206 mph. 

Severe weather is one of the most common hazards in the North Texas area. If severe weather threatens while your child is at school, the Red Cross offers the following safety tips: 

Before a Tornado

• Have a plan. Learn the safest places to seek shelter when at home, work, school or outdoors. Discuss with your children. The American Red Cross offers a one-page Tornado Safety Checklist to help you and your family become "Red Cross Ready."
• Know your school’s severe weather procedures. For parents, it’s vitally important to review the school’s emergency procedures -- including its parent notification system -- before disaster strikes. School-to-school protocol can vary widely. And rules that detail early dismissals, bus runs and parent pick-ups can be daunting. Further, as situations change, so may the associated policy. The final goal is to keep children safe.
• Know where you live. Know the counties where your home and your child’s school reside. Make sure every family member knows, as well. 
• Remain alert. During any storm, listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about watches and warnings. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center can also help you remain alert to the possibility of severe weather during the school day. A great new way to stay on top of tornadic activity is to download the Red Cross Tornado App (more on that below!)
• Learn basic weather terms.  Know the difference between a watch and a warning:
• Tornado watch – tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area.  
• Tornado warning – a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Tornado warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property. Seek shelter immediately. 
• Know your community’s warning system. Communities warn residents about tornadoes in different ways. Many have outdoor warning sirens.
• Watch for tornado danger signs:
• Dark, often greenish clouds – a phenomenon caused by hail
• Wall cloud – an isolated lowering of the base of a thunderstorm
• Cloud of debris
• Large hail
• Funnel cloud-a visible rotating extension of the cloud base
• Roaring noise
• Download the Red Cross Tornado App. The free Red Cross Tornado App offers instant access to life- and property-saving information before, during and after tornadoes. You can receive real-time NOAA tornado watch and warning alerts – whether it’s in your community or places where your loved ones live. There are also apps available that provide both first-aid information and Red Cross shelter locations.   

During A Tornado

• Have Your Child Stay at School. According to NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, your child is safer at school than he would be traveling home early by foot, car or bus. If the tornado sirens are sounding, parents should wait until the danger has passed to pick up their children. School staff members are trained to follow specific procedures designed to keep the students safe. Children will be taken to a safe place, such as a basement, to wait out the storm. Students with special needs will be accommodated, as well. If children are riding on a bus when a tornado siren goes off, bus drivers will be instructed where to go and when they can safely deliver the children to their homes.
• For Families at home:
• Go to a basement, underground shelter or safe room.  If these aren’t available, use a small, windowless interior room (such as a bathroom), hallway or closet on the lowest floor.  
• If you can, crawl under a sturdy piece of furniture, like a table.
• If you’re in a mobile home, go to basement, sturdy building or shelter, if possible. 
• If you are outdoors and cannot quickly walk to a shelter:
• Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. 
• If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park.  The following are considered last-resort options:
• Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible. 
• If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. 
• Remaining in your car or seeking shelter in a depression or ditch are last-resort options that provide little protection. The safest place to be is in an underground shelter, basement or safe room. 

After a Tornado

• Continue listening to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for updated information and instructions.
• Avoid downed power lines and broken gas lines. Report them to the utility company immediately. 
• Stay out of damaged buildings. 
• Check for injuries. If you are trained, provide first aid to persons in need until emergency responders arrive. 
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls. 
• If your community experiences a tornado or other disaster, register on the American Red Cross Safe and Well website to let your family and friends know your welfare. If you don’t have Internet access, call 1-866-GET-INFO to register yourself and your family, or click on the I'm Safe button on any of your Red Cross apps. You can even share that you're safe with your social networks.

To learn more about how you can prepare your family for tornadoes or to learn more about the Red Cross, visit us online at redcross.org. 

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Remember, Connect & Give: The April 3 DFW Tornado Outbreak, One Year Later

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross

April 3 DFW Tornado Outbreak
Infographic: Click to enlarge

One year ago today, the Metroplex got a scary reminder of what it means to live in tornado alley. Multiple tornadoes touched down, causing large-scale damage in Lancaster, Forney, Arlington and other areas. While miraculously, there were no fatalities, more than 1,000 homes were damaged and the American Red Cross was there to respond.

“That was my first disaster. I had only been with the Red Cross for three months when those things hit,” recalled T.D. Smyers, Regional CEO for the North Texas Region. Wanting to see for himself how his new organization operated during disasters, he went to Lancaster with the Red Cross disaster response team.

“I got to see up close and personal the devastation Mother Nature had on the community. People started coming out of their homes, looking at all the damage, and then I saw a beacon of hope coming up the street. It was a Red Cross feeding truck. Everyone was so glad to see our volunteers providing meals for everyone from the side window. It was a privilege to witness our mission in action.”

Remember

 

Looking back at the disaster a full year later, it’s sometimes hard to remember that some families are still recovering. Hundreds of homes were completely destroyed, and hundreds more damaged. In the immediate aftermath, many families stayed at Red Cross shelters while the clean-up process began.

T.D. Smyers visited a shelter in Lancaster and was struck by the reaction of the residents coming in. 

“When the tornadoes struck, most people were caught completely unprepared. People whose homes were hit were in despair, with nowhere to turn because they never thought about where they would stay or what they would do in a situation like this,” he explained. “To see them show up at the shelter and be greeted by Red Cross staff, who showed the face of friendliness and professionalism, saying ‘we’ve got you covered’—that was such a relief to those people. Seeing the impact that my organization had in real human lives was extremely gratifying. I carry it with me to this day.”

In total, the Red Cross served nearly 41,000 meals and snacks, distributed more than 6,100 relief items, provided nearly 200 mental health consultations and opened four shelters while responding to the tornadoes. Some 600 Red Cross relief workers were involved in the relief effort with 90% of them being volunteers. 

“As we commemorate this anniversary date, I’d like to ask other to join me in remembering the families who are still in recovery,” said Smyers. “And remember how the Red Cross responded to the needs in our own community instantly. That’s what your support allows us to do.”

Connect

Whenever there is a disaster like this, we are always thinking about how we can make the community better prepared in the future. One way to be prepared is to connect with us via our social networks, where we are constantly working to post the most up-to-date information about what’s happening in our community—whether that’s preparedness tips when the sky is blue, weather alerts as they happen and shelter and food service locations afterward.

“We’re proud of our social media presence,” said T.D. “I think it’s a vital part of our communications. It’s really the way to stay updated on the latest information we have.”

You can connect with us on our Facebook page and on Twitter @redcrossdfw.

Another easy way to stay prepared is to download our mobile apps, which are designed to put Red Cross tools and information directly in your hands. Here in tornado alley, the Tornado app, which sounds a siren when a tornado warning is in your area, can actually save your life by warning you of danger when you might not be monitoring the weather. In a situation like last year’s tornadoes, which occurred in the middle of the day while many people were at work and not watching the weather, it can make a world of difference.

All Red Cross apps are free and available now for iOS and Android devices. Find download links here.

“We know that people who were connected to our social feeds a year ago were able to learn what was happening around them and alert others,” T.D. reflected. “Those connections helped to save lives and with our new series of apps, it’s going to be even easier to get lifesaving information into people’s hands when they truly need it.”

Give

As we remember the destruction that our community experienced last year, we continue to look to you to help us be ready to respond when the next time disaster strikes. Last year, we ran low on clean-up supplies, leading to a delay in getting supplies out to people as they tried to clean up the wreckage. This year, we’re trying to build up our storm supply inventory, so we’ll have enough ready to provide the next time they are needed.

“The Dallas/Fort Worth area is among the most disaster-prone regions in the United States. We’re in tornado season and we’ve depleted some of our supplies that we need to be on the shelf and ready to go at a moment’s notice,” explains T.D. “People are always saying they want to help and they’re always very generous with wanting to donate so we’ve put together a list of items we’re needing and hoping that our supporters can help us out.” 

Please donate to our Storm Supplies drive all this week at DFW Red Cross locations. See details here.

As always, we are also looking for your help however you can give—donating, giving blood or volunteering. Learn how you can help at RedCross.org/DFW.

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Help Us Get Ready For Storm Season! Storm Supplies Drive at DFW Chapters All This Week

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross

We need your help getting
ready for storm season!

Wednesday will be the one-year anniversary of the tornado outbreak that hit the Metroplex last April. While, thankfully, there were no deaths in that outbreak, more than 1,000 homes were destroyed or damaged, leaving residents to begin the lengthy clean-up process.

In the days after the storm, the Red Cross ran low on clean-up supplies, causing a delay in getting gloves, rakes, shovels and other materials out to people as they tried to sort through the wreckage. With spring storm season upon us again, we’re looking for your help to build our storm supply inventory, so we’ll have enough ready to provide to people in your community the next time disaster strikes. 

We’re holding a Storm Supplies Drive all this week at DFW Red Cross locations. We’re looking for the following items*:

• Large men's leather work gloves
• 6 oz. insect repellent
• Flashlights with batteries
• LED lanterns with batteries
• Dust masks (in package)
• Gift cards of any value from Lowes, Home Depot or other local hardware store

*NEW items only please!

Drop-Off Times

Monday-Friday, April 1-5, 9am - 4pm

Saturday, April 6, 10am - 6pm

Drop-Off Locations

• Dallas Chapter, 4800 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75235
• Chisholm Trail Chapter, 1515 S. Sylvania Avenue, Fort. Worth, Texas 76111
• Johnson County Branch, 915D North Nolan River Rd , Cleburne, TX 76033
• Corsicana Branch, 701 W. Second Ave., Corsicana, Texas 75110
• McKinney Branch, 1450 Redbud Blvd., McKinney, Texas 75069
• Denton Branch, 1200 Woodrow Lane 200, Denton, Texas 76205

If you come by the Dallas chapter between 4-6pm on Saturday, April 6 to drop off your donation, you can get delicious gourmet shaved ice from Enticed. Or come by the the Chisholm Trail Chapter between 3-6pm on Saturday and grab a tasty snack at the Gypsy Scoops gourmet ice cream truck! 

Thank you in advance for your help making sure we’re ready!

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Rocking For the Red Cross – How Dallas Area Chapter Board Member Bob Boulogne Harmonizes Life, Music and Charity

by Natalie Horn, volunteer contributor

Father, philanthropist, hospitality pro and rock star – these are the four terms that best describe Red Cross Dallas Area Chapter board member and drummer of the Lost Coyote Band, Bob Boulogne.

The Lost Coyote Band was formed nine months ago when nationally acclaimed chef Dean Fearing and Boulogne, old friends from Boulogne’s time as chief operating officer of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, picked up their instruments and started playing.  

“I had left my 30-year-old drum set at his house and one day while I was over there he picked up his guitar, I got on the drums, and we said, ‘Hey this is a lot of fun; let’s start a band,’” Boulogne said. 

The Lost Coyote band raised more than $10,000
for charity last month.

Other members of The Lost Coyote band include bass guitarist Dave Brummell and guitarist Dave Cook. 

Last month the band raised more than $10,000 for charity. Boulogne hopes to continue their fundraising success this weekend by hosting a concert and live auction with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting one of his favorite causes, the American Red Cross.

Boulogne became involved with the Red Cross three years ago through the suggestion of a friend. He says, as a member of the Dallas Area Chapter Board of Directors, he enjoys having the opportunity to brainstorm exciting ways to keep people plugged in to the great work the organization does. 

“We’ve been having discussions about how we could take a more youthful approach to the Red Cross - not necessarily in terms of age, but as in thinking,” Boulogne said. “We just want to have some fun with it.”  

If you are a fan of loud rock and roll, lead guitar riffs and late 60s through early 70s style rock, you will definitely enjoy the two sets the band has planned for the show, Boulogne promises.

“It’s a good excuse to get friends and like-minded music lovers together to not take life seriously, have some fun, and most importantly raise money for charity,” Boulogne added.

The band will rock out for the Red Cross Friday, March 29 at the Green Elephant Bar in Dallas from 8-11 p.m. Admission is $20 and will benefit the Red Cross Dallas Area Chapter.

So, how does one balance a busy career in hospitality, two children and a band while also volunteering on the board for the Dallas Area Chapter? 

“I just try to keep a positive attitude, keep the balls moving and keep great lines of communication with my kids,” Boulogne explained. “I never take anything too seriously; life is short.”

For more information about the concert or to learn how you can contribute to the Red Cross, visit redcross.org.

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Supporting Japan: Two Years Later

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross

Today is the two-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. Two years ago, the generosity of the American public helped the American Red Cross raise $312 million toward relief efforts. Those donations have gone toward everything from rebuilding hospitals and nursing schools to providing nearly 338,000 people with appliances for their new homes to providing emotional support to survivors.

It is because of the kindness of so many of you that we have been able to put our support behind our partners at the Japanese Red Cross as Japan continues to rebuild. Two years ago, we put the call out for your help. Here are some of the many stories of how many of you right here in DFW answered:

• Handmade Guitars Help Heal Japan
• Small Hands Raise Big Change to Help Japan
• Families Come Together to Help Citizens of a Devastated Country Half a World Away

As we look back two years later, please know that your amazing generosity and compassion back then was felt and continues to make a difference today. It is because of your support that the American Red Cross continues to stand ready to help, whenever and wherever we are needed.

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From the DFW Food Truck Foodie Blog: Tornado App Warns Food Truck Owners and Customers of Severe Weather

This post is re-posted from our friends at DFW Food Truck Foodie. The DFW food truck community have always been wonderful supporters of the Red Cross and we're glad our new app can make a difference with this unique group. Stay safe out there, foodies & food truckers! 

Red Cross App Warns Food Truck Owners and Customers of Severe Weather

Severe weather can happen within minutes, with little to no warning. When the severe storms that are common in Texas strike, the last place most people want to be is in or near a food truck.  In Spring of 2012, there were several times when trucks were out and storms popped up quickly. In one storm, several trucks sustained significant hail damage. On April 3, when at least a dozen tornadoes hit the Metroplex, I heard several stories of food trucks being out serving lunch and the owners not knowing that tornadoes were in the immediate area. One truck owner was traveling for business and the truck was being manned by employees. The first the owner knew of the danger was when he received a text from a family member asking if the truck was secure. The next few hours were chaotic as the owner tried to contact the employees and instruct them on how to secure the truck while keeping themselves safe since there was not time to get to their commissary.

Recognizing that many food truck owners,  their employees, and often times the customers may not have warning of impending storms, the Red Cross asked me to join with them to share information about their new smart phone app that tracks and warns about impending severe weather in the area. 

The free app, available in both English and Spanish, sends real time information about tornado activity in the area to iPhone, iPad and Android devices.  In addition to a high pitched alert warning, the app transmits an "All Clear" when the warning has expired.

Other features in the app include:

• Location-based NOAA tornado, severe thunderstorm and flood watch and warning alerts;
• Enhanced weather maps;
• One-touch “I’m safe” messaging that allows users to broadcast reassurance to family and friends that they are out of harm’s way;
• Simple steps and checklists people can use to create an emergency plan and share it with household members;
• Preloaded content that gives users instant access to critical action steps, even without mobile connectivity;
• Toolkit with flashlight, strobe light and audible alarm;
• Locations of open Red Cross shelters; and
• Badges users can earn through interactive quizzes and share on social networks.

I have been taking the quizzes and reviewing the checklists over the last few days. The App is full of information, some of which is new and some of which is a good reminder as we go in to the most volatile season of the year.

The Tornado App, along with other apps created by the American Red Cross, can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/mobileapps.

The App monitors based on zip codes in both the US and Canada with the ability to monitor multiple locations simultaneously. I have set both my location and my out of town family's location for monitoring. I expect this App to be very beneficial to those working on food trucks, and their customers, who otherwise may not know how the weather is changing while they are serving; go download it now! 

Stay safe everyone! 

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Lessons in Severe Weather Planning

by Kristen Kerr, volunteer contributor

It's National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, so it's a great time to be thinking about what you should be doing to prepare for bad weather. In fact, that was the point of our big multi-state disaster drill this weekend: to prepare when the sky is blue for when it isn't.

As a native Texan (born and raised), I have been through the tornadoes, droughts, floods, severe thunderstorms, wildfires and heat waves. Over the years, I learned a thing or two about how to prepare not only myself, but also my family, for severe weather. 

During the tornadoes that ripped through Fort Worth in 2000, I was home by myself. I was about 11 years old and I was trying to stay safe (and alive). I had my dad’s weather radio turned on and since it runs on batteries, it was perfect, because if the electricity went out, it would still function. The radio kept me informed on the storm’s progress. Later, I went into our downstairs closet and made sure it was clear of anything heavy or harmful that could hurt me during the storm. I also took a blanket and flashlight with me so that I could stay warm and see (just in case we lost electricity). 

That was really all that I knew how to do at the time since I was just a child, and shortly after that, my parents bought me a cell phone in case of emergencies like that one. 

Prepare an emergency kit in case of severe weather.
Or, you can get one from RedCrossStore.org!

Since then, I began an internship with the American Red Cross, and I have learned quite a bit more in regards to staying safe during severe weather. 

In fact, there is a 3-step plan that everyone should put into action when severe weather threatens:

1. Get a kit. A kit can be as simple as a plastic tub. The kit should contain bottled water, canned foods, cereal bars, flashlights, batteries, weather radios, first aid kits, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, medicine and copies of important documents.
2. Make a plan. It is important to have a plan of action prepared because when any severe weather warning is issued it is easy to get overwhelmed, scared and confused. If you have a plan, all you need to do is follow it. You don’t need to worry about trying to think of where to go and how to get there. It’s already done!
3. Be prepared. It’s a great idea to have your kit pre-made and stored somewhere with easy accessibility. Also do a trial run if your action plan with your family, so that when you severe weather hits, you know what to do!

When I was a little girl, being alone during the tornadoes felt like a bad dream because I didn’t know what was going on outside and how bad it really was! However, in today’s ever changing technological world, it no longer has to feel that way! I was excited to learn that the American Red Cross has launched their new tornado app that includes a high-pitched siren and alerts for when a tornado warning has been issued in your area and later signals an “all clear” alert so that users know when a warning has expired or been cancelled. I know if this app would have been around during the 2000 tornadoes, I would have felt a lot safer and smarter! 

You can feel safer and smarter too. Download the new app for free at RedCross.org. Stay safe this spring season!

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Highlights From Our 2013 Multi-State Disaster Drill

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross
Our big multi-state disaster drill last weekend was a big success! More than 700 Red Cross volunteers in more than 40 chapters across Texas and Oklahoma participated in the exercise, designed to test volunteers on their ability to respond to a simulated tornado outbreak. It's also National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, so the readiness exercise was especially appropriate.

Volunteers were not only conducted disaster assessment of property damage, but also encountered residents who were panicked, angry or even hurt and bleeding. For example, one scenario involved a man who had cut himself severely while moving debris (see the video above). Volunteers performed first aid on the scene and called for an ambulance. Don't worry--the residents were all actors, helping with our simulation. 

Our amazing volunteer photographers from all over the two states sent in images from the drill. Check them out here:

Thanks again to all of our wonderful volunteers and staffers who helped make our drill such a big success by getting us more prepared for when a real disaster strikes!

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Watching for Tornados: Knowing the Difference Between a Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning

by Brenda Lepenski, volunteer contributor 

The TV control is in your hands. Flip. Flip. Flip. As you continue, there is weather graphic and some text at the bottom of every channel. At first, you see it as a nuisance. 

Then you stop to read the graphic.

Tornado watch until 6 p.m.  

Wait. What exactly is a tornado watch?

A tornado watch means that weather conditions could lead to the creation of tornadoes. 

During a watch, it is appropriate to keep a close eye and ear on weather reports. A battery powered radio and a flashlight are useful tools to locate during a watch so they're handy if electrical power is abruptly interrupted.

On the other hand, a tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted by trained spotters or on radar, and it is important to take precautions to stay safe.

During a tornado warning, the American Red Cross suggests that you stay away from rooms with windows. Head to the most interior part of your home, putting as many walls in between you and the outdoors as possible.

To protect yourself from possible flying debris, curl up in a ball with your hands protecting your head. 

If you live in a mobile home, identify a nearby sturdy building where you can seek shelter. 

However, you might not always be in the comfort of your home. If you are driving or outside seek shelter immediately. If there is no shelter in sight, you can take the following precautions:

• Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter.
• If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have the following options as a last resort:
• Stay in your vehicle with your seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible.
• If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.

Your choice should be driven by your specific circumstances.
  For more information on how to prepare for a tornado, visit redcross.org and don't forget to download our free Tornado app to be alerted when there's a tornado warning in your area! 

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