With a widespread rain event possible in the North Texas area, the American Red Cross is urging families to take precautions now, and offers important safety tips in the event of flash flooding.
Charge laptops, cell phones, tablets and other electronics in order to get information before, during and after disasters.
Pack a disaster supplies kit with working flashlights, extra batteries, bottled water, first aid supplies, etc. Click here for a list of items to pack in a supplies kit.
Listen to area radio and television stations and a NOAA Weather Radio for possible flash flood warnings and reports of flooding in progress or other critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS)
Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
When a flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.
Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way. Six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off of your feet.
If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.
Keep children out of the water. They are curious and often lack judgment about running water or contaminated water.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood danger.
Bookmark www.redcross.org to learn about shelter locations and other important information.
by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross North Texas Region As we continue relief efforts in Granbury and Cleburne after the deadly tornado outbreak last week, we wanted to take a moment to thank all of our corporate supporters who we work closely with to meet specific needs for our relief effort--from providing lunch to our volunteer team who worked through the night after the tornadoes hit to providing sunscreen for residents who are sifting through the debris trying to salvage belongings.
HEB donated $30,000 worth of gift cards to residents so they could purchase food & supplies.
TXU provided work gloves & flashlights for residents as they begin the clean-up effort.
Blue Bell brought ice cream to our disaster operation headquarters, giving a break to our hard-working disaster workers!
Thanks so much to all of these supporters: HEB TXU Mary Kay Dr Pepper Snapple Nestle Kroger VSP Taco Bueno 7 Eleven BJ's Potbelly's God's Hand Ups Blue Bell Ice Cream Your support is so important to our efforts. We're lucky to have supporters like you.
by Anita Foster, Chief Communications Officer, American Red Cross North Texas Region As a Red Cross worker often on the front lines of major disasters, people ask me all the time how I can drop everything—friends, family, my local job—and race to a disaster scene. It’s not a hard question to answer because I know that our call to action means that families need our help. On April 17, the call came to head to West, Texas after a fertilizer plant exploded. What no one has ever asked me is though, is how I can leave a disaster scene a couple of weeks later while people are still suffering. As I wrap up my fourteenth and final day on the assignment in this Czech community we have come to affectionately call West “Comma” Texas, I am weepy. I weep for a city that will never be the same; for 15 families who, 14 days later, are still laying their loved ones to rest. I weep for the emergency response community who lost 12 firefighters in one fell swoop, two of them brothers. West lost seven of their heroes. Two more died from a neighboring small town called Abbott, two civilians were honored as firefighters because they jumped in to help put out the fire and one loss was from the area I serve every day in Dallas, Texas. Words cannot describe the enormity of the grief that these towns are experiencing. Through my tears though, I’m also comforted by the kindness of this community and the sheer determination, dignity and fragility they have exhibited in the face of this unspeakable tragedy. I have learned a great deal about the soul of a city in the past two weeks and I have to say that West, Texas has a beautiful soul. The mayor’s home was destroyed, but he rallied his town to begin their recovery. The city secretary, responsible for getting important information to the town through their website, was also a volunteer firefighter and died in the explosion. In spite of this, the city found a way to keep information flowing to their residents. Mark Felton with the Red Cross in Waco has coordinated our services every day, around the clock. The county judge, city council members, heads of business and many others are present in the town every day taking care of their residents. And the residents are taking care of each other. I love it when my phone rings off the hook after something like this because I know people are calling to find out how to best help the people suffering. And help for West came by the masses. I knew early on that the community would have their physical needs taken care of, but I did worry about how they would cope with the trauma. So many times, we focus on the death toll—how many died in this or that disaster, but we don’t as seriously consider the number of lives that are forever changed when one third of a town is destroyed. There were more than 200 people transported to area hospitals, many still there with grave injuries requiring long-term care and rehabilitation. Others will have the images of the explosion and the gruesome aftermath in their minds for years. Everyone will grieve the loss of so many of their friends and neighbors. It’s overwhelming to think about. But with a new understanding of this place at Exit 353 off of Interstate 35, I am comforted that the people of West, Texas, will take care of their friends and neighbors for as long as it takes. That’s the soul of this city. As I prepare to leave West “Comma” Texas, I say this to the community: It is hard to leave because I know I’m leaving a piece of my soul behind. But I won’t be gone forever. The next time I’m making my way south down I-35, I’ll take Exit 353 and hang a left to the best kolaches in the entire world, followed by the Poopsie at the Czech pizza place. I’ll ask how the recovery is coming and how your people are healing, physically and emotionally. I’ll tell you every time what an honor it was to be here to serve with the Red Cross and with my best Czech accent, I’ll say dekuji (“thanks”) for showing me your soul.
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:
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.
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!
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!
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!
by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross
Red Crossers across Texas & Oklahoma will hit the streets in a simulated disaster drill this weekend
They say practice makes perfect, which is why this weekend, more than 700 volunteers in more than 40 Red Cross chapters across Texas & Oklahoma will be teaming up for our first-ever multi-state disaster drill. In this exercise, volunteers will hit the streets to perform disaster assessment in a simulated devastating tornado outbreak. In each of the participating chapters, volunteers will be deployed to pre-selected neighborhoods, where they will find a visual of a home that has been impacted. They will have to determine the type of damage and then relay that information back to Red Cross. In a real disaster, getting an accurate assessment of impacted homes as quickly as possible is crucial to the disaster relief process. It directs us on everything from how many meals need to be prepared to how many shovels we need to have on hand. In the Dallas area, volunteers will report to the American Red Cross, 4800 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas Texas 75235 at 8:15a.m. on Saturday, March 2, participate in a briefing, and then hit the neighborhoods by 9:30a.m. The drill is expected to last until noon, followed by an after-action review from 12:00p.m-2:00p.m. In North Texas, wildfires, severe storms, tornados and other disasters are certainly common occurrences. That’s why drills like these are so important: so we can be prepared to help when we’re needed the most. For information on becoming a trained Red Cross volunteer, go to RedCross.org/DFW. To follow the drill in real-time, follow @RedCrossDFW on Twitter and use hashtag #txokdrill Here's a map of all of our participating chapters (click to view larger):
Written by Anita Foster, Chief Communications Officer, American Red Cross-North Texas Region
Big Tex, the 60 year-old cowboy who towers above everything at the State Fair of Texas, is as much a part of the iconic Dallas, Texas landscape as J.R. Ewing and the Dallas Cowboys. To see him burn was a shock to fair-goers, television viewers and Twitter addicts. People felt helpless to do anything to save BigTex. When the fire was out, all that remained were memories of better days.
At the Red Cross, we’ve talked a lot about the Big-Tex fire because the reaction of people mirrors what real victims of disaster experience every day. Your “breaking news” happens when a neighbor or your local fire department calls to tell you your home is on fire. You rush to get there.
Just as the crowd assembled at the base of BigTex to watch the devastation unfold, your neighbors will do the same. They’ll desperately want to help save your home, but there’s nothing anyone can do so they’ll shoot some photos with a smart phone and post to their Facebook page.
Firefighters will fight the blaze with all they have, but when the fire is out, what is left is often unrecognizable. The wire frame of BigTex represents your couch, your bed and all of your appliances. Your clothes are gone, just like BigTex’s. The firefighters will let you know that the Red Cross is on the way as they roll up their hoses and head back to the fire hall.
Just as BigTex fans stopped by the fair on Saturday and Sunday to show their love of the Texas giant, your friends and neighbors will stop by your home in the upcoming days to see the damage for themselves. It will be good for you because you’ll be able to talk through the disaster and know you have support.
Across the community, thousands of people changed their Facebook photos to highlight BigTex. A local church group held a prayer service and representatives from the State Fair of Texas assured us all that Big Tex would be back—bigger and better than ever.
Tragedies happen every day in the Metroplex. Our DFW Red Cross team helps an average of five families every single day because of home fires. These families experience the same shock and emotional reaction to losing everything they own as we experienced watching BigTex burn down. In order to restore peace of mind, the Red Cross makes sure that families have a safe place to stay and the means to purchase new clothing, new shoes and groceries for their families. No doubt, Dickies will be sure that Big Tex gets a new set of clothes and the State Fair team will make certain that he’s safe until his unveiling next year. And that’s the best message of all.
Big Tex experienced a serious emergency, but he will recover, just as the fire victims we meet recover. It’s not easy nor is it a quick process, but over time, with community support from organizations like the Red Cross, families are able to see brighter days ahead.
To learn more about home fires and how the Red Cross helps, view this quick three minute video:
For all of you who support the Red Cross so that we can help fire victims every day, we send you our sincere thanks. If you’d like to become a donor to help fire victims, click on www.redcross.org/dfw or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.
Written by Anita Foster, Chief Communications Officer, American Red Cross: As I type this message to you this morning, I do so with great uncertainty on what the day will hold. Hurricanes are quite unpredictable. Late last week, we were busy deploying relief workers so they could be in place before Isaac made landfall. We were fairly certain that he would come ashore along the Florida coastline, but what a difference a couple of days can make.
After waking up on Sunday, I took a look at the latest forecast models and started to see Isaac making a shift to the west. I called some of my fellow Red Crossers and we discussed the model. For the first time since its formation, we knew that our teams in DFW and East Texas might just be called to action because New Orleans now appeared within the "cone of probability". This morning, not only is New Orleans in the cone, it's in the center of it. What does that mean for DFW? In a nutshell, it means that we have to be ready to provide safe shelter for thousands of people and we'll need to do it quickly. Throughout the day today, all of us will have phones glued to our ears and we'll be frantically typing messages to volunteers, national headquarters, government officials and each other just to be sure everything is lined up in case people from New Orleans head toward DFW for a safe place to stay. We'll keep you posted on our activities throughout the day so please check back here. You can also follow us on Twitter @RedCrossDFW or join us on our Facebook page: Red Cross DFW. See you later today!
Written by T.D. Smyers, chief executive officer North Texas Region
“I have an almost complete disregard of precedent, and a faith in the possibility of something better. It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I go for anything new that might improve the past.” - Clara Barton
One year ago, the North Texas Region of the American Red Cross was born. It was a time of hopeful expectation for some and great anxiety for others. But one need only review these words from Clara Barton to know what our founder would have thought of the organizational change that was necessary to save the American Red Cross, including the creation of regions to handle a lot of the back office functions that had previously burdened our chapters.
Of course, appealing to Clara means that the change should “improve the past” by advancing the effectiveness and efficiency by which we deliver the historic Red Cross mission.
When I was given the privilege of leading this Region, it became my focus to ensure our regional staff team – both employees and volunteers – were catalysts to the delivery of our mission rather than being an additional layer of bureaucracy. To this end, our team set about identifying just what it is we should be doing. We didn’t need a mission statement. We already had that, courtesy of our national leadership:
Mission Statement
The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
What we did need was to define our purpose in support of that mission. With input and review by employees and volunteers across the Region, we did just that:
Purpose Statement of the North Texas Region
To Support, Resource and Enable the work of North Texas Chapters in executing the mission of the Red Cross.
In order to realize this purpose, and keep us focused, we determined three strategic goals as well:
Strategic Goals of the North Texas Region
Optimize and strengthen the identity of local chapters and build a culture of collaboration across the Region.
Become the charity of choice for Time, Talent and Treasure in communities across North Texas.
Be the top Region in American Red Cross for revenue, volunteerism and diversity.
The staff's and volunteer's pursuit of these goals will reinforce the great work done by American Red Cross chapters every day.
I’ve been impressed by how committed our national leaders are to the “upside down pyramid”, meaning that chapters in the field really take the lead role. When an Emergency Response Vehicle rolls up to a curb because a family burned out in the middle of the night, it’s a local Red Cross volunteer that provides the service.
When a service member needs important communication from home, they reach out to their local chapter. The same is true when a person wants to become a lifeguard, learn CPR or donate a pint of blood.
So while there have been many changes in the organizational leadership of the Red Cross, there hasn’t been change in keeping Red Cross services strong at the local level.
At the North Texas Region, we’re committed to serving our communities across the top of the state of Texas.
One final note.
One senior volunteer who wasn’t happy about “regionalization” recently told me that she had changed her mind about the reorganization; mostly because she’s seen such tremendous support from the Region that she knows “things are different this time”.
In fact, she said she feels more connected to the Red Cross now than she ever did when her chapter was operated independently.
Just hours after a tornado roared through Woodward, Oklahoma, the American Red Cross established a safe shelter for the displaced residents. When the sun came up, it shined brightly on how much the families in this community have lost. Dan Halyburton, a volunteer from North Texas, made his way to Oklahoma immediately to help out. This video is a birds-eye view of what Dan has seen across the area.
To help the families down the street, across the nation and around the globe who are affected by disasters like this, click on www.redcross.org, text REDCROSS to 90999 or call 800-RED-CROSS. We thank you.
Are you still looking for a way to help your neighbors after last week's tornadoes?
Get to know our Piper the Puppy program and for a $100 donation to disaster relief, you can put Piper in the hands of a child after disaster. Visit Redcrossdallas.org for more information on Piper the Puppy.
Community Can Help by Texting, Clicking or Sponsoring
DFW, TEXAS, February 28, 2012 — It’s rare to get a rash of fires that displaces nearly 100 people in a three-day period, but here in the Metroplex, that’s exactly what’s happened over the past 72 hours. Four major apartment fires, along with 12 single-family homes fires, one causing a critical injury, had the organization responding around the clock; and depleting resources at a rapid pace.
Now, the Red Cross is asking the community to help replenish their funds as they gear up for spring storm season.
“We’re concerned about this barrage of home fires, coupled with the start of spring storm season,” said T.D. Smyers, regional chief executive officer, American Red Cross North Texas Region. “We’ve had so many fires and any day now, spring storms will be here and we have to be ready to respond to those too.”
Smyers said the organization has distributed about three weeks worth of aid in a three day period, but with support from the community, those funds can be replaced quickly.
Ways people can give include texting the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to donate $10; jumping on www.redcross.org to give a gift in any amount; or by sponsoring a “Piper the Puppy” at the $100 level. This Dallas-created stuffed animal brings comfort when he’s handed to a child at the curb of a house fire, while the financial donation ensures that the Red Cross is ready to respond at a moment’s notice.
Home fires are the most common disaster responded to by the local Red Cross chapters. An average of five families in the Metroplex experience a house fire every day. The American Red Cross responds every time they’re called and assists with safe shelter, new shoes and clothing, groceries, seasonal items, bedding and more. Without the support of the American people, the American Red Cross would be unable to respond.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
What should I do if there are reports of wild fires in my area?
With high winds whipping from one end of the state of Texas to the other, it's critical that we all use extreme caution until the danger passes. Do not use anything outdoors that could create a spark such as outdoor grills or welding machines. Avoid discarding cigarette butts from car windows and extinguish cigars/cigarettes only in safe containers. One spark could create a disastrous situation for our communities so use caution!
If a wildfire should occur, read the steps below to get out safely.
Listen to local radio and television stations for updated emergency information.
Always back your car into the garage or park it in an open space facing the direction of escape.
Confine pets to one room so that you can find them if you need to evacuate quickly.
Arrange for temporary housing at a friend or relative’s home outside the threatened area.
Limit exposure to smoke and dust.
Listen and watch for air quality reports and health warnings about smoke.
Keep indoor air clean by closing windows and doors to prevent outside smoke from getting in.
Use the recycle or recirculate mode on the air conditioner in your home or car. If you do not have air conditioning and it is too hot to stay inside with closed windows, seek shelter elsewhere.
When smoke levels are high, do not use anything that burns and adds to indoor air pollution, such as candles, fireplaces and gas stoves. Do not vacuum because it stirs up particles that are already inside your home.
If you have asthma or another lung disease, follow your health care provider's advice and seek medical care if your symptoms worsen.
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.
A Red Cross emergency response vehicle loads up with food (provided by the Southern Baptist Convention) at the First Baptist Church in Bastrop and then proceeds to the wildfire damaged Tahitian Village Neighborhood to hand out hot meals. Southern Baptist volunteers load a Red Cross emergency response vehicle with food. They are Rob Walters (left) and Ted Bosworth. (Photo by Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross)
The American Red Cross was on the scene during what has been an extremely busy year for natural disasters in the United States. Across the country, thousands of people have been uprooted and lives forever changed.
Back in January, snowstorms closed roads, stranded travelers and knocked out power to large portions of the country. As the weeks and months went by, blizzards, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes took a toll on much of the country. The Red Cross helped provide relief, with food and shelter, clean-up supplies and emotional support.
Over the last nine months, the Red Cross launched 119 disaster relief operations across 42 states and territories to help people affected by fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. In response to these disasters, the Red Cross has deployed nearly 26,000 disaster workers who have helped victims by:
Opening 948 shelters providing more than 124,000 overnight stays
Providing nearly 70,000 health service contacts to replace medications and items like eyeglasses
Providing 60,000 mental health contacts to help comfort people
Handing out more than 2.6 million clean-up and comfort kits, along with other items like tarps, coolers, shovels
Serving more than 6.6 million meals and snacks
In order to respond to disasters across the country and open shelters as needed within hours of a disaster, the Red Cross works year round to identify more than 56,000 potential shelter sites ahead of time. In addition, disaster warehouses are located all across the country stocking supplies like cots and blankets to support as many as 500,000 people in shelters.
Working with partners like the Southern Baptist Convention, Salvation Army and others, the Red Cross can prepare and serve meals in communities affected by disaster in any part of the country. Using kitchens operated by these partners, local vendors and caterers and a supply of shelf-stable meals, the Red Cross has the capacity to serve a million meals a day if needed.
In an average year, the Red Cross spends about $450 million on disaster relief throughout the United States and around the world. This includes sheltering, feeding and relief supplies for the disasters we respond to and the cost of being ready to respond by maintaining warehouses, response vehicles and computer systems. It also includes immediate relief and recovery planning to help people affected by large disasters in other countries. Major disasters that impact entire communities – like Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee – add to the total cost of our response efforts.
Just as the Red Cross works every day to be ready to respond to emergencies, we urge people to get prepared too. Every person, business, school and house of worship should be prepared to take care of themselves and their neighbors in an emergency.
The three keys to preparedness are to build a kit, make a plan, and be informed.
An emergency preparedness kit should include enough supplies for at least three days. Supplies should include water (one gallon, per person, per day), nonperishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, a 7-day supply of medications, a multi-purpose tool, sanitation and personal hygiene items and copies of important personal documents. The Red Cross also recommends having at least two weeks worth of supplies at home.
All members of the household should work together on an emergency plan. Each person should know how to reach other members of the household. The plan should also include an out-of-area emergency contact person, and where everyone should meet if they can't go home.
People should also be informed about what types of disasters are most likely to occur where they live. It is also important to take a first aid and CPR/AED course—a vital component of disaster preparedness in case emergency help is delayed.
Getting prepared today can save lives and livelihoods when disaster strikes. People contact their local Red Cross chapter to learn what steps they should take to be ready when emergencies strike.
Beginning Monday, May 16 through Friday, May 20, listeners will be able to donate to support Red Cross relief efforts by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Monday morning Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern called in and thanked Steve and his listeners for their donations, as well as provided an update on Red Cross disaster operations. We are expecting a few celebrity callers during the shows, encouraging people to help the Red Cross. All money raised will benefit the American Red Cross disaster relief efforts. In Dallas/Fort Worth, you can listen to the show from 5am - 9am on Smooth R&B 105.7. Outside the area, listen online at www.steveharvey.com.
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
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 this state, and many others, doing everything possible to help. Hot meals and safe shelters are open and mental health counselors are out in droves due to the unimaginable number of people grieving. You can cut the heartbreak with a knife. That's why we need your help. Go to www.redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a gift.
Storm victims need all of us to help right now so thank you in advance for caring about your neighbors near and far.
Video produced by Anita Foster, American Red Cross, Dallas, Texas on assignment in Phil Campbell and Hackleburg, Alabama
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.
Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Red Cross Disaster Services, is in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he witnessed the damage and explained the Red Cross response.
“Our hearts go out to those who’ve suffered from this tragic event and to those who’ve lost loved ones,” said Shimanski. “You can see the absolutely heart-wrenching damage that’s occurred here. The Red Cross has some key top priorities to meet the essential needs of the victims.”
“Our primary goal is to take care of those affected. First, we’re sheltering those whose homes have been destroyed by all this damage,“ Shimanski continued. “We’re also feeding those who have been displaced—and there are countless displaced because of the extensive damage. And we’re providing emotional support—a major concern because scores of lives have been lost.”
Ensuring people have a safe place to stay is a major priority. Red Cross shelters are currently open in Alabama, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia.
More than 1,500 people spent the night in a Red Cross shelter Thursday night. In hard-hit Alabama, 12 Red Cross shelters are open across the state. Red Cross disaster workers, relief supplies, blood products and equipment have been sent into Alabama, along with more than 50 emergency response vehicles and 25,000 ready-to-eat meals. Red Cross nurses and mental health workers have also been deployed to help people cope with the aftermath of this disaster.
The Red Cross is working with its partners around the clock to help people in every affected state, and will continue to focus on making sure people have a safe place to stay, food to eat, emotional support, basic health services and relief supplies. The Red Cross will continue to be there in the coming weeks as they help residents get back on their feet.
“The devastation to this area is tragic,” Shimanski commented. “I’m humbled to see that Red Cross staff who have damage to their own homes and lives are here volunteering in shelters, helping their neighbors in this great time of need.”
For those who are affected by a disaster in the U.S., registering on the Red Cross Safe and Well website is a way for those in the disaster area to let loved ones know they are safe. Friends and family outside the disaster area can also visit the Safe and Well site to search for messages from their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address.
There are several ways to register or look for messages from those affected by a disaster:
From a computer, visit www.redcross.org and click on the “List Yourself or Search Registrants” link under “How to Get Help.”
Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to register.
Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Safe and Well website.
The Red Cross is able to respond quickly when emergencies happen with the help of corporations who are members of the organization’s Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). ADGP members pledge donations on an ongoing basis to allow the Red Cross to pre-position supplies and be ready to take immediate action when disasters occur.
ADGP members include 3M, Altria, Aon, Cisco Foundation, ConAgra Foods, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Darden Restaurants, Inc., Dr Pepper Snapple Group, FedEx Corporation, GE Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation, John Deere Foundation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Kraft Foods, Lowe's Companies, Inc., Merck, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide Insurance Foundation, Northrop Grumman, Ryder Charitable Foundation, Southwest Airlines, State Farm, State Street Foundation, Target, The TJX Companies, Inc., UnitedHealthcare, UPS and Walmart.
The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster, both here in the United States and around the world. Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. To make a donation, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
This week, WFAA/Channel 8 will be supporting the Red Cross by holding a three-day telethon in support of the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief efforts. The phone bank will be manned by volunteers from the Dallas Area Chapter during the evening newscast March 15-17 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Follow us on Twitter @RedCrossDallas and we will tweet the call-in number.
Officials from the Japanese Red Cross have indicated they would be grateful for donations from the American Red Cross to support their earthquake and tsunami response. Those who want to help can go to http://www.redcross.org and donate to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. People can also donate $10 by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to support our disaster relief efforts in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.
When a flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.
