Making a Plan

Written by Samantha Slappey

In the event of an emergency, it is important to make sure your entire family is prepared. You may not always be together when these events happen so you should have a plan that allows you to contact on another.

The American Red Cross suggests meeting with your family in order to discuss how to prepare and respond to potential emergencies. You should identify the responsibilities of each member in your household and plan to work together as a team.

Plan family meeting spots in case you are separated during an emergency.  For sudden emergencies, like fires, plan to meet outside of your house. For emergencies where you need to evacuate your home, plan to meet somewhere safe outside of your neighborhood.

Families should also choose an out-of-area contact person just in case local phone lines are out of service.

that you and your family need to evacuate, choose a destination and the route you would take to get there. You should practice your evacuation route twice a year. Be sure to know alternate routes that will take you there in case there is a road blockage. If you have pets, keep a list of pet friendly hotels/motels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation route. If you get separated from your family, you can always let them know you’re ok with the ‘I’m Safe’ button on the Red Cross Hurricane App. The app is free to download on iTunes and Google Play. Visit RedCross.org for more details.

Join the Red Cross in National Preparedness Month

By Nina Kamber

September kicks off National Preparedness Month and the American Red Cross is one of many organizations participating in an effort to bring awareness in staying a step ahead of emergencies and disasters.

National Preparedness Month is “a nationwide effort held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools,” and is organized by Ready, a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign.

Disasters can occur with little or no notice and having the proper tips and guidance to stay save is important. Red Cross East Georgia wants every person, family, school, community and business to have a plan of action for various situations.

During the month of September, the Red Cross East Georgia will offer various tips, resources and training on how to update a family disaster plan, keep your business or organization prepared for emergencies and tell what communities are doing to help prepare for emergencies.

The American Red Cross already has two apps that can be downloaded to help keep you informed. The new Hurricane Preparedness App has several features to help monitor weather conditions and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store for Androidat no cost. The American Red Cross First Aid app is also a great tool to have as it offers great advice on staying prepared in emergencies.

Visit redcross.org to learn more and join the American Red Cross in National Preparedness Month.

Credits: Vincent Knaus

Fire Danger on the Rise

The National Weather Service issued a fire danger statement in Georgia this past week informing residents that high fire danger conditions can be expected due to strong winds and dry air. Recently, our neighboring state of Florida experienced a brush fire which burned acres of land and resulted in an evacuation. The American Red Cross of Greater Palm Beach Chapter deployed Disaster Action Team members and dispatched an Emergency Response Vehicle in response to the fires. With these dangers right next door, are you Red Cross Ready for the risks of fire danger?

Wildfires can go unnoticed at first, but they spread rapidly and can easily overtake your home. Every second counts when facing the danger of a wildfire. Here are some basic ways to stay a step ahead and be Red Cross Ready with the current high fire danger conditions.

To prepare beforehand:

1. Learn about wildfire risks in your area.
2. Plan ahead in order to stay as safe as possible during a wildfire.

If there are reports of wildfires in your area:

1. Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
2. Park your car facing the direction of escape.
3. Listen to the local radio and television stations for updates.
4. Be sure to limit exposure to smoke and dust.
5. Listen and watch for air quality reports and health warnings about smoke.
6. Close windows and doors to prevent outside smoke from getting in.
7. Use the recycle or re-circulate mode on your air conditioning unit.
8. When smoke levels are high, do not use anything that burns and adds to indoor air pollution, such as candles, fireplaces and gas stoves.

Lastly, when returning home after an evacuation, do not enter your house until fire officials say it is safe. For more tips on how to prepare for wildfires, take a look at this Wild Fire Safety Checklist by the American Red Cross!

- Jessica Wu, Public Affairs Intern

Be Prepared with Tornado Safety Tips

The weather can be unpredictable and can lead to many dangerous situations. The recent tornadoes that swept over the South and Midwest, leaving more than three dozen people dead, is one unpredictable example.

“The 2012 tornado season is off to an early start,” according to the Washington Post and some basic tornado guidelines can help make sure that you and your family are doing everything you can to stay safe.

The first step is to understand the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning. A tornado watch means that a tornado is possible in and around the area that is being watched, while a tornado warning means that a “tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar” and you should immediately seek shelter.

Some common signs that a tornado is approaching include: dark, often greenish clouds, cloud of debris, large hail, a funnel (a visible rotating extension of the cloud base) or wall (an isolated lowering of the base of a thunderstorm), clouds and roaring noise.

If a tornado warning has been issued for your area, seek shelter underground immediately. If an underground shelter is not available, the next best alternative is a small room or hallway without any windows on the lowest level of your home. Shelter in a mobile home is not safe and seeking shelter elsewhere is strongly advised.

After a storm has passed, make sure to listen to the news for the most updated information, report fallen power lines or broken gas lines to the utility company immediately, use flashlights instead of candles when examining any buildings, take pictures of any damages and clean up any fire hazard material that has spilled.

Most importantly, don’t wait until it is too late to seek shelter. Designate a safe place for your family ahead of time and make sure to know your community’s warning system.

To learn more, visit the American Red Cross website at www.redcross.org for a more complete checklist on tornado safety.

Additional information used in this post was also provided by the Washington Post. Review their full article here.

- Nina Kamber

Are You Prepared? September=National Preparedness Month

Would you be prepared if there was an emergency tonight, tomorrow, or next week? This September marks the eighth annual National Preparedness Month which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Their goal, along with other organizations such as the American Red Cross, is to use this month to spread awareness on what it means to be prepared in the face of an emergency and to make sure your answer to the first question is a “yes.”

There are three key steps to being prepared: Build a kit, make a plan, and be informed. An emergency kit should include enough supplies to last three days. These supplies should include one gallon of water per person, per day, nonperishable food, a first aid kit, medications, a multi-purpose tool, personal hygiene items, a flashlight and batteries, and copies of important personal documents. A variety of emergency preparedness kits, first aid kits and other supplies are available at www.redcrossstore.org.

When making an emergency plan, all members of the household should work together so that everyone is informed and ready if an emergency were to arise. The plan should include a location that everyone can meet if you cannot go home. Make sure to include an out-of-area contact person in your plan. Be informed about what types of disasters are most likely to affect the area that you live in and how local authorities will contact you if one were to happen. Watch the news, listen to the radio, and check websites to stay updated about local and national information. Get Tech Ready, is a website recently launched by the Red Cross, FEMA, the Ad Council, and Google Crisis that teaches people how to use technology to prepare and recover from emergencies or disasters.

No one can predict when an emergency or disaster will occur. Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross to find out what courses you can take to better prepare yourself with knowledge on emergency situations and life-saving skills. Visit http://eastgeorgia.redcross.org/training.htm to find out what classes the East Georgia Chapter offers and spread the word throughout your community to help ensure that everyone has the chance to be prepared for a disaster.