Red Cross Relief Efforts Continue in Georgia and Other States Following Week of Tornado Outbreaks

For Immediate Release

Red Cross Relief Efforts Continue in Georgia and Other States Following Week of Tornado Outbreaks

Athens, GA Monday, March 5, 2012 - As Georgians joined their neighbors across the South and Midwest in tallying this week's widespread tornado damage, Red Cross chapters in more than a dozen states were hard at work in their communities, providing shelter, food and emotional support.

Red Cross damage assessment teams in Georgia worked with community partners to discover the full scope of the damage in counties impacted by this past Friday's storms. Paulding County was hit hardest by the storms, with 85 homes affected. The Red Cross provided needed water and snacks in affected neighborhoods where clean-up efforts had begun. So far, seven families in Paulding and Fulton counties have turned to Red Cross for help with lodging, food and other basic necessities.

"Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by this week's severe storms," said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the American Red Cross. "Our top priorities right now are making sure people have a safe place to stay, a warm meal and a shoulder to lean on as they begin to clean up their neighborhoods. The Red Cross is also working closely with our government and community partners to make sure everyone gets the help they need."

The Red Cross has monitored severe weather in South Georgia throughout the recent events and has trained disaster volunteers from across the state to work stand-by shifts in case of a need. Damage to homes is now reported in northern Lowndes and Lanier counties and the Red Cross is working with local emergency management agencies to ensure that residents have a safe place to sleep.  People can find Red Cross shelters open throughout the country by contacting local emergency officials, visiting http://www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). iPhone users can download a free Red Cross Shelter View app at http://apps.usa.gov/american-red-cross-shelter-view.

Those affected can let loved ones know they are safe by registering on the secure website, Red Cross Safe and Well, http://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php, where they can also update their Facebook and Twitter statuses to alert friends and family. Affected residents can also register by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). For those outside the disaster area, use Red Cross Safe and Well to find information about loved ones in the affected areas by using a phone number or local address. Smart phone users can visit http://www.redcross.org/safeandwell and click on the "List Yourself as Safe and Well" or "Search for Friends and Family" link.

If you or someone you know would like to help those affected by natural disasters, donations in support of the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Services are greatly appreciated. Please visit http://www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent directly to the East Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross at 490 Pulaski Street Athens, GA 30601 or by calling 706-353-1645.  


About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit http://www.redcross.org.

###                 

Twelve Days of Safety

As you celebrate the holidays and prepare for the new year ahead, take the following tips into account during the Twelve Days of Safety to keep this season safe, happy and bright! 

Ready-to-go Emergency Preparedness Kit

1. Prepare vehicle for traveling to grandmother’s house. Build an emergency kit and include items such as blankets or sleeping bags, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, compass and road maps, shovel, tire repair kit and pump, extra clothing, flares, and a tow rope.

2. Drive the sleigh and reindeer safely. Avoid driving in a storm. If travel is a must, let someone know the destination, the route being taken to get there, and how long it should take to arrive. If the car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along the predetermined route.

3. Help prevent the spread of the flu. Stay home if sick. Wash hands with soap and water as often as possible, or use an alcohol-based hand rub. Cover the nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing, and throw the tissue away after use. If a tissue isn’t available, someone should cough or sneeze into their elbow, not their hands.

4. Follow Santa’s fashion lead – dress in layers. When it’s cold outside, layered lightweight clothing will keep a person warmer than a single heavy coat. Gloves and a hat will prevent loss of body heat.

5. Use a Red Cross-trained babysitter when attending holiday festivities. Red Cross-certified babysitters learn to administer basic first aid; properly hold and feed a child; take emergency action when needed and monitor safe play. Some may be certified in Infant and Child CPR.

6. Avoid danger while roasting chestnuts on an open fire. Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If leaving the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove. This is important because unattended cooking causes nearly 90 percent of all kitchen fires.

7. Be a lifesaver during the holidays. The Red Cross recommends at least one person in every household should take first aid and CPR/AED training. Visit www.redcross.org/training for details and to register.

8. Designate a driver or skip the holiday cheer. Buckle up, slow down, and don’t drive impaired. If someone plans on drinking, designate a driver who won’t drink.

9. When the weather outside is frightful, heat the home safely. Never use a stove or oven to heat the home. Never leave portable heaters or fireplaces unattended. Install smoke alarms.

10. Cut down on heating bills without being a Grinch. Get the furnace cleaned and change the filters. Make sure furniture isn’t blocking the heat vents. Close off any rooms not in use and turn off the heat in those rooms. Turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater.

11. Home for the holidays? Travel safely. Check the tire air pressure and make sure the windshield fluid is full. Be well rested and alert. Give full attention to the road – avoid distractions such as cell phones. If someone has car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible.

12. Resolve to Be Red Cross Ready in the New Year. Get ready now in case someone in the household faces an emergency in 2012.

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.