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Evans Issues Preparedness Wake Up Call to Americans
Written by
Bonnie Gillespie
, Staff Writer and Photographer, Redcross.org
Wednesday, January 28, 2004 — Close to 60 percent of Americans are slumbering when it comes to preparedness, according to American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans. In an address to be broadcast on C-SPAN and National Public Radio (NPR), Evans declared that citizens need to “wake up” and realize the safety and security of their families and communities are at risk.
American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans urged Americans to “wake up.” |
Evans asserted that while the government’s role is to protect our nation’s borders and to provide for a secure America, the Red Cross focus is to provide the tools and training necessary for Americans to take personal responsibility for their own safety.
“Last year reminds us all that we live in unpredictable times,” said Evans. “Not only did we observe the second anniversary of a devastating terrorist attack, but we also had to face our vulnerability to the forces of nature.”
More than 500 tornadoes carved swaths of destruction across the Midwest and Southeast in 2003, Evans reminded the crowd gathered at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Hurricane Isabel battered the East Coast in September, wildfires and mudslides ravaged Southern California in October and thousands of disasters, such as house and apartment fires, often unnoticed by the media, affected communities across the country throughout the year.
Yet despite the chain of disasters, Americans remain stagnant when it comes to readiness activities, according to Evans.
“What concerns me is the lack of reasonable preparedness on the part of the general public,” she said. “They don't have a family emergency plan, nor are they aware of school, workplace and community procedures. They have not stocked emergency supplies, nor have they sought even basic first-aid and CPR training. They're not giving blood, nor are they donating their time or money to emergency support services like the American Red Cross.”
Evans went on to relate the shocking reality that on New Year's Eve—with Code Orange alerts in every major city, the Red Cross had only a two-day supply of red blood cells on hand, when maintaining a five to seven day inventory is essential year round.
Additionally, the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which provides shelter, food, clothing, first aid, blood, and counseling to thousands of disaster victims each year, is running on empty and subsists solely through financial donations from the American public.
“What a lot of Americans don't understand—and I was one of them—is that the Red Cross is really their first and leading care giver in the event of a disaster,” said Evans, who began her tenure at the humanitarian organization’s helm 18 months ago. “There is no fallback option if the Red Cross isn't there to deliver and no government safety net. We’re it.”
While the Department of Homeland Security oversees massive efforts to prepare governments and public agencies at all levels for every type of disaster, Evans asserted that it is the responsibility of the Red Cross to prepare the general public. With 80 percent of the prep work for any disaster being the same, the preparedness measures taught by the Red Cross are fundamental to overall readiness.
“Whether it's an act of terrorism or an act of God, there are five easy steps you can take today to prepare for it,” said Evans. “You can make a plan, build a kit, get trained, volunteer and give blood—the five basic building blocks of the Red Cross Together We Prepare program.”
Evans also emphasized the significance of unity within the organization, known as the “one Red Cross” mission, as well as directives of the Red Cross strategic plan and the essential collaboration between the Red Cross and its government and corporate sponsors.
“In a world where the forces of nature and man too often collide, the Red Cross is a beacon showing people the way to safety,” Evans concluded. “If I could convey one message today it’s that the way to safety starts here and now. My message quite simply is, ‘wake up America.’”
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