Get Ready for Tropical Storm Dorian

While the exact track of Tropical Storm Dorian is uncertain, parts of Florida could see heavy rain and wind from the storm this weekend. The American Red Cross is preparing to respond - getting volunteers and relief supplies ready and lining up shelters. We urge anyone in the storm’s path to get ready now.

Dorian is predicted to bring hurricane and tropical storm conditions to Puerto Rico today with as much as six inches of rain hitting a region still recovering from Hurricane Maria’s devastation in September of 2017.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW

Know the difference between a hurricane watch and warning. A hurricane watch means conditions with sustained winds of 74 mph or more are a threat within 48 hours. Prepare to act if a warning and stay informed. A hurricane warning means conditions are expected within 36 hours. Stay indoors, ideally in a room without windows. Tropical storm warnings mean sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph could be in your area in 36 hours.
 

1. Get your home ready. Cover windows with storm shutters or plywood. Store outside items, such as lawn furniture and trash cans, to prevent them from being moved by high winds and possibly hurting someone.
   
2. Tune into your local radio, NOAA radio or news channels for the latest updates. Obey evacuation orders from local officials.
   
3. Build an emergency kit with a gallon of water per person, per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered radio, first aid kit, medications, supplies for an infant if applicable, a multi-purpose tool, personal hygiene items, copies of important papers, cell phone chargers, extra cash, blankets, maps of the area and emergency contact information.
   
4. If someone already has a disaster kit, now is the time make sure the food and water is still okay to consume and that copies of important documents are up to date. If they already have an emergency plan for their household, they should talk about it again with family members so everyone knows what to do if an emergency occurs.
   
5. Keep insurance policies, documents, and other valuables in a safe-deposit box. You may need quick, easy access to these documents. Keep them in a safe place less likely to be damaged if a hurricane causes flooding. Take pictures on a phone and keep copies of important documents and files on a USB flash drive that you can carry with you on your keyring.
   
6. Prepare to evacuate quickly and know your routes and destinations.
   
7. Fill your car's gas tank, in case an evacuation notice is issued.
   
8. Never ride out a severe storm in a mobile home, even if it’s in a non-evacuation zone.
   
9. Don’t forget your pets. Bring them indoors and maintain direct control of them. Prepare an emergency kit for your pets with leashes or carriers, food, water, bowls, cat litter and box, and photos of you with your pet in case you are separated.
   
10. Download the free Red Cross Emergency App for real-time weather alerts, open shelters and expert advice on hurricanes. The App includes an “I’m Safe” feature that helps people check on loved ones. Search “American Red Cross” in app stores, or go to redcross.org/apps.
    
11. Stay indoors; avoid beaches, riverbanks and floodwaters. Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding. Don't walk, swim or drive through floodwaters. Remember: Turn around, don’t drown.
    
12. Use flashlights in the dark if the power goes out. Avoid using candles.

This year, getting life-saving information about impending hurricanes is easier than ever. Just ask ‘Alexa’. You can activate the Hurricane Alert Skill for popular Amazon Alexa-enabled devices including the Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show and Echo Spot. You will then be able to get hurricane watch and warning notices for locations where you or your loved ones live and access Red Cross expertise on how to prepare for the approaching hurricane and keep your family as safe as possible. Learn more here. Amazon, Echo, and Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS HELP The generous donations from members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and the Disaster Responder Program enable the American Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters big and small, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process.

ADGP $1 Million members are: American Airlines; Anheuser-Busch Foundation; Anthem Foundation; Bank of America; Caterpillar Foundation; The Clorox Company; Costco Wholesale; Delta Air Lines; Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation; FedEx; The Home Depot Foundation; LDS Charities; Lilly Endowment Inc.; Lowe's Companies, Inc.; Mazda North American Operations; Microsoft Corp.; Nationwide Foundation; State Farm; Verizon; VSP Global; Walmart and the Walmart Foundation; and The Walt Disney Company.

ADGP $500,000 members are: Altria Group; AmazonSmile; Aon; BMW of North America; Capital One; Cisco Foundation; Citi Foundation; CSX; Darden Foundation; Delta Dental Community Care Foundation; Discover; Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation; Ford Motor Company; Fox Corporation; General Motors; Grainger; HCA Healthcare; Humble Bundle; IBM Corporation; International Paper; The J.M. Smucker Company; Johnson Controls Foundation; LHC Group; Merck Foundation; Mondelēz International Foundation; New Balance Foundation; Nissan; PepsiCo Foundation; Procter & Gamble Company; PwC Charitable Foundation; Sands Cares; Southwest Airlines; Target; The TJX Companies, Inc.; Toyota; United Airlines; UPS; The USAA Foundation; The Wawa Foundation; and Wells Fargo.

Disaster Responder Program members are: 7-Eleven Cares Foundation; Adobe; AdvoCare International L.P.; American Express; Assurant; AstraZeneca; AT&T; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; Avangrid Foundation; AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company; The Ball Foundation; Barclays; CarMax; Choice Hotels International; The Coca-Cola Company; Consumer Cellular; Cox Enterprises; DICK’S Sporting Goods; Duke Energy; Duke Realty; Edison International; Entergy Corporation; Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation; GE Foundation; Harbor Freight Tools Foundation, LLC; Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation; HP Foundation; Ingersoll Rand Foundation; John Deere Foundation; The Kraft Heinz Company Foundation; Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Mastercard; Medtronic Foundation; Neiman Marcus Group; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; Old Dominion Freight Line; The Pfizer Foundation; Prudential Financial; Rodan + Fields Prescription for Change Foundation; Ryder System, Inc.; Security Finance’s Lending Hand Foundation; Southeastern Grocers Home of BI-LO Harveys Winn Dixie; The Starbucks Foundation; Tata Consultancy Services; TD Ameritrade; U-Haul International; United Technologies Corporation; U.S. Bank; and Visa.