In the Northern California Coastal Region, hundreds of local Red Cross disaster workers are responding or are on standby to respond to their community needs.
Monday, January 30, 2017, noon
The American Red Cross responded to a series of powerful storms during the first two weeks of January that brought large amounts of rain and high winds to Northern California.
Impacts from the storm system included heavy precipitation, including mountain snows affecting travelers, strong winds, flash flooding, mud and debris flows, main-stem river flooding and damaging high surf.
During the series of storms, the Red Cross worked closely with the entire response community — federal, state, county and local agencies, non-profit and faith-based organizations, area businesses, and others — to coordinate relief efforts and deliver help to impacted families so they can access resources to help them with their recovery.
BY THE NUMBERS
Since Saturday, January 4, 435 Red Cross local disaster workers, most of whom are volunteers, have:
Like always, the Red Cross is there and will be there for as long as we are needed.
RED CROSS RESPONSE PHOTOS
BE PREPARED
As new storms emerge in the forecast, they could cause additional issues for areas already affected by the January storms. As a result, the Red Cross encourages all residents to take steps to prepare now.
Download the free Red Cross Emergency App to have safety information and shelter locations available on your mobile device.
MUDSLIDE SAFETY — Landslides generally happen where they have occurred before. Areas where forest or brush fires have burned are also susceptible to landslides. People should follow these steps to remain safe:
FLOOD SAFETY — Conditions that cause floods include heavy or steady rain for several hours or days that saturates the ground. Flash floods occur suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream or low-lying area. Below and available on RedCross.org/prepare are a few steps people should follow to remain safe during a flood:
Be especially cautious at night when it’s harder to see flood danger. As flood waters go down, return home only when officials say it is safe to do so and follow these safety steps:
If you smell natural or propane gas or hear a hissing noise, leave immediately and call the fire department.• If power lines are down outside your home, do not step in puddles or standing water.• Keep children and pets away from hazardous sites and floodwater.• Materials such as cleaning products, paint, batteries, contaminated fuel and damaged fuel containers are hazardous. Check with local authorities for assistance with disposal to avoid risk.• During cleanup, wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves and rubber boots.
HOW TO HELP
VOLUNTEER — An average of 90% of Red Cross workers are local volunteers. To volunteer with future response efforts, please apply online at tinyurl.com/RedCrossNorCal to start the steps to become a trained Red Cross volunteer. Upon completing the process, people will be contacted to determine their availability, skill and where they are needed the most.
DONATION — Help people affected by disasters like flooding in California and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief.
Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
To donate, people can visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.