The American Red Cross is preparing to respond to hurricanes this season and urges residents to get ready too. Florida has experienced back-to-back landfalls in the last two years, and experts are predicting an "extremely active" season.

Over the last decade, the number of billion-dollar U.S. disasters has increased 85%, and hurricanes have accounted for eight of the 10 most costly weather disasters. As the climate crisis intensifies, this ‘new normal’ requires more of the Red Cross than ever before.

HOW WE PREPARE  Red Cross readiness includes having a sufficient number of trained disaster workers available, an adequate inventory of relief supplies and technology, programs and systems ready to provide assistance to individuals and communities in need. In addition, the Red Cross builds and supports relationships with our disaster partners all year long to help us deliver services when needed.

Responding to disasters is just one aspect of our work. Resiliency -- the ability for a community to not just survive, but to adapt and improve -- helps prepare communities to minimize loss or damage during a disaster. In Central Florida, the Red Cross has initiated a special disaster resilience program known as the Community Adaptation Program (CAP). A CAP team based in Sarasota County is one of 15 across the U.S. designed to strengthen the capability and capacity of select local partners -- both before and after disasters strike. Find more about the Red Cross Community Adaptation Program here.

HOW RESIDENTS CAN PREPARE  It's critical for residents to make their own emergency preparations. Check out the important information available at these links to help get your household ready for hurricane season:
 

• Build an emergency kit. Include a gallon of water per person, per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered radio, first aid kit, medications, supplies for infants and pets 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. If you already have a disaster kit, make sure the food and water have not expired and that copies of important documents are up to date. If you need supplies to make or replenish your kit for hurricane season, June 1-14 is the Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday! Check the list of qualifying items here. 
• Make a plan. Plan what to do in case you have to evacuate. Plan where you will go and multiple routes to get there, register family members with special medical needs as required, and make plans for pets. If you already have an emergency plan, update it and review with household members so everyone knows what to do if an emergency occurs.
• Be informed. Find out how local officials will contact you during a disaster and how you will get important information, such as evacuation orders. Download the free Red Cross Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Choose whether you want to view the content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. Find these and all of the Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.
   

In addition to taking these preparedness steps, the Red Cross has resources and additional tips on hurricane safety here.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Because of the climate crisis, the Red Cross is now launching nearly twice as many relief operations for major disasters than we did a decade ago. This growing need for assistance is prompting us to increase our volunteer capacity so we can continue responding on a near-constant basis.

The need to help during disasters has never been greater. Join us to provide relief and hope when it matters most. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to sign up for opportunities to help your community in the event of a large scale disaster. Here are two of the most needed positions:
 

• SHELTER SUPPORT: Help at a shelter during a large disaster by welcoming and registering residents, serving meals, setting up cots, distributing blankets and personal hygiene kits, and providing information and other assistance to people in need.
• HEALTH SERVICES: We also need volunteers who can use their professional skills as a licensed health care provider to deliver hands-on support, including care and education to people staying at a shelter during a large disaster. Qualified licenses include RN, LPN, LVN, EMT, Paramedic, MD, DO, PA, NP and APRN.

WITH APPRECIATION The generosity of community partners enables the Red Cross to prepare and respond when disasters strike. With tremendous gratitude, we acknowledge our Ready 365 Giving Circle members for their annual support: BayCare, Bloomin’ Brands, Circle K, Darden Restaurants, The NASCAR Foundation, Publix, Raymond James, The Spurlino Foundation, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Erik Abrahamson (Abrahamson & Uiterwyk), Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Hilton Grand Vacations, Lockheed Martin, Walmart, L3Harris Technologies, Oracle, SouthState Bank, Space Coast Credit Union, Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, TD SYNNEX, The Joe and Sarah Galloway Foundation, Arbitration Forums, Manatee Community Foundation, New York Yankees Tampa Foundation, Paul B and Constance D Hunter Charitable Foundation, and UMA Education Inc.

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