As Tropical Storm Dorian churns, take three easy steps to get ready.
Atlanta, Wednesday, August 28 — September is National Preparedness Month, the perfect time for people to get their household ready in case an emergency should occur. The Red Cross of Georgia prepares all year for disasters and urges everyone to Be Red Cross Ready too.
“Disasters can happen anywhere, at any time, even in your home,” said Regional Disaster Officer, Danella Hughes. “During National Preparedness Month, we ask you to take three action steps – get an emergency kit, make an emergency plan and be informed – so you and your loved ones can react quickly if an emergency occurs.”
TROPICAL STORM DORIAN While the exact path of the storm is still uncertain, parts of Florida could see heavy rain and winds this weekend—with the potential for severe weather to move into Georgia. The American Red Cross is preparing to respond and urges anyone in the storm’s path to get ready now.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO 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. Build a kit – Build an easy-to-carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you if you must evacuate. Include items such as water, non-perishable food, a flashlight and extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit and medications.
2. Make a plan – Talk with members of your household about what to do during emergencies. Plan what to do in case everyone is separated and choose two places to meet—one right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire, and another outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.
3. Be informed – Know what kinds of emergency situations may occur where you live, where you work, and where you go to school. Get trained in First Aid and CPR/AED so you’ll know what to do in an emergency if help is delayed. Don’t forget your pets, plan for them too.
DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS The Red Cross Emergency App has more than 35 customizable severe weather and emergency alerts. Content on what to do before, during and after emergencies from power outages to home fires, to hurricanes and tornadoes, can be viewed in English or Spanish. Parents can download the Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies App so 7- to 11-year-olds will have a fun, gaming environment to learn how to prevent emergencies and what to do if one occurs. Apps can be downloaded for free by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in app stores or visiting redcross.org/apps. People can also enable Red Cross skills for Alexa to receive notifications about an approaching hurricane, get valuable first aid information and schedule a blood donation. Details are available at redcross.org/alexa-skills.
PLEASE GIVE BLOOD Severe weather events can have a significant impact on the ability of the Red Cross to collect lifesaving blood products due to cancelled blood drives and decreased donor turnout in impacted areas. It is the blood already on hand that helps those in need. Each day, the Red Cross must collect about 13,000 blood donations and more than 2,500 platelet donations to meet the needs of accident victims, cancer patients and children with blood disorders. Volunteer blood and platelet donors are needed to help save lives. Eligible donors are encouraged to schedule a donation appointment by using the Blood Donor Skill for Amazon Alexa, the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 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 redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.