Flood safety tips – be prepared before floods happen
Volunteers with the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team responded to 35 home fires in the past week in Glenview, Chicago, Des Plaines, Argo, Maywood, Calumet Park, Carol Stream, Woodstock, Lindenhurst, Oak Lawn, Glendale Heights, University Park, Joliet, and Momence in addition to a transportation incident on Artesian in Chicago.
Red Cross volunteers assisted 116 people, including 39 children, by supplying them with basic items to meet immediate needs after a fire, and additional support in the form of health and mental health services and one-on-one support.
The Red Cross responds to 60,000 disasters a year — and the vast majority of these are home fires. For disasters big and small, our volunteers provide comfort during what can be the worst days of people’s lives.
Visit redcross.org/fire for information on setting up your home fire escape drill and to learn more about home fire safety. Download our free Emergency app by searching for “American
Red Cross” in app stores or visiting redcross.org/apps.
If you or someone you know needs assistance after a home fire or local disaster, please call our dispatch line: (877) 597-0747.
Flood Safety
Flooding is a temporary overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods can be dangerous – people die by drowning when they don’t evacuate before floodwaters come or when they enter floodwaters. Floods can damage buildings and roads, cause power outages and more.
Floodwaters carry waste and pollute drinking water. Flooding can develop slowly or quickly. Flash floods can be sudden and violent. Prepare now to protect yourself and your loved ones.
BEFORE A FLOOD:
○ Learn about the types of flooding that can impact your home and community. Types of flooding include flash floods, river floods, debris flows, ice/debris jams, snowmelt, dam breaks, levee failures and more.
○ Know if you are in an area that is prone to river floods. Review your evacuation plan so that you can leave quickly if officials advise you to evacuate.
○ Flash floods can be sudden and violent. You may have little to no warning. Designate a place on higher ground that you can get to quickly. Plan to move to higher ground before flooding begins.
○ Know your home and community’s flood risk. Visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and search for your home using your address.
○ Reach out to your local office of emergency management for advice.
Click here for more information on how to stay safe before, during and after a flood.
About the American Red Cross of Illinois
The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. 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 us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Twitter @RedCrossIL.