Red Cross Opening Stephenson County Shelter for People Displaced by Flooding
(ROCKFORD, IL) February 23, 2018 — The American Red Cross is responding to damage caused by recent heavy rainfall across multiple counties in Illinois and northwest Indiana. A shelter will be opened at 8PM tonight at Highland Community College, 2998 W Pearl City Road in Freeport for people affected by flood waters.
The Red Cross is aware of areas and homes affected by ongoing flooding and volunteers are on the ground providing support and assessing needs. The Red Cross is also in close contact with local emergency management authorities and have been pre-positioning supplies in the event additional shelters are necessary. Currently, there are eight shelters open throughout northwest Indiana and central southern Illinois including Iroquois County. Those looking to find more information on current shelter locations are encouraged to check here.
Download the free Red Cross Emergency App: The Red Cross Emergency App provides people with instant access to emergency alerts and life-saving information. Available for smart phones and tablets, it includes content on what to do before, during and after a variety of severe weather events. Users can customize more than 35 emergency weather alerts based on their location and where loved ones live.
FLOOD SAFETY AND CLEANUP: The Red Cross has steps for someone to follow if their community is affected by flooding:
• Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice, have an emergency response kit
• If a flood or flash flood warning is issued for someone’s area, they should head for higher ground and stay there.
• People should stay away from floodwaters. If someone comes across an area where water is above their ankles, they should stop, turn around and go another way. If they encounter a flooded road while driving, they should also turn around and go another way. If the car is caught in rising water, they should get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground.
• It is important to be especially cautious at night when it is harder to see flood dangers.
• Children are curious and should be kept out of the water.
• Continue listening to local radio or television stations or a NOAA Weather Radio for updated information and instructions. If you are away from home, return only when authorities say it is safe to do so.
• Before entering your home, look outside for loose power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks or other damages.
• 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.
• During cleanup, wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves and rubber boots. Discard items that have come in contact with floodwater. When in doubt, throw it out!
About the American Red Cross of Northwest Illinois:
The American Red Cross of Northwest Illinois serves 700,000 people in 10 counties including Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago. 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 www.redcross.org/Il/Rockford or visit us on Twitter @RedCrossNWIL.