Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois responded to assist a Sauk Village family after a tornado touched down in the area causing serious damage to their home. The Red Cross helped the family of three with temporary housing, clothing, food, comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services. Volunteers also provided canteening for first responders that were at the scene.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross continues to assist people impacted by severe weather in the Midwest. Three volunteers from the Chicago and Northern Illinois area have been deployed to Missouri and Central and Southern Illinois to help with relief efforts after recent flooding and tornadoes. The Red Cross is operating more than a dozen shelters across the Midwest.

According to the National Weather Service, the threat of severe weather continues for much of the middle of the country, including our region where thunderstorms and flash floods can develop.

Here are a few things to keep in mind to stay safe in the event of flooding:

· Even a small amount of water is enough to sweep you off your feet or your vehicle off the road. If you come across a flooded area, turn around and go another way.

· Identify at least two safe ways out of your neighborhood, should you need to evacuate.

· When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.

· Have an emergency kit. Click here to learn how to prepare your emergency kit.

Also, the Red Cross Emergency App provides emergency alerts and information about what to do in case of emergencies such as tornadoes and flooding. Users can find it in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

In addition, over the past week Red Cross volunteers responded to 17 fires across the region that affected 77 people, including 44 adults and 33 children in Peru, Harvey, Plainfield, Robbins and Chicago where 11 of those fires took place.

The Red Cross provided resources to help address immediate basic needs of those affected such as temporary housing, food, clothing, comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services.

HOW YOU CAN HELP You can help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Call, click, or text to give: visit redcross.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. To donate by check or to a specific cause, please complete this donation form by printing and mailing to your local Red Cross chapter.

About the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois:

The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois serves 9.5 million people in 21 counties including Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will 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 redcross.org/il/chicago or visit us on Twitter @ChicagoRedCross.