Red Cross disaster workers and volunteers are working to provide safe shelter overnight, food and comfort to those impacted by Winter Storm Blair. The American Red Cross of the Indiana Region is opening two shelters to assist those impacted by severe winter weather. These locations were previously opened as warming centers and will transition to Red Cross shelters at 5 p.m. CST.

Lincoln Elementary School

635 Lincoln Avenue

Evansville, IN 47713

Ohio Township Fire Department

3433 Libbert Road

Newburgh, IN 47630

If you need assistance, please call 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Red Cross shelters are open 24 hours a day and we do not require people to show any kind of identification to enter a shelter. Anyone coming to a Red Cross shelter is encouraged to bring personal items for each member of their family, including prescription and emergency medications, extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies, important documents and other comfort items.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY Over the weekend, Winter Storm Blair brought snow, sleet, freezing rain, ice and cold temperatures to parts of Indiana. Here are a few tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe:

• Wear layers of loose clothing, a coat, gloves, hat and water-resistant boots. Use a scarf to cover your face and mouth.
• Be careful when completing strenuous tasks like shoveling snow. Take frequent breaks.
• If you must use a space heater, never leave it unattended. Place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Don’t place it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes.
• Never leave a fire burning in the fireplace unattended. Make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace.
• Carry an emergency preparedness kit in your car. Be sure to include items like food, warm clothing and blankets, a first aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, a small sack of sand to generate traction under tires and a red or brightly colored cloth to tie to the antenna in case you are stranded.
• Check on your neighbors, especially elderly people living alone, people with diabetes and children.
• Stay warm to avoid frostbite and hypothermia. Your nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers and toes are often the first areas affected. Act fast and get out of the cold immediately if you see signs of hypothermia or frostbite.
  • Signs of frostbite include pain, numbness or a change in skin color.
  • Signs of hypothermia, which can be deadly, often include shivering, confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech.

RED CROSS APPS Download the free Red Cross First Aid app, so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the free 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 Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

About the American Red Cross Indiana Region:
The American Red Cross of Indiana Region serves 6.9 million people in 104 counties in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio through its five chapters: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Greater Indianapolis (Regional Headquarters). 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/Indiana or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @indianaredcross. LinkedIn: American Red Cross of Indiana.