PRINCETON, NJ, May 29, 2019 – Tornadoes and flooding continue to devastate communities across the Midwest. The American Red Cross, including six disaster volunteers from New Jersey, is providing comfort and support to those affected.

Millions of people in New Jersey are also facing the threat of severe weather this week and the Red Cross urges them to get prepared now.

“In New Jersey, we’re more familiar with hurricanes, which usually allow a few days for us to prepare prior to landfall,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “Tornadoes are violent, with winds that can exceed 250 miles per hour. Tornadoes can occur quickly with little or no warning. It is crucial to pay attention to any tornado WATCH or WARNING when issued.”

DOWNLOAD EMERGENCY APP People should download the free Red Cross Emergency App to have safety information, severe weather alerts and shelter locations available on their mobile device. Red Cross apps are available in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps. 

Everyone in the region should listen to local news for updates and watch for signs of a storm such as darkening skies, increasing wind or lightning flashes, and they should postpone outdoor activities. If someone can hear thunder, they are close enough to be in danger from lightning – if thunder roars, go indoors.

Households should build disaster kits with enough supplies for at least three days, including water (one gallon, per person, per day), nonperishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, a 7-day supply of medications, a multi-purpose tool, sanitation and personal hygiene items and copies of important personal documents. They should also have a disaster emergency plan in which each person knows how to reach other members of the household. The plan should also include an out-of-area emergency contact person, and where everyone should meet if they can't go home.

TORNADO SAFETY Families should discuss their tornado emergency plans so everyone knows where to go if a tornado warning is issued. Discussing ahead of time helps reduce fear, especially for younger children. Other preparedness and safety steps include:

BEFORE THE STORM:

• Keep informed about any tornado watches and warnings issued.
• Pick a safe room – a basement, storm cellar or interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
• Move items inside that could be picked up by the wind such as lawn furniture, trash cans and hanging plants.
• Watch for tornado danger signs such as dark, often greenish clouds, a wall cloud or cloud of debris, large hail, a roaring noise or funnel cloud.

DURING A TORNADO:

• Go to an underground shelter, basement or safe room. If these are not available, go to a small windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building.
• Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes. Do not seek shelter in the hallway or bathroom of a mobile home. If you can get to a sturdy shelter or vehicle, abandon the mobile home immediately and go to the nearest sturdy building, using your seat belt if driving. Do not wait until you see the tornado.
• If caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building. If you can’t get to one quickly, get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the nearest sturdy building.
• If driving, either stay in the car with the seat belt on and put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible. Or, if you can get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, get out of the car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.

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 visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

About the American Red Cross in New Jersey:
The American Red Cross provides programs and services to a population of 8.8 million in New Jersey. The Red Cross trains and mobilizes more than 4,500 volunteers who support the delivery of services throughout the state. In New Jersey last year, the Red Cross responded to more than 900 local disasters, mostly home fires, helping more than 2,250 displaced families; collected more than 94,500 units of blood through blood drives and Red Cross Blood Donation Centers; provided more than 5,114 military family case services with emergency messages, helping families find assistance and/or get counseling and referrals; and trained nearly 110,250 individuals with life-saving skills in preparedness, CPR, AED use, first aid and aquatics. For more information, please visit redcross.org/NJ and follow us on Twitter @NJRedCross.org.

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