See below for detailed descriptions.
Interested in hosting a "Prepare the Town" event in your community? Contact the Community Preparedness team at PreparednessGNY@RedCross.org.
The American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign helps save lives by installing free smoke alarms in homes that don't have them and by educating people about home fire safety. Learn how to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover after a home fire. If you do not have a working smoke alarm in your home and cannot afford one, you can request a free smoke alarm installation from trained Red Cross volunteers.
Be Red Cross Ready is a national, standardized, free preparedness education curriculum for adults taught by a certified presenter. The program curriculum is designed to help people understand, prepare for, and respond appropriately to disasters. The curriculum includes an introductory module on emergency preparedness with the option to include one or more modules on a relevant local hazard. In all, 12 local hazard modules have been created including: Home Fire, Hurricane, Earthquake, Flood, Tsunami, Tornado, Wildfire, Extreme Heat, Thunderstorm, Winter Storm, Volcano, and Landslide.
Prepare with Pedro is a 30- to 45-minute preparedness education program for grades K-2 that teaches students how to BE PREPARED and TAKE ACTION for either home fires or a local hazard. Students learn a coping skill and receive a storybook to share what they have learned at home.
Hands-only CPR is a life-saving technique that involves simply using chest compressions on a person who has suffered sudden cardiac arrest. This free training session, lasts approximately 30 minutes. Participants learn how to check for consciousness, call 911 (or the local emergency number), and give continuous chest compressions. CPR training certification is not provided through this course.
In partnership with the Brentwood Public Library, the American Red Cross on Long Island hosted “Prepare Brentwood,” a day-long community event on March 25, 2023, featuring safety courses, family readiness training, service opportunities, refreshments, prizes, and more. “Prepare Brentwood” was free to the public and open to residents of all ages.
“At the American Red Cross, we know all too well the devastating impact that disasters like home fires and hurricanes, as well as other unexpected life events, can have on the communities we serve. That’s why community preparedness – which can minimize the impact of these emergencies – is such a priority for us,” said Jose Dominguez, CEO, American Red Cross on Long Island.
Interested in hosting a "Prepare the Town" event in your community? Contact the Community Preparedness team at PreparednessGNY@RedCross.org.
Members of the Greater New York preparedness team organized a series of events across the community in February. They joined elementary school students in their own school auditoriums, brought preparedness trainings to community rooms of large apartment complexes, met with older adults in the cafeterias of their senior centers, and connected with teenagers at after-school programs. In addition to offering tips about how to prepare for and stay safe during weather events, team members educated residents about fire safety and installed free smoke alarms in their homes.