The American Red Cross is opening a shelter for those displaced by a multi-unit apartment fire on Lafayette Street in Buffalo early Saturday morning. That shelter will be located at St John’s Grace Episcopal Church, 51 Colonial Circle in Buffalo. 

45 people spent Friday night in seven Red Cross-operated storm shelters across the Western and Central New York Region following high winds that left thousands without power and displaced many others. Volunteers are providing residents in need with a safe, warm place to stay as well as food and water. Health Services and Disaster Mental Health volunteers are also available, and caseworkers will meet with individually with families to assess their needs. 

Anyone in need of assistance can come to one of the shelters or call their local Red Cross Chapter. Shelters are currently open at the following locations: 

FINGER LAKES CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 607-936-3766):

·         Cross Creek Church (three overnight residents)
3259 Canandaigua Road, Macedon

GREATER ROCHESTER CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 585-241-4400):

·         David Gantt Center (40 overnight residents)
700 North Street, Rochester

·         Monroe Community College, Building 10 (One overnight resident)
1000 East Henrietta Road, Rochester 

WESTERN NEW YORK CHAPTER (Chapter phone: 716-886-7500):

·         Batavia Veterans Administration Hospital, Building 4 (Zero overnight residents)
222 Richmond Avenue, Batavia

·         Frontier Fire Hall (Zero overnight residents)
2176 Liberty Drive, Niagara Falls

·         Kendall Town Hall (Zero overnight residents)
1873 Kendall Road, Route 37, Kendall

·         Varysburg Fire Hall (One overnight resident)
2446 Route 20A, Varysburg 

Additional community shelters are being operated by other agencies and many are receiving Red Cross support. A total of 110 people spent Friday night in 13 shelters across Western and Central New York. The Red Cross remains in constant contact with emergency officials across Western and Central New York to coordinate the most efficient and effective response to this disaster, and is prepared to open additional shelters and provide additional relief services as needed. 

With cold temperatures predicted throughout the weekend, the Red Cross encourages families to take precautions to stay safe:

·         Never use a generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area. Locate unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.

·         Keep all potential sources of fuel, including paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves or fireplaces.

·         Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended.

·         Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

·         Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

·         Run water at a trickle to help prevent pipes from freezing

·         Download the free Red Cross Emergency App, which offers additional safety tips, as well as real-time weather alerts, shelter locations and more. 

You can help people affected by disasters like home fires, power outages and countless other crises by making a donation to support 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. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.