FAYETTEVILLE, NC, FRIDAY, SEPT 21, 2018 – By mid-day tomorrow, American Red Cross shelters located at East Arcadia Elementary School (21451 NC-87, Riegelwood, NC 28456) and West Bladen High School (1600 NC-410, Bladenboro, NC 28320) will consolidate into one shelter for residents displaced by Hurricane Florence. The new shelter will be located at the Booker T. Washington facility (66 Booker T Washington Rd, Clarkton, NC 28433) in Bladen County.
East Arcadia and West Bladen shelter residents will be transported to the new facility ahead classes resuming for Bladen County Schools, which have been closed since Sept. 17. The Booker T. Washington shelter, fully staffed by Red Cross workers, will offer a pet shelter, showers facilities and laundry services for displaced residents. It will be equipped to house residents who may be facing an extended stay as they begin the recovery process.
Displaced residents in other counties can check for available shelter locations by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), visiting redcross.org or by downloading the free Red Cross Emergency App (shelter locations listed under ‘maps’ tab).
During a humanitarian emergency, the American Red Cross delivers help to whomever needs it, regardless of citizenship status. Red Cross workers will not question individuals about their citizenship status, nor will they request birth certificates, immigration papers, passports, social security cards or similar documents that could be interpreted as being used to identify the nationality or immigration status of persons seeking Red Cross assistance.
FAMILY SAFE
The Red Cross Emergency App “Family Safe” feature allows people to check on loved ones and instantly see if they are okay, even if that loved one hasn’t downloaded the Emergency App on their device. The person receiving the message can either select “I’m safe” or “I’m not safe” and their response will come to the user. If a loved one says they are not safe, the user can call them or see their location on a map. If someone doesn’t have the app, they will receive a text asking if they are safe. The app also has an “I’m Safe” button which allows users to send a message letting loved ones know they are out of harm’s way.
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