National Hurricane Preparedness Week runs from May 9 through May 15, and the American Red Cross urges everyone to plan now for any possible dangerous storms this year.
“After back-to-back years of active hurricane seasons that have broken records, this year it’s more important than ever before to get ready now,” said Rod Tolbert, Regional Executive for the American Red Cross of South Carolina. “Last year, on top of the pandemic, we saw a record 30 named storms with two hitting the southeast before the actual start of hurricane season.”
GETTING READY IS EASY There are simple steps you can take to be prepared:
COVID-19 SAFETY As the pandemic continues, the Red Cross has procedures and resources in place to help ensure everyone’s safety, especially when it comes to supporting local communities if a hurricane threatens. The Red Cross is still providing the same types of support after disasters as we always have. This includes making sure people have a safe place to stay, food to eat and resources to help them recover. The Red Cross has put in place additional precautions, in line with CDC recommendations, including social distancing protocols, masks, health screenings and enhanced cleaning procedures.
Ensuring people have a safe place to stay during a disaster is a critical part of the Red Cross mission, but how we support sheltering efforts may be different in each community, depending on local emergency plans and the scale of the disaster. In some instances, we may open group shelters, while other times hotels may be more appropriate.
“Hurricane season starts June 1 and runs through November 30,” said Tony Reid, Regional Disaster Officer for the Red Cross of South Carolina. “Get ready now, it’s your best defense.”
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 cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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