Red Cross Preparing for Hurricane Earl from North Carolina to New England

We are making preparations for Earl's landfall, and we urge everyone who may be in the path of the storm to also get prepared and follow the instructions of local authorities about evacuating," said Joe Becker, senior vice president, Red Cross Disaster Services. "Indications are that the storm will affect those who are miles inland from the coast. Being ready is your best protection against a storm like this."

All along the eastern seaboard, the Red Cross is working with various state, county and local government officials to determine what their areas will need. Emergency planning is taking place in North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  

In North Carolina, evacuation orders have been issued for some of the barrier islands.  Earl could arrive in the state by late Thursday or early Friday, and the Red Cross has 14 shelters ready to open with more than 80 additional shelter sites identified if needed.  Updated shelter location information is readily available on the Red Cross website by clicking "Find a Shelter."

People who are evacuating can register on the Red Cross Safe and Well Website, accessible at www.redcross.org, so that friends and relatives can find out how they are. For those who don't have internet access, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to register yourself and your family. Follow the prompts for disaster information. 

The Red Cross has trained disaster workers from across the country on alert to help respond to Hurricane Earl. Nearly 40 Red Cross mobile response vehicles will arrive in North Carolina today, part of more than 150 of these response vehicles put on alert to  travel to the East Coast from as far away from the coast as Michigan and Wisconsin. 

The Red Cross has four warehouses stocked with relief supplies are on stand-by, and two trailers of relief supplies are en route to North Carolina, carrying clean-up kits, tarps, work gloves, comfort kits, and trash bags.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Warning for the East Coast from Bogue Inlet, North Carolina to southern Virginia.  A Hurricane Watch has been extended northward from the North Carolina-Virginia border to Cape Henlopen, Delaware.  Residents all along the coast all the way to New England are cautioned to pay attention to the storm. Other areas of North Carolina are under a Tropical Storm Watch. 

A Hurricane Warning means hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours and anyone in the warning area should complete their storm preparations and leave the area if told to do so by authorities.  A Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions are a threat within the next 48 hours and people should be ready to act if a Hurricane Warning is issued.

If someone's community is under a Hurricane Warning or Watch, they should listen for critical information from the National Weather Service.  Other steps they should take include:

• Check disaster supplies and restock as needed.
• Bring in anything that can be picked up by the wind.
• Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters.  If hurricane shutters aren't available, board up all windows and doors with plywood.
• Fill the car's gas tank.
• Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting and keep them closed as much as possible so food will last longer if the power goes out.
• Turn off propane tanks and unplug small appliances.
• Make plans for any pets.
• Evacuate if authorities advise to do so.

More information about what people can do if they are in the projected path of the storm can be found at www.redcross.org. 

The storms in the Atlantic Ocean are causing powerful rip currents.  The Red Cross advises anyone visiting the shore areas to swim only on lifeguard protected beaches and within designated swimming areas.

To make a financial donation to the Red Cross to help people affected by this storm and other disasters here in the United States and around the world, people can click, call or text - visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.  The storm may also impact blood collections in the affected areas. To find out how you can be a blood donor, visit www.redcrossblood.org

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

PREPARE YOUR HOME AND FAMILY

Home fires are the most common disaster that the Red Cross responds to and also the most preventable.  Families need to take a few simple precautions to avoid tragedies, such as having working smoke alarms on every level of their homes and having family fire escape plans in place to help get everyone out of the house safely.  The American Red Cross recommends the following when creating your family escape plan:

• Identify two ways to escape from every room in the home.
• Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
• Select a safe location away from the home where your family can meet after escaping. 
• Consider purchasing and storing escape ladders for rooms above ground level and make sure to learn how to use them.
• If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your second way out.  
• If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke. 
• Before escaping through a closed door, feel the door before opening it.  If it is warm, use your second escape route.  
• If smoke, heat or flames block both of your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed.  Place a rolled towel underneath the door.  Signal for help by waving a brightly colored cloth or shining a flashlight at the window.  If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and let them know your exact location inside the home. 
• Once you've escaped, stay out.  

Red Cross Encourages Residents to Prepare Now for Hurricanes

Hurricane Season is here and the Savannah Red Cross encourages families to take action now to prepare.The best time to prepare is now when we have no storms, said Robin Wingate, CEO of the Savannah Red Cross. It will ease your mind knowing you have your family's supplies and plans put together ahead of time. More than 35 million Americans live in regions most threatened by Atlantic hurricanes. Residents in our area can take the following steps to be prepared:

1.Build a disaster supply kit or check the kit you prepared last year. Include a three-day supply of water and ready-to-eat non-perishable foods. Don't forget a manual can opener, battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries. The kit should also have a first aid kit, prescription and non-prescription medications, and copies of important documents.

2. Prepare a personal disaster and evacuation plan. Identify two meeting places; one near your home, and one outside your area in case you can't return home. Make plans for your pets. Select an out-of-area emergency contact person.

3. Be informed. Know what a hurricane WATCH means. If a hurricane WATCH is issued:

**Listen to weather updates from your battery-powered or hand-cranked radio.
**Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, hanging plants, bicycles, toys and garden tools. Anchor objects that cannot be brought inside.
**Close all windows and doors.
**Cover windows with storm shutters or pre-cut plywood
**If time permits and yo live in an identified surge zone, elevate furniture or move it to a higher floor to protect it from flooding.
**Fill your vehicle's gas tank.
**Check your disaster supply kit to make sure items have not expired

If a hurricane WARNING is issued:
**Llisten to the advice of local officials and leave it they tell you to do so.
**Secure hour home by unplugging appliances and turning off electricity and the main water valve. If you are not advised to evacuate, stay inside away from windows, skylights and glass doors.
**Do NOT use open flames such as candles and kerosene lamps as a source of light.
**If power is lost, turn off appliances to reduce damage from a power surge when electricity is restored.

Visit www.redcross.org to read more about preparing for the 2010 hurricane season.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization; not a government agency; and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Red Cross Dedicates New ERV!

This ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) is our newest asset to be deployed to Screven County. "We have 20 counties in Southern Georgia where we are required to respond," said John Wright, Emergency Services Director. "We are constantly building our resources and stationing them strategically in our service area. This locally owned ERV is a retired Nationally owned unit originally stationed in Pascagoula, MS. It has been refurbished and restocked and will serve Screven and surrounding counties very well."

Pictured: (L to R) J.C. Warren, Screven County Commission Chair; John Wright, Savannah Red CrossDirector of Emergency Services; Mark Tretheway, Screven Disaster Action Team Captain and retired Sylvania Police Chief; Lynette Greene, Savannah Red Cross Evans County Branch Coordinator; Millie Douglas, Savannah Client Casework Leadership Volunteer; George Jones, Savannah ERV Coordinator Leadership Volunteer; Wanda Scott-Bragg, Screven 9-1-1 Coordinator and Harvey Cryder, Jr., Screven County Fire Chief.

Preparing for US Citizenship Training

In 2008, more than 525,000 people applied nationwide for U.S. citizenship.  Saturday January 30th 49 people registered and took the first class in this 10 week series, sponsored by the International Services Committee of the Savannah REd Cross. "We hope everyone who came out today will stick with it," said Mark Stall, Savannah Chapter Caseworker. "We are very happy with this initial turnout and hope to grow the program from here.".

The only prerequisite for the course is a status of permanent legal resident alien, refugee with official status with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, or asylee with official status with the USCIS. Classes began January 30, 2010, and continue for ten Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the new Southwest Chatham Branch Library, 14097 Abercorn St., Savannah, GA 31419 (behind Target at Savannah Mall).

Weekly topics to be covered include: Welcome to America, American Places, Thirteen Colonies, The New United States, The Civil War, Later History, The Constitution, Congress, The President, and A Country of Laws.  Each week’s curriculum also includes a ‘Ready for the Interview’ component.

All class instruction will be in English, although interpreters to help individual students quietly are welcome.          “We hope these classes give participants confidence to be successful at the interview through a lot of practice with the questions and reviews of standard English,” said Carol Anderson, AASU instructor and ISC Committee member.  Recent changes in the interview and exam for the naturalization process are reflected in the course content.

“Each two-hour class is divided into three sections,” she noted.  “The first hour will be civics/U.S. government.  For the next thirty minutes we’ll practice for the actual interview, then in the last 20 or 30 minutes work with flash cards on the 100 questions people have to know.”

More information about the federal citizenship through naturalization process and the new test is available at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Website, www.uscis.gov.  The American Red Cross is not a government agency but a private, non-profit humanitarian organization. To register
Written by Barbara Baker, updated by Dan Kurtz

Chuck Schauss Heads Georgia JFSAP Effort

His new duties are focused on the Joint Family Support Assistance Program (JFSAP), a Department of Defense initiative which partners with the Red Cross to provide information and resources to military families.  Its primary focus is on those who are geographically distant from a military installation, such as the National Guard and Reserves. 
    
“These families are often unaware of the services and resources available to them” Schauss said, or that they can request an informative pre-deployment briefing, “Get to Know Us Before You Need Us,” which the Red Cross provides. 
    
The briefings emphasize the 24-hour Armed Forces Emergency Services Message Line as well as resources such as confidential counseling and financial relief funds.  Local briefings will also include information about two of the Savannah Chapter’s unique programs, The Landings Military Family Relief Fund and the Adopt-A-Soldier program, “which are among the most pro-active programs in the United States,” Schauss said.
    
Schauss will serve as a liaison between the JFSAP and Georgia’s statewide Red Cross chapters “to provide a single source base where these (National Guard and Reserve) families can go to get financial or behavioral assistance, or just a kind word,” he said.  The JFSAP began in 2008 for 15 prototype states and expanded to Georgia in April of this year. 
    
“I am educating regions in the state about the fact that this program is now in Georgia,” as well as recruiting more volunteers to add to the 15 or 20 now doing the Red Cross’s statewide informational briefings, Schauss said. 
    
Schauss also ensures that each Georgia Red Cross region has the $5,000 of government-reimbursed funding which will enable military dependents to take any of the educational courses offered in the chapter – including CPR, First Aid, Babysitting Certification, Water Safety, etc.  The Red Cross opens its chapter buildings to Armed Forces personnel and their families for these courses, counseling sessions, and meeting space. 

Stimulus Act beneftis Local Youth, Red Cross

Red Cross Dedicates 270Kw Generator!


The Savannah Chapter of the American Red Cross today took delivery of a 270Kw Portable Power Pack capable of running a small city block. The Power Pack is a generous donation from The Georgia Ports, Big Red Incorporated and Big Red's Employees. In his remarks to the crowd gathered for the event Robert Morris, Director of External Affairs for Georgia Ports said "This is an example of what can happen when people work together. We didn't know the Red Cross had a need until they contacted us and asked us. Once we realized the need was there it was a simple task to partner with Big Red who sold us the generator originally and arrange for it to be put back into working order." Rodney West, Director of Maintenance for Big Red said "It was our pleasure to help. We know what the Red Cross does in times of disaster and we were happy to help and give this asset to the community." Robin Wingate, CEO of the Savannah Chapter said "In times of Disaster the Red Cross needs to be able to communicate and work with local government and emergency agencies, our national organization to get that pipeline of supplies and people opened, and continue to do what we do. With this generator we will be able to get help to people much more quickly. It really is an amazing gift."

The Generator has been completely rebuilt and refurbished by the employees of Big Red -- who undertook the project on their own time!! Big Red, Incorporated donated the parts; Georgia Ports donated the Generator and the trailer on which it sits. The generator outputs 270kw , 413 amps at 277/480 volts and holds 1200 gallons of diesel fuel, about a 5 day supply running 24/7. The Savannah Chapter may be the only Red Cross chapter in the country with a portable power pack of this magnitude. Thank You Georgia Ports, Big Red, and your employees!