A Great Rookie Year: Red Cross Hurricane App Turns 1

by Sydney Holt, volunteer contributor


The Red Cross Hurricane App turns one year old this month, and to celebrate we’re sharing highlights from its first year of life. With more than 860,000 downloads, this completely free resource has already received major praise being named, “One of the top 6 hurricane tracking apps” by CNN, and “One of 5 apps to get you through a natural disaster” by Fox News – there’s nothing immature about this young App.

While we may not get much use out of it in Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding areas, we encourage you to get creative when sharing with friends and family who may find themselves in a storm’s path. Below are a few ideas for sharing this important information with those near and dear to you this hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. 

Tell a joke. While a tropical storm is no laughing matter, sometimes humor makes it easier to let someone know you’re thinking of them. Here’s one of our personal favorites:

Q: What did the hurricane say to the other hurricane?
A:  I have my eye on you. 

Send a text. Smartphone owners average 67 texts per day. Make one of those messages count by letting your contacts know they can download the app by texting **REDCROSS (**73327677) – a downloadable link will be sent directly to them.

Get social. Keep an eye out for updates to the Hurricane App and our other apps by following Red Cross DFW on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to share with your followers. 

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RadioShack Donates $50,000 to Red Cross To Support Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts

written by Lilly Watson, staff contributor



When disaster hits, the American Red Cross is thankful for supporters who help us take on the massive undertaking of getting those affected back on their feet. That's why we're happy to share that RadioShack Corp. today announced a $50,000 donation to the American Red Cross to support Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The donation will help cover costs of shelter, food, recovery and other assistance to families affected by the storm.

“Hurricane Sandy has been a storm of historic magnitude,” said Dorvin L. Lively, CEO of RadioShack Corp. “RadioShack wants to support the Red Cross in its efforts to help the communities and families we serve get back to normal as quickly as possible.”

RadioShack is also encouraging customers to join them in supporting the Red Cross. Through mobile donations, the customers can donate $10 to American Red Cross directly by texting RED CROSS to 90999, then confirming the donation. The donation amount will appear on the customer’s next monthly invoice. RadioShack will be also be using its social media channels, such a their Facebook page, to share mobile donation instructions and encourage additional contributions.

Thank you, Radio Shack, for supporting us as we bring help and hope to those in the line of Hurricane Sandy! To support the Red Cross with a donation, follow our text to give instructions above or click here to make an online donation.

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"Mommy, I'm Scared." Ways to Comfort Children During Disasters

Written by Amy Yen, volunteer contributor
When her family in Mandeville, Louisiana was being evacuated during Hurricane Isaac, eight-year-old Ashley Taylor did what any responsible girl would do: she left hurricane behavior rules for her stuffed animals. They included instructions on going to the bathroom (“Take a buddy”), having fun (“Have fun!) and general behavior while she was gone (“Stay calm. No parties”).

Stories like this can make you smile at the resilience of children in the face of disasters. Red Cross disaster mental health workers work with families who are evacuated during disasters to ensure that children come out of it with their smiles intact.

Anita Laffey, a retired licensed social worker who has worked as a disaster mental health volunteer with the Red Cross since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, says children are a special focus because they often don’t really understand what’s going on.

“Children, particularly under the age of 10, often can’t express what they’re feeling in words,” Anita explains. “They express themselves in their play. So we try to provide them with crayons and markers and toys, and we try to keep them busy. Most of all, we listen. That’s how we can find out how they’re feeling.”

The Red Cross sends disaster mental health workers to shelters, as well as out into communities to actually seek out families affected by the disaster. For example, Anita deployed with a team including a case worker and a health services worker during the wildfires near Oklahoma City in August. In addition to large scale disasters, disaster mental health volunteers also work year-round with local Disaster Action Teams (DAT), who deploy day or night for disasters or any size, from floods to apartment fires.

“A lot of what we do is work with parents and caregivers, letting them know what to look for, like if the children are eating and sleeping normally, and what they are saying about the disaster. We tell them not to let them watch too much television or news about the disaster. It’s also important to keep the routine as normal as possible,” says Anita.

This often isn’t easy if a family has been evacuated to a shelter, but buses are often made available to take kids to school. Parents are coached to make sure kids do their homework and keep everything as normal as possible. Most importantly, parents are asked to be a good role model to their kids during a disaster.

“Let them know, it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to be angry. We’re going to get through this together, it’s going to be okay,” says Anita. “Possibly the most important thing is just to be present, be available for the child and if you can’t, make sure another adult is, like a grandparent or a neighbor. Establish a sense of safety, because that’s what’s been taken away.

“If the children’s behavior isn’t normalizing after a few weeks, we tell parents to get back in touch with us so we can help or refer them to someone. But most of the time, after the initial shock of being in a disaster, they come out okay. Families are resilient. Children are resilient, especially if parents step up to the plate and show them how to handle a disaster.”

One way you help is to sponsor a Piper the Puppy for $100. This stuffed animal is given to a child during a disaster to comfort them.

“We make sure the child has something in their hand. A Piper the Puppy makes a big difference,” says Anita.

We’re sure Ashley Taylor would be proud.

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Ahead of the Hurricanes: 2012 American Red Cross DFW Hurricane Rally

Photos courtesy of Kim Puritan, volunteer photographer contributor

Even before Hurricane Season 2012 has officially started, two named storms have already formed, leading the American Red Cross to take extra measures to be prepared. The first-ever “Hurricane Rally” to recruit and train new volunteers took place last Saturday at the University of Texas at Arlington as a new hurricane season begins. 

As the official evacuation site for the Houston/Galveston area, it’s critical that the American Red Cross in the Metroplex trains new volunteers before they’re needed, and that is exactly what we did with our new volunteers who attended the rally for classes and comraderie!

To sign up to become a Red Cross volunteer before hurricane season hits, complete your volunteer application at redcrossdallas.org.

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Hurricane Irene Expected to Unleash Her Fury along the Eastern Seaboard

With Hurricane Irene’s eye glaring at some of America’s most populated urban areas along the eastern seaboard, the American Red Cross is mobilizing people and resources in force. Today, two Red Cross teams and two Emergency Response Vehicles left from North Texas to support local chapters in various states who have been working around the clock sheltering evacuees and prepping for landfall.

Any hurricane is serious business, but Irene has the potential to wreak havoc. With some 65 million people in her path, the American Red Cross is asking people who are not in her path, or who haven’t been affected by other recent storms, to support the relief effort by making a financial contribution to the American Red Cross. Already, the organization has expended tremendous resources just to get into position, but the hardest work still lies ahead.

Financial contributions help the Red Cross purchase needed items in bulk, such as pallets of bottled water, thousands of meals and snacks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shovels, rakes, and other relief supplies. Those funds also help to put gas in response vehicles and make it possible for a volunteer to make it from Texas to New York to help out after the storm.

To make a donation to the American Red Cross, click on www.redcrossdallas.org, text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. No gift is too small or too large.

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Let them know you are Safe and Well

Safe and Well allows people in the affected areas to list themselves as “safe and well” online whether they are in a shelter, staying with friends, or if they are moving to another location. Friends and family outside the disaster area can then search for messages from their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address. Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Safe and Well website.

You can either register yourself or search for a registered family member on Safe and Well by visiting www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Safe and Well can also be accessed from a smart phone by going to www.redcross.org/safeandwell and click on either “List Yourself as Safe and Well” or “Search Registrants”.

Communication is key before, during and after a disaster. Make certain you have a plahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifn with your family members that may be dispersed throughout the country before a disaster hits. Remember that communications may be overloaded or down completely after a disaster. Utilizing resources like Safe and Well, social media, and email can help you get a message to your loved ones quickly, but it is only effective if they know where to check for your updates in case of a disaster.

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American Red Cross Begins Preparations for 2011 Hurricane Season

New Volunteers Encouraged to Join; Existing Assets Being Tested

After one of the most devastating and deadly tornado seasons in the nation’s history, and an ongoing and unprecedented response from the American Red Cross, no chances are being taken as Hurricane Season 2011 begins. In Dallas, the local Red Cross chapter is doing their part to get themselves and the community prepared in advance.

Beginning on Monday, June 13, 2011 and ending on Saturday, June 18, 2011, the Dallas Red Cross will not only be testing their own internal systems, but also encouraging North Texans to join the Disaster Volunteer Reserves program before evacuees head north to Metroplex shelters.

“The Disaster Volunteer Reserves Program is perfect for people with busy schedules,” said Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones, chief executive officer, American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter. “Volunteers take about three hours of training to be ready to respond when a large disaster happens such as a hurricane or tornado; something that would exceed the ability of our day-to-day responders to handle. When that catastrophic disaster happens, we’ll call for the Reserves.”

With 16 named storms, 9 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes predicted for the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season, the American Red Cross is encouraging those who have never taken Red Cross training to join the Disaster Volunteer Reserves now. Go to www.redcrossdallas.org/volunteer to fill out an application and enroll in the next Disaster Volunteer Reserve course.

On top of training new volunteers, the Red Cross will also be testing the response time of their existing volunteer pool. On Monday, June 13, 2011, beginning at 10:00a.m. and concluding at 2:00p.m., “Hurricane Alfred”, a fictional storm taking aim at the Texas coast, will provide the scenario background for 15 volunteers who will assemble in the Disaster Command Center at the American Red Cross, 4800 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, Tex., and call each pre-trained volunteer with a request for availability. This helps the chapter understand how many volunteers would be available if evacuees needed immediate shelter in North Texas.

Concluding the week of activities, a Hurricane Summit will be conducted at the Red Cross in Dallas on Saturday, June 18, 2011 from 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m. Red Cross workers from Dallas, Fort Worth, Tyler and surrounding areas will attend. The purpose of the Hurricane Summit is for leadership volunteers to receive a full briefing on the hurricane evacuation process, how to best work with state and federal officials and evaluating the capacity of each Red Cross chapter. Additionally, a Disaster Volunteer Reserve course will be conducted from 9:00a.m.-12:30p.m. All activities will take place at the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter, 4800 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, Texas.

For additional information on Red Cross programs and/or services, go to www.redcrossdallas.org.

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Corporate Partners Help American Red Cross Get Ready for 2011 Hurricane Season

As floods, wildfires and tornadoes continue to ravage the U.S., and with forecasters predicting an above-average hurricane season, the American Red Cross is getting prepared with the help of the corporations and foundations that support the Red Cross through the Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and Disaster Responder (DR) program.

Members of these programs pledge donations on an ongoing basis in advance of major disasters, such as the deadly tornadoes, major flooding and wildfires that have devastated the country this spring. These companies understand that proper supplies and systems have to be in place to respond effectively. With pre-positioned supplies ready, the Red Cross can immediately take action when hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters strike.

According to the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project, the 2011 hurricane season may see above-average activity in the Atlantic. The report estimates approximately 16 named storms, 9 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes will occur during the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

“We want to thank our Annual Disaster Giving Program and Disaster Responder members for helping us to be ready for any disasters that occur this year,” said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. “Their generous contributions over the past decade allow us to get immediate relief to victims before the first donations come in.”

Since March 31, the American Red Cross has launched 41 large disaster responses across 28 states after this spring’s devastating wildfires, flooding and tornadoes. The Red Cross has—

• Served more than 2.7 million meals and snacks;
• Opened more than 260 shelters and provided more than 28,000 overnight stays;
• Provided more than 60,000 mental health and health consultations;
• Distributed more than 1.2 million relief items like toothbrushes and shampoo, tarps, coolers, rakes and other cleanup supplies; and
• Deployed more than 11,000 trained disaster relief workers from all 50 states.

Working with partners around the globe, the American Red Cross also helps to build the local capacities of sister Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, by collaborating to train and organize volunteers and educate communities, and establish partnerships with other public and private organizations to strengthen and complement core international services and initiatives.

During a domestic disaster, the Red Cross sends volunteers and supplies into affected areas to shelter, feed and provide emotional support to disaster victims and emergency personnel. Generous gifts from ADGP and DR members offset a range of expenses, including warehousing supplies, shelter and feeding costs, deploying the fleet of disaster response vehicles and reconnecting individuals separated during disasters.

Members of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program are 3M, Altria Group, Aon, Cisco Foundation, ConAgra Foods, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Darden Restaurants, Inc., Dr Pepper Snapple Group, FedEx Corporation, GE Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation, John Deere Foundation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Kraft Foods, Lowe’s Companies, Inc., Merck, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide Insurance Foundation, Northrop Grumman, Ryder Charitable Foundation, Southwest Airlines, State Farm, State Street Foundation, Target, The TJX Companies, Inc., UnitedHealthcare, UPS and Walmart.

Members of the Disaster Responder program are American Express, Archer Daniels Midland Company, AXA Foundation, General Motors Foundation, Starbucks Coffee Company and Starbucks Foundation.

People can join Annual Disaster Giving Program and Disaster Responder members in supporting the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and help provide food, shelter, emotional support and other assistance to the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make a donation.

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American Red Cross Using Technology to Help People Prepare for Hurricane Season

Photo courtesy of NOAA

With new predictions for an above-average 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, the American Red Cross is adding technology to the many ways it helps people to get prepared.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that 12-18 named storms, 6-10 hurricanes and 3-6 major hurricanes will occur this year. The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1, and families can take steps now to create a family emergency plan.

To make that planning easier, the Red Cross has developed a free iPhone app that gives the location of all open Red Cross shelters. The app not only maps the location of a shelter, but also shows current capacity and population. To download the app, users can visit the Apple store and search "American Red Cross shelters." For those without an iPhone, the same shelter information also appears on the Red Cross website and can be accessed by visiting www.redcross.org and clicking on "Find a Shelter." Both are refreshed with updated information every 30 minutes.

In addition, the Red Cross Safe and Well website now allows users to update their Facebook and Twitter status when they register on the site. Safe and Well is a secure way to let your loved ones know where you are going during a hurricane evacuation or that you are "okay" in the aftermath of a disaster. If users choose to do so, they can easily let their entire network of friends and family know they are safe in one step.

"This is an ideal time to get a disaster supply kit ready, make an evacuation plan with your family, and get information on what to do during a hurricane," said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Red Cross Disaster Services. "It’s also the right time to learn how to locate a shelter or use Safe and Well, and new technology is making it even easier to do that."

Along with working to prepare people in the U.S., the American Red Cross is working to prepare vulnerable populations in Haiti with training in early warning systems and emergency first aid, as well as other measures, as hurricane season approaches for that country, which is still dealing with the 2010 earthquake that left so many homeless.

More broadly, the global Red Cross network has been working with the Haitian Red Cross to help Haitians better prepare for and respond to disasters. For example, an estimated 5.5 million text messages about ways to prepare for disasters have been sent to Haitians.

American Red Cross disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction programs have helped Haitians in about 40 camps prepare for heavy rains and hurricanes, and this program will expand in the months to come. Some of the activities held in these camps include emergency first aid courses, training in early warning systems (bullhorns and whistles), projects such as digging ditches and sandbagging hillsides, preparation of evacuation routes, and workshops to teach children about disaster preparedness.

In addition, Haitian Red Cross branches across the country have been strengthened with extra training for staff and new office and communications equipment. More than 1,600 people have been trained by the Red Cross in vulnerability and capacity assessment or community-based disaster management. The Red Cross has also built a Disaster Operations Center in Hinche and pre-positioned relief supplies for 25,000 families to be used during future disasters in Haiti. The American Red Cross has also helped to supply additional tarps to vulnerable Haitians whose shelters may be damaged or destroyed, and have staff on standby to provide emergency response in coordination with members of the global Red Cross network.

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Month in Review: What a Wild September!

The weather must know this is National Preparedness Month. To say the least, it's been testing us. And we're only half way though.


We've seen Hurricane Earl, which side-swiped the east coast.


Tropical storm Hermine made us run for cover from the tornadoes downtown and impacted nearly 250 families in the DFW area.


We watched footage of the devastation, including the state-wide flooding. It was an all-to-close reminder of F5 - a mini-movie that deals with the scenario that an F5 tornado hits downtown Dallas.








Of course, this was coupled with the fires in Colorado and explosion in San Bruno, California.


Suffice to say, the American Red Cross has responded to each of these disasters, in addition to other specific disasters such as house fires.


But we can't exhale yet... There are three more storms - Hurricane Igor, Tropical storm Julia and a third unnamed storm - looming in the Atlantic and Caribbean.


We could not do it without the support of our volunteers and donors. The American Red Cross is asking people who have not been affected by the storms to help the Red Cross by making a financial gift to help others.


There are three easy ways to donate:

• Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.

• Call 1-800-REDCROSS

• Go to www.redcross.org

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Holy Hermine!

As Texans, we’re pretty accustomed to dealing with severe weather--like hail stones the size of softballs, tornadoes that defy logic and lightning that will literally make you shake in your shoes. But if you want to really challenge the entire state, just drop a tropical storm on top of us. Oh sure, the coastal areas in Texas know what to do. But for those of us say in Dallas, Abilene or Wichita Falls, tropical weather is not an ordinary challenge.

Ironically, September is National Preparedness Month and Mother Nature is making it abundantly clear why we should all be prepared. Red Cross chapters across Texas are busy opening shelters and once the rain clears, Damage Assessment teams will fan out to determine exactly how many families will have suffered losses because of Tropical Storm Hermine.

Having a plan won’t stop a tornado from hitting your home, and it won’t stop the flood waters from rising. But what a plan does for you is give you the tools you need that can help save your life! We think your life is valuable so take one minute and see how you rate with your Readiness Quotient: http://www.whatsyourrq.org/

After that, stop by www.redcross.org and download free safety tips at any time. Because so many of us are dealing with flooding today, here’s a great tip sheet to keep us all safe from rising water. http://chisholmtrail.redcross.org/pdf/3_2_12_2_PDF_FloodSafety.pdf

Be safe everyone and as always, if you need us, we’ll be there!

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Blown Away (Well, Not This Year At Least)

Here in Texas, we rarely have earthquakes (except for the tremors felt in the mid-cities a few weeks ago). Mudslides, volcanoes, tsunamis, and blizzards are also a thing of the movies and distant news in these parts. While we may not whip out our earthquake putty quite yet, Texas is heading into hurricane season.

North Texas does not usually get the direct hit of a hurricane, but we do receive gale force winds and evacuees from gulf-side cities. Unfortunately, most people get scared and prepared. Then nothing happens and everyone hopes they kept their receipts. As we witnessed from Katrina and Ike, it is better to get equipped before disaster strikes.

If you want a preparedness review, the Red Cross recommends following a few simple steps. Pull together a disaster supplies kit. Just think of it as camping… in your home. It’s time to learn about roughing it. First, get a few waterproof and manageable containers with handles to store your supplies in. Save up some nonperishable food and bottled water (three gallons per day per person is the rule of thumb). Make sure there is enough to last at least 72-hours. Since nonperishable foods usually include canned goods, I would get a non-electric can opener.

When the lights go out (like every bad storm here), keep a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries on hand. Pack extra clothes, important documents, cash and credit cards, and a first aid kit too.

If living near the coast, sit down with your family and discuss an evacuation route. Get shutters or use plywood to cover windows. Also, remove damaged tree limbs and strengthen garage doors. The last thing you want is a flooded home. If the National Weather Center recommends evacuating, do so immediately. Bring the disaster supplies kit with you when you evacuate.

If your home resides further inland, check-in with the Red Cross for information on how you can help during a disaster.

Watch for updates on our twitter, facebook and blog pages this upcoming hurricane season.

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