Red Cross Offers Tips to Stay Warm in Extreme Cold

With Old Man Winter knocking on the door, it’s critical that all North Texans stay safe and prepare as much as possible in advance. Many are looking to cut down on expenses when temperatures drop and home-heating costs rise. Unfortunately, this often leads to an increase in home fires due to space heaters and malfunctioning chimney’s.

The American Red Cross has steps North Texans can follow to reduce their risk of staring a fire in their home, and still cut down on the heating bills.

HEAT YOUR HOME SAFELY
All heaters need space! Keep things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, fireplaces and stoves.
Place portable space heaters on a hard, level, nonflammable surface. Do not put space heaters on rugs or carpets, near bedding or drapes, and keep children and pets away. Look for a model that shuts off automatically if the space heater tips over. Do not use heating equipment to dry wet clothing.
Never use the stove or oven to heat your home.
Never leave portable heaters, wood burning stoves or fireplaces unattended. Turn them off before leaving or going to bed.
Keep the fire in the fireplace by using a glass or metal screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

CUT DOWN ON YOUR HEATING BILLS
Eliminate drafts. Use either insulating tape or caulking strips to surround windows and door moldings. Cover your windows with plastic sheeting. If you have storm windows or storm doors, get them up to keep the cold out.
Make sure heat vents aren’t blocked by furniture.
Turn down the thermostat.
Close off any rooms that aren’t in use and close heat vents or turn off radiators in those rooms.
Insulate your light switch and outlet plates with foam pads. Cold air can seep into the house through them.
Use heavy curtains to keep cold air out. Open them during the day to let the sun help warm your home and close them at night. Use fabric snakes or old carpets in front of windows and doors to help eliminate drafts.
Turn off vent fans in the kitchen and bathroom when they are no longer needed.
Set ceiling fans to blow air down.

DON’T FORGET FIDO AND YOUR NEIGHBOR
Dress in several layers of lightweight clothing. Don’t forget gloves or mittens, and a hat, preferably one that covers your ears.
Wear waterproof, insulated boots to keep feet warm and dry and to maintain footing in icy weather.
Don’t forget pets – bring them indoors. If that’s not possible, provide adequate shelter to keep them warm and make sure they can get to unfrozen water.
Check on people who require special assistance such as elderly people living alone, people with disabilities and children.

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Give Something That Means Something

Written by Joanna Jordan, Volunteer Writer, American Red Cross

A fire, tornado or earthquake is never expected. It’s a traumatic experience for anyone, especially those who are left without a way to provide food for themselves or their loved ones. In our local area, the most common disaster this holiday season will be a single family house fire.

Imagine going to bed at night and waking up to your screaming smoke alarm hours later. You make it out of the house with your family, but you're all in your pajamas. No one is wearing shoes and you don't have your wallet. The reality begins to set in that you don't have anywhere to go and you don't have the ability to cook your kids breakfast in the morning. What will you do?

For thousands of disaster victims every year, this scenario is very much their reality. That's why the American Red Cross is there; to help disaster victims rebuild their lives by providing comforting, hot meals to give them strength for the difficult journey they may have ahead.

You can help provide quality meals for those in need by donating this holiday season. Your donation of $30 will feed three people, $50 will feed five and $300 will feed 30. Anything you are able to give will comfort those who are in the midst of a disaster.

Go to www.redcross.org/gifts to learn about the many ways you can help here at home, around the nation and around the world. Give Something that Means Something through the Holiday Giving Catalog.

On behalf of all of us at the American Red Cross, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season!

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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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