How Can You Be A Force Of Nature?

by Carmen Wright, volunteer contributor

As we have all experienced in the last few weeks, weather patterns in Texas can be unpredictable. Prepare yourself for all the severe weather we see here in North Texas—tornadoes, droughts, flooding, and even snowstorms—by joining the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) campaign to  “Be a Force of Nature” by taking the following steps:

STAY INFORMED:

•    Visit www.weather.gov
This site has it all: an interactive map of the U.S. that provides forecast for the entire country or just your little corner of Texas; active alerts so you know what is going on right now; maps showing air quality and rainfall; maps of weather history; radar of current weather systems and other data.

•    Check out STATE OF THE CLIMATE
I admit I did not know this site existed, but now that I know I’ve turned into a complete weather nerd. It provides helpful summaries, maps, and graphs of weather trends in the U.S. You can read the report for January 2015 and see how we started the year or go back and see national monthly percent area for drought since 1900!

•    Follow weather on Social Media
Let’s be honest; if you can have time to follow tweets for #foodiebandnames (one of my favorites is Nine Inch Kales), then you have time in your life for helpful tweets from the National Weather Service and NOAA.

•    Get the Red Cross Tornado App
Get real-time tornado alerts and warnings on your phone, take a quiz to see how prepared you are, get access to 63 years of tornado history, and learn what to do before, during and after a tornado.

PREPARE YOURSELF:

•    Make a disaster supply kit
At the very least this should include one gallon of water per person per day for three days, flashlight, three-day supply of non-perishable food, whistle, first aid kit, battery powered or hand-cranked radio, a NOAA radio, extra batteries, wrench or pliers, local map, moist toilettes, manual can opener, and cell phone with charger.

Have a Family Emergency Plan
 Being prepared is great, but make sure you have communicated plans to family members on where to go for safety, how you will contact each other, how you will find each other, and what you will do in different situations.  Also consider your bigger family: your community. If your work, school, or place of worship does not have an emergency plan, volunteer to help create one. Finally, don’t forget to include your pets in your plans!

LIVE LONG and BE PREPARED! 

Tweet

Repost: A Winter Emergency Car Kit Review

This post was originally posted on the Red Cross National Blog on February 11, 2015. In light of the anticipated hazardous driving conditions expected due to our current winter storm warning, we thought it'd be a good time to share it.

What's in Your Car? A Winter Emergency Kit Review

Growing up in Georgia, the occasional snow/ice storm was a treat. It meant no school and time to play outside, sit inside and catch up on movies and TV shows or sleep. Fast forward to adult life and living in Washington, D.C., I’ve found snow days aren’t the way they used to be. When I moved here, I realized people in fact still function when snow/ice happens because of an abundance of salt trucks and snowplows.

It wasn’t until I started working at the Red Cross that I realized I need to be prepared. Prepared in my home, my workplace and yes, even in my car. I realized when I commuted on roads in wintery conditions, it was silly (and sort of stupid) to not have a winter weather kit in my car. So now, for the times when I do have to head into work, I’ve taken measures to make sure I have everything I need. Like, who knew you needed cat litter or sand in your car to make sure you can get out of a slick spot? Not this Georgia girl!

THE LIST
For those that say, “Nah, I don’t need that! I’ve got a snow scraper and four-wheel drive!” I’ve got news for you — think again! Make sure you at the very least have these things in the back of your car to keep you safe during winter months:

1. Cell phone car charger
2. Flashlight with extra batteries
3. Blanket and/or emergency Mylar blanket
4. Fleece hat, gloves, scarf
5. Sand or cat litter
6. Ice scraper and snow brush
7. First aid kit
8. Hand-crank weather radio

PRO TIPS

Once you have your car kit assembled, there are some extra handy tips to help take winter preparedness to the next level. Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council member Jim Judge has two additional tips in a new article:

• Keep emergency car kit in your back seat, so you can access it if your trunk freezes closed.
• Put batteries in backward to conserve battery power (and then, of course, remember to switch them back when you need to use it).

For a complete list of other ideas for your car kit, check out this handy emergency kit list.

Tweet

How Should Senior Citizens Prepare for a Disaster?

By Carol Grinage, volunteer contributor

August 21st is Senior Citizen Day! It is a day to celebrate our older generations; the contributions they've made and the roles they have in our lives. It is also a day to remember to take care and think of them. With disasters occurring daily throughout the world, it is important to remember that our older generations should be just as prepared.

How do senior citizens prepare for a disaster? When I first mentioned this topic to my mother, she became angry, and she said, “Senior citizens don’t prepare any differently than other people.”

I respectfully disagreed and mentioned the number of senior citizens who died in the Chicago heatwave years ago.

My mom, then, regretfully agreed, “Yes, we do have to consider our lives today. We still think we are 20 and can do everything that we used to do until an emergency occurs, and we realize that we don’t have the same bodies that we had at 20 and can’t do the things we used to be able to easily do.”

After some discussion and research, here are some ways seniors can prepare for a disaster.

1. Prepare an Emergency Kit
2. Make a Plan
3. Be Informed

Prepare Your Kit

Make an emergency kit. Put medications, identification, contact phone numbers, prescriptions, and vital information in this kit. Also, put enough food, water, and medical supplies for three days in it.

Because this kit may be heavy, it is better to put it in smaller bags that may have wheels. Make sure that you put your name on it and on any wheelchairs, canes, or walkers or any items that will not be placed in the kit.

Make a Plan

You may not think a disaster will occur in your area, but you never know. As the saying goes, “Better safe than sorry”. When an emergency does occur, you will be glad that you have a plan in place.

Discuss your action plan with family members and have at least one emergency contact who does not live in the area. This contact is necessary because quite often it is the local phone service that may not work, but you will be able to contact someone outside of the area. This person will need to know your whereabouts and contact information.

In addition, plan a meeting place whether it is a shelter or someone’s home. If you no longer drive, plan transportation; whether it is emergency senior transportation or a friend or relative who will pick you up. If possible, car pool so that people are not searching for one another.

Where will your pets go in an emergency? Quite often people don’t consider their pets in the emergency plan, and sadly, some people don’t seek shelter for them during an emergency. Before an emergency happens, see where you can shelter your pet until you return home if an evacuation becomes necessary.

Be Informed
What emergency is most likely to happen in your community?
Earthquake? Hurricane? Winter storm? Flood? Tornado?

Think about what type of emergency is most likely to occur, and base your plans on that type of emergency.

Also, how will you be notified of an emergency? Will it be on the television? Radio? Community alarm system? Phone call? Determine how your community warns people of a possible disaster, and make sure you have a system in place so that you will be alerted.

If you are in a retirement community, check to see what plans are in place. Sometimes, the community has already established emergency procedures and a safe place for residents. See if this information is available.

When to Prepare

The best time to prepare for an emergency is before it happens. Discuss plans with friends and family. If you no longer drive, make sure you have transportation arranged and a safe place in mind. Lastly, update your emergency kit every six months and throw out any expired food or medication. Also, review your emergency plans a few times a year to make sure contact information and shelters have not changed.

Go to RedCross.org/Prepare for more information!

Tweet

Severe Weather Looming – Are You Prepared for Spring Threats?

by Sydney Holt, volunteer contributor

Forecasters are predicting the possibility of a significant multi-day severe weather outbreak this weekend, Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27. Follow @RedCrossDFW on Twitter for real-time updates, and encourage your friends and loved ones to prepare a Survival Kit (instructions below) while keeping an eye on the sky!
Hot, cold, hot, cold, Dallas-Fort Worth weather can’t seem to make up its mind this year. As is typical of spring, cold air continues to hang around, significantly increasing the threat of severe weather in the metroplex.

Below are a few tips for helping you get Red Cross Ready as the spring season ramps us! 

1. Grab A Container! While a shoebox or extra container might seem like the easiest option, remember to choose an easy-to-carry, durable container such as a backpack or lightweight container with handles.

2. The Minimum. At a minimum you should have the following supplies. 

• Water—one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Food—non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Flashlight
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit 
• Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
• Multi-purpose tool
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Cell phone with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Emergency blanket
• Map(s) of the area

3. Comfort Items. While the bare necessities are absolutely your first priority, having an array of comfort items is always a good idea – especially when dealing with children and pets. Examples include:

• Small games (non-electronic), puzzles, coloring books, cards
• Rain gear
• Blankets, sleeping bags and pillows
• Pet supplies – food, toys, carriers and sturdy leash or harness
• Wet wipes
• Towels
• Bug repellant

4. Awareness. Finally, be sure your kit is easy to access and all members of your household are aware of its location. Use this time to talk about your plan in case of an emergency situation and review the FREE Red Cross resources, such as our suite of mobile apps and the Plan & Prepare section of our website.

Tweet

First Day of Fall Project: DIY Emergency Survival Kit

by Sydney Holt, volunteer contributor

Y’all may not have even realized, but today is the first day of the fall. While the start of this colorful season typically signifies cooler weather, those of us in Dallas-Fort Worth and the surrounding areas are still experiencing highs in the upper 90s and even 100s! I don’t know about you but I don’t plan to spend my Autumnal Equinox digging sweaters and jeans out of my closet when I won’t need them for another few weeks, even months.

Instead, I plan to catch up on a few do-it-yourself projects, one being a DIY survival kit. Not handy? Don’t sweat it – this project is easy and can be done completely inside. 

Below are a few tips for helping you get Red Cross Ready for the entire year. 

1. Grab A Container! While a shoebox or extra container might seem like the easiest option, remember to choose an easy-to-carry, durable container such as a backpack or lightweight container with handles.

2. The Minimum. At a minimum you should have the following supplies. 

• Water—one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Food—non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Flashlight
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit 
• Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
• Multi-purpose tool
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Cell phone with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Emergency blanket
• Map(s) of the area

3. Comfort Items. While the bare necessities are absolutely your first priority, having an array of comfort items is always a good idea – especially when dealing with children and pets. Examples include:

• Small games (non-electronic), puzzles, coloring books, cards
• Rain gear
• Blankets, sleeping bags and pillows
• Pet supplies – food, toys, carriers and sturdy leash or harness
• Wet wipes
• Towels
• Bug repellant

4. Awareness. Finally, be sure your kit is easy to access and all members of your household are aware of its location. Use this time to talk about your plan in case of an emergency situation and review the FREE Red Cross resources, such as our suite of mobile apps and the Plan & Prepare section of our website.

For more on what goes in an emergency survival kit, check out RedCross.org. Hint: It shouldn't look like this.

Tweet

Lessons in Severe Weather Planning

by Kristen Kerr, volunteer contributor

It's National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, so it's a great time to be thinking about what you should be doing to prepare for bad weather. In fact, that was the point of our big multi-state disaster drill this weekend: to prepare when the sky is blue for when it isn't.

As a native Texan (born and raised), I have been through the tornadoes, droughts, floods, severe thunderstorms, wildfires and heat waves. Over the years, I learned a thing or two about how to prepare not only myself, but also my family, for severe weather. 

During the tornadoes that ripped through Fort Worth in 2000, I was home by myself. I was about 11 years old and I was trying to stay safe (and alive). I had my dad’s weather radio turned on and since it runs on batteries, it was perfect, because if the electricity went out, it would still function. The radio kept me informed on the storm’s progress. Later, I went into our downstairs closet and made sure it was clear of anything heavy or harmful that could hurt me during the storm. I also took a blanket and flashlight with me so that I could stay warm and see (just in case we lost electricity). 

That was really all that I knew how to do at the time since I was just a child, and shortly after that, my parents bought me a cell phone in case of emergencies like that one. 

Prepare an emergency kit in case of severe weather.
Or, you can get one from RedCrossStore.org!

Since then, I began an internship with the American Red Cross, and I have learned quite a bit more in regards to staying safe during severe weather. 

In fact, there is a 3-step plan that everyone should put into action when severe weather threatens:

1. Get a kit. A kit can be as simple as a plastic tub. The kit should contain bottled water, canned foods, cereal bars, flashlights, batteries, weather radios, first aid kits, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, medicine and copies of important documents.
2. Make a plan. It is important to have a plan of action prepared because when any severe weather warning is issued it is easy to get overwhelmed, scared and confused. If you have a plan, all you need to do is follow it. You don’t need to worry about trying to think of where to go and how to get there. It’s already done!
3. Be prepared. It’s a great idea to have your kit pre-made and stored somewhere with easy accessibility. Also do a trial run if your action plan with your family, so that when you severe weather hits, you know what to do!

When I was a little girl, being alone during the tornadoes felt like a bad dream because I didn’t know what was going on outside and how bad it really was! However, in today’s ever changing technological world, it no longer has to feel that way! I was excited to learn that the American Red Cross has launched their new tornado app that includes a high-pitched siren and alerts for when a tornado warning has been issued in your area and later signals an “all clear” alert so that users know when a warning has expired or been cancelled. I know if this app would have been around during the 2000 tornadoes, I would have felt a lot safer and smarter! 

You can feel safer and smarter too. Download the new app for free at RedCross.org. Stay safe this spring season!

Tweet