15 Movie Characters Who Should've Turned Around

By Shannon Randol, intern contributor, American Red Cross

Rain, rain, go away come again some other day ... like in a year.

The Red Cross has flooded social media feeds for months about the importance of #TurnAroundDontDrown (thanks for the campaign, National Weather Service)! So much so I think it's safe to say you might be sick of hearing it.

To add some cheer to the drenched residents of Texas and to play off of the infamous hashtag, here are 15 movie characters who should've just listened and turned around. 

15. Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"
Why did Melanie check out the attic alone when she knew there were killer birds out there flapping around? Don't ever investigate a noise in a thriller movie!

14. Tobe Hooper's "Poltergeist"
White noise coming from a television in the middle of the night? Little Carol why did you put your hand out?! Always pretend to be asleep and then tell your parents to hit the road tomorrow! Yikes!

13. Steven Spielberg's "Jaws"
A classic movie that terrified viewers with two notes, but Brody wanted to chum the waters. Why didn't you chug that tug boat to shore warp-speed after seeing the monster? You're crazy. 

12.  Joe Johnson's "Jumanji"
Yes, we understand you had to finish the game to end the nightmare, BUT after being thrown into a monsoon with a giant crocodile, why didn't you just say, "nope, I'm done, I need to get the rest of my life together!" 

11. Disney's "Little Mermaid"
Every time you watch Ariel give her voice to the sea witch, Ursula, you feel anxious. WHY WOULD YOU TRUST AN OCTOPUS?! Do you know how much easier it would've been to nab your prince had you just turned around!? 

10. Roland Emmerich's "The Day After Tomorrow"
New York City is under another world altering natural disaster? NOPE. It never ends well! And who wants to freeze to death and dig their way out of snow piled up as high as skyscrapers? 

9. David R. Ellis's "Snakes on a Plane"
Um, I can deal with spiders, but slimy no leg slithering poisonous snakes falling out of every nook and cranny from an airplane? I don't think so. I hate heights and flying for that matter, but I would've grabbed a parachute and floated my behind right back down to snake-free ground. Peace out! 

8. William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" 1973
If I saw anyone who could turn their head around without the use of their neck ... I wouldn't be wasting any time on trying to save their souls -- bye, Felicia. 

7. David Yates's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" 
You can't have a list without the Harry Potter series. I couldn't let it happen. I'm glad they didn't turn around, and I'm happy they beat that bully Voldemort. (#HarryPotterForever) But, in order to include them with this list, here's Longbottom's scene with all those greasy death eaters. 

6. Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice"
You're trying to tell me none of the Deetz's were scared when Barbra and Adam stretched their faces? It makes my eye sockets burn just thinking about it ... 

5. Colin Trevorrow's "Jurassic World"
No spoilers in this clip, but when the boys find the broken fence to investigate ... and then "Hello, super giant dinosaur"... Nope, nope, nope! Dinosaur + me in a small moving cube = definitely to the NOT. 

4. Jonathan Demme's "The Silence of the Lambs"
Hannibal Lecter and his pack of misfit friends were beyond creepy. Clarice, when you left the jail you never should've looked back. The lotion does not do good for the skin.

3. John Hughes's "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
Poor Cameron, never should've let Ferris convince him to take out his dad's Ferrari. Then, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to knock it off its stand.

2. Howard Deutch's "The Great Outdoors"
Chet you should've just stayed home and forgot going to Wally's cabin. You had to have known the bald-headed bear was going to come looking for revenge!

1. Disney's "The Lion King"
Simba, why-oh-why did you have to go to Scar? Do you know grown adults still tear-up when your father, Mufasa, dies! Why couldn't you have just turned around!!!  

If ever in a pickle and you're not sure which direction to take, remember all of these fools who didn't turn around and ask yourself, "could this be turned into a GIF?"

There's a moral to every story, and you don't want to be the example. Don't attempt to drive through flooded streets and moving water, your life is much too valuable. Always remember turn around don't drown!

Tweet

Red Cross Responding to Texas Tornadoes and Floods - Updated 07/20/15 9:45AM

Obtener esta información en español

The American Red Cross continues to help residents across Texas affected by an ongoing severe weather outbreak, which included multiple tornadoes and widespread flooding. 

If you were impacted by the storms and need Red Cross assistance, please call this hotline number:
1-800-REDCROSS

The following shelters are open for anyone needing a safe place to stay:


Gulf Coast:

• Gulf Coast Shelter List Here

Central and South Texas Shelters:

• Central & South Texas Shelter List Here

 

If you are looking for a loved one in the area, please visit our Safe and Well registry at RedCross.org/SafeandWell or call 1-800-REDCROSS. 

If you want to help, visit RedCross.org/Donate
or call 1-800-REDCROSS 

Follow @RedCrossDFW on Twitter or Facebook for updates.

Obtener esta información en español

Tweet

La Cruz Roja responde a Tornados e Inundaciones en Texas - Actualizado 07/20/15 9:45AM

Get this information in English

La Cruz Roja Americana continúa ayudando en Texas a residentes afectados por el clima severo actual, que ha incluido Tornados e Inundaciones por doquier.

Si fuiste afectado por tormentas y necesitas asistencia de la Cruz Roja, por favor llama a este número:

1-800-REDCROSS

Los siguientes refugios están abiertos para cualquiera que necesite un lugar seguro para dormir:

La Costa del Golfo:

• Lista de Refugios de la Costa del Golfo Aquí

Centro y Sur de Texas:

• Lista de Refugios del Centro y Sur de Texas Aquí

Si estas buscando un ser querido en el area, por favor visita nuestro registro de Sanos y Salvos en RedCross.org/SafeandWells o llama al 1-800-REDCROSS

Si quieres ayudar, visit RedCross.org/Donate
o llame al 1-800-REDCROSS

Siguenos en Twitter @RedcrossDFW y en Facebook para leer actualizaciones

Get this information in English

Tweet

Texas Tornado and Flood Response: Are You Ready to Go All In For Texas?

A Message from T.D. Smyers, Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross North Texas Region

On June 2, our fellow Red Crossers around the nation will be asking Americans to give to our first-ever #allin1day fundraising effort to enable the American Red Cross to deliver help and hope to their friends and neighbors where the need is greatest.  Here in Texas, the greatest need is right here at home.

All across the state, severe weather, tornadoes and flooding have devastated neighborhoods and forced thousands of people from their homes since early May. The Red Cross has been there since the beginning to provide critical humanitarian relief the moment it’s needed. From EF-3 tornadoes in Cisco and Van, Texas to flooding in San Marcos and Houston that is still ongoing, we’ve provided a safe and dry place to stay, warm meals and comforting hugs for hundreds of our fellow Texans.

This is Emily Martinez, her husband and their 2-week-old son Nano. They are safe in a Red Cross shelter in San Marcos today after they woke up late last Sunday night to find a foot of water in their trailer home. They looked outside and saw the water rising.

“We were terrified. The water was so deep, and I was so scared,” said Mrs. Martinez. 

At the shelter, little Nano soon gained a surrogate aunt in Red Cross volunteer Jillana Holt-Reuter, “Gigi.” As Auntie Gigi held Nano, Mr. Martinez tells her how happy he is to have his family together.

“The Red Cross has been wonderful. I don’t know what we would do without their help. We have a safe place to sleep, food, friendly Red Cross friends and there are nurses here for us. We’re really very thankful.”

We’ve heard so many stories like the Martinez’s in our shelters all around Texas. We are privileged to be doing our part to help families on their road to recovery. 

Now we need your help as we continue responding to disasters big and small, like the tornadoes and floods in Texas. Visit RedCross.org/Donate or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. We have a long way to go in this relief effort, part of more than 70,000 disasters the Red Cross responds to every year.

More than 2,000 Red Cross volunteers and staffers have worked on this massive relief operation, but all but 800 of them are actually from in-state. This is Texans helping Texans, answering the call when our neighbors need it the most.

Show your Support in the Social Space: 

Join us as we go All In For Texas. Use hashtag #allin4TX and change your social network icons to show your support! Below are some other ways to share.

For every Texan whose life you’ll touch with your support, THANK YOU.

Social Media Graphics (right-click & save-as to download)

Social Media Icon

Facebook covers

Tweet

Tornado-Affected Residents Finding Help in Runaway Bay Shelter

by Carl Manning, guest contributor

Red Cross shelter manager Jen Edwards of Dallas talks with Brittiany Spain
while her three-year-old son Gabriel and husband Jarid wait.
The family came to the shelter after a tornado that went through
Runaway Bay, Texas, damaged their home. 

Three-year-old Gabriel Spain, along with his parents Jarid and Brittiany, showed up at the Red Cross shelter set up in Runaway Bay, Texas in search of a place to stay.

The youngster looked around the reception area clutching his toy truck and quietly explained: “Our house had a tornado. We hid in the closet.”

The family’s home was damaged by the tornado, tearing off large sections of the roof, exposing the interior to the rain and leaving the carpets a squishy mess.

The Spain family were among several who suffered through the tornado. Several condos a short distance away sustained major roof damage, forcing occupants to look elsewhere for a place to stay until repairs are completed.

The day after the tornado, the Red Cross began working on opening the shelter at the CrossWay Church. Red Cross emergency response vehicles drove through the community to provide food, water and cleanup supplies. 

Red Cross volunteer Steve Bales of Brownwood, Texas,
arrived with his Emergency Response Vehicle at Runaway Bay
 after a tornado went through a section of the community.
He talks resident to learn where the damage is in the community.

“We provide the people with what they need in the recovery process,” said Red Cross volunteer Steve Bales of Brownwood, Texas who drove one of the vehicles into the community.

He stopped at the Runaway Bay City Hall to talk to people gathered there to find out what where the tornado had done its damage so he would know where to go.  

At the shelter, Brittiany provided additional details to Red Cross volunteer Jen Edwards of Dallas, the shelter manager who made sure there were enough cots in the coverted sanctuary and food at the kitchen serving window.

Jen explained the shelter was opened to provide a safe place for people to stay if they didn’t have any place to go after the tornado. It’s among some 16 Red Cross shelters opened across Texas in the past two weeks because of severe weather. 

Brittiany explained it was her first tornado and when she first heard it, she wasn’t sure what was happening. But Jarid had grown up is southwest Kansas were tornadoes are about as common as cattle and wheat fields. 

“When the noise started, I knew exactly what it was,” he said, holding his son close to him. 

Brittiany added: “He said go to the closet now. Then the house started shaking and then there was the sound of breaking glass as the roof came off. It really was scary.”

The parents said they’re most thankful for escaping unharmed with their son.

“I have the two most important things in my life. Everything else can be replaced,” the burley oil field worker said. 

The Red Cross continues to provide critical humanitarian relief in Runaway Bay, Wichita Falls and nearly 100 other counties around Texas during this ongoing spring storm relief effort. You can help! Visit RedCross.org/Donate or call 1-800-REDCROSS to give.

Tweet

Memorial Day: Red Crossers, Still Serving

by Amy Yen, Regional Marketing Program Manager, American Red Cross North Texas Region

U.S. Air Force veteran Rickey Staves is still serving. 

This Memorial Day, he is on the job in the Disaster Operations Center at the Red Cross in Dallas, headquarters for an ongoing statewide storm relief operation. He is a Disaster Services Technology Manager, who supports the technology needs for the operation, which is helping residents affected by tornadoes and flooding from Wichita Falls to Corpus Christi.

It's a little different from his time on Air Force bases in California and Fort Worth, but it's also the same in one critical way.

"Whether it's the military or the Red Cross," said Rickey. "We're here to help--that's what we do."

Thank you to Rickey and all the other Red Crosser veterans spending their Memorial Day still serving. To learn more about how the Red Cross serves military members, veterans and their families, visit RedCross.org/Military.

Tweet

"This is Just a Setback" - Bridgeport Residents Begin to Rebuild

by Carl Manning, guest contributor

Red Cross workers help residents affected by a tornado in Bridgeport, TX.

Wesley Campbell was in bed when he heard the sounds outside his home and he knew the worst was happening. A tornado was heading straight for his home in a rural area near Bridgeport, Texas.

His wife, Mickey, yelled for him to get up and get out of the house, and they headed for the back door. But it was too late.

“We got there and that was as far as we got before it hit,” he recalled. “We got down behind the washer and dryer and waited. I could feel the house moving in all directions and we prayed hard.”

Bridgeport resident Wesley Campbell looks at damage to his
home after a tornado outbreak.

It didn’t take Wesley long to realize his worst fears had come true – the house he had called home for 15 years was in tatters and scattered. Sitting on the tailgate of his pickup, Wesley sipped from a bottle of water and looked at what’s left as friends and family gathered up what they could to put in his storage barn.

“This is our house, so sure, we’ll rebuild,” he said. “This is just a setback.”

As he looked around, Red Cross workers began arriving to offer assistance to Wesley and his neighbors. 

“It’s wonderful and unbelievable that so many came out to help. It makes me feel good. People I don’t even know are here,” he said of the Red Cross workers and others who were there to help.

A few hundred yards away, Scott Brandon talked to a Red Cross worker about losing his trailer home during a three-minute ordeal he said he’ll never forget.

“The trailer started moving and then it quit. Then it started moving again and then it stopped and it rained hard for an hour,” he recalled. 

Looking at the twisted wreckage that once was his home, Scott shook his head and said, “I’ve been walking around in a daze, feeling out of place and wanting to cry. But all my friends are okay and that’s what matters.” 

As he talked, a Red Cross emergency response vehicle arrived, bouncing along the rut-filled dirt road to set up operations to hand out snacks and water plus clean-up items like work gloves and tarps.

“They’re here to help us and if they can help us, that’ll be great,” Scott said.

One Red Cross worker grabbed an armload of work gloves from the vehicle and started passing them out to those working on a house with its metal roof twisted and torn and its windows broken.

Another standing by the Red Cross vehicle was busy handing out bottled water and snacks. One woman in line with her children and two dogs, when offered condolences, smiled and said, “Oh, it can all be replaced.”

The Red Cross continues to provide critical humanitarian relief in Bridgeport, Runaway Bay, Mineral Wells and more than 70 other counties around Texas during this ongoing spring storm relief effort. You can help! Visit RedCross.org/Donate or call 1-800-REDCROSS to give.

Tweet

Van Resident Remembers, Rebuilds

by Carl Manning, guest contributor

Van resident David Thacker hugs Red Cross volunteer
Brenda Jones of Longview at his home
that was damaged by a tornado.

It’s really been hard for David Thacker to think about his long-time friend and neighbor who was killed when a tornado torn through rural Van, Texas.

David was among those who found his friend still clutching his dog in a nearby field after the EF-3 tornado destroyed his home and also killed his friend’s wife. 

He and his friend had a regular meeting every Wednesday evening when they got together at the roadside where they left their trash for pickup the next morning. It had become a tradition, a time David looked forward to each week. 

“We discussed politics and livestock. We got along real good,” he said as a smile filled his face.

“It’s hard, it really is. A lot of time I try not to think about. But I like to think he’s in a better place,” he said, looking down at the ground at the spot where they had stood together for a dozen years

But David considers himself lucky because he and his wife were home eating dinner when the storm came. They survived and their home is still standing. He recalled looking out and seeing the tornado coming his way and using all his strength to close the front door against the howling wind. 

After the storm, he was among the first to volunteer at the landfill site where the debris that once were homes and possessions were brought for disposal. 

“It lets me help those who have nothing. At least we still got our home,” he says. “We’re lucky and I felt an obligation to give back, to help those who didn’t come out of this as well as we did.”

His neighbor on the other side of his mobile home had damage but he said the six people inside survived with only a few cuts and scratches. His son and family living nearby also escaped with minor damage. 

David said he’s been busy cleaning up around his property including 1,700 feet of fencing that was ripped up. He walks through his hay field picking up pieces of shingles and various household items like a storage container for silverware and sometimes personal items like photographs blown there from near and far. 

“Got to clean up this field before mowing it because if I hit some of this stuff with my mower, it would be big trouble,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, he had stopped at the Community Center where the Red Cross and other agencies were assisting people with the recovery after the May 10 storm damaged or destroyed more than 100 homes and displaced dozens of people. 

Within an hour after leaving the center, two Red Cross volunteers arrived to survey the damage to his home. He showed them how his home had been picked up and dropped back on the foundation, shifting a few inches to one side in the process. 

Red Cross volunteer Brenda Jones of Longview, Texas
hands snacks to Van resident David Thacker.

One of the volunteers reached into the van and handed him several snack items including a couple boxes of cookies – one for him and the other for his wife.

As he took the items, his eyes filled with tears. A minute later he walked over to the volunteer and hugged her.

“Until you see your friends die and your neighbors hurt, and you have people from all over the country to come out and help, there’s no way to describe how you feel,” he said while hugging the volunteer. “You’re a God-sent blessing.”

To help Red Cross spring storm relief efforts, visit RedCross.org/Donate or call 1-800-REDCROSS.

Tweet

Red Cross Service Centers Provide Help and Hope

by Carl Manning, guest contributor

A resident speaks with Red Cross nurses at a service center in Van, TX.

Red Cross Service Centers provide assistance to people affected by disasters such as tornadoes and flooding, often working with partner agencies to provide needed assistance. 

Among services available at the Centers are caseworkers who help those affected with immediate needs and help plan long-term recovery; registered nurses providing health services; licensed mental health counselors, and Red Cross volunteers who can assess home damage. 

The Red Cross has a Service Center in Van at the Community Center, 310 Chestnut. An EF-3 tornado damaged or destroyed more than 100 homes. It’s the same location where the Red Cross had been part the Multi-Agency Resource Center. 

The Red Cross on Monday opened a Service Center in the city of Bowie at 710 West Wise Street. Many residents in the Bowie area were affected by the recent flooding. 

There is also a service center available at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 18220 Upper Bay Road, in Houston, Texas for residents affected by flooding.

The Red Cross will continue to be part of the recovery process in Texas. Click here to see a list of current shelters and service centers.

Tweet

Pet Stories From Van

by Suzanne Wiley, volunteer contributor

Scrolling through my news feed the morning after I visited Van, I came across a familiar face. One of my friends had shared the story of the Bouchillon family—survivors of Sunday night’s tornado. The Bouchillons' car was tossed by the tornado. Andy, his wife and their baby came out virtually unscathed, but the family’s dog, Tater, was nowhere to be found.

Andy was reunited with Tater the next morning. I was there when Andy was interviewed by the national news stations. I saw him holding on to Tater for dear life.

The Bouchillon family’s story is not one I personally heard first hand, but I did meet a couple of people who shared their pet survival stories with me.

Lost Cat
We met Shelly on our first trip down Bois D'Arc Street. Her house was still standing and although she was without power, she was worried about leaving her home. Shelly expressed to us that she needed help. She needed supplies and wondered if there was anything we could to help spread the word about the cat she had found after the tornado devastated more than half of her neighbor’s houses. She told us she believed the cat lived across the street, because she said the cat kept looking over, seemingly to say, “Where did my house go?” When we returned to Shelly’s to deliver a Target Comfort Care kit, we snapped a picture of her and the cat.

If you recognize the cat, please contact the American Red Cross. 

Blue: The Dog That Comes Out to Say Hi
While searching for people who needed a tarp, we had a very friendly dog greet us along the way. We patted him and found his owner raking debris from his lawn. Though windows had to be boarded and a tarp covered his roof, the house was still pretty much intact.

Telling the owner that a photographer had taken a picture of his dog the day before, I asked the man where he took shelter during the tornado. He told me that when the warning sirens went off and his pictures started “levitating off the walls,” he ran into the bathroom and hid under the sink. As soon as it was over, he immediately ran outside to find his dog, Blue. Instead he heard screaming coming from next door. His neighbor’s home no longer had a roof, or many of its walls. He rushed over to help the women trapped inside. With the other neighbors, Blue’s owner picked off two by fours, rescuing his neighbors.

The search for Blue helped save lives.

Pets Need Emergency Kits, Too
For those of us with four-legged children, the stories of Tater and Blue hit home. Those are two lucky dogs! But not all pet stories have happy endings. Without any form of identification, Shelly’s rescued cat may never make it back to its original owners. When preparing for a disaster, keep your pets needs in mind.
•    All pets should identification at all times. Put your cell phone number on their tag or have them microchipped.
•    Keep enough food and water for your pet for five days stored in your safe room. Don’t forget a can opener if your pet eats canned food.
•    Have a copy of their medical records in a waterproof bag close at hand.
•    Pets should have a leash and a crate.
•    Remember cat litter and garbage or plastic bags to clean up your pets’ waste.
•    For comfort and security, your safe room or pet’s emergency kit should contain a blanket or bed and a toy.
•    In case of evacuation, take your pet with you. Before a disaster strikes, map out the pet-friendly hotels along your evacuation route.
•    Store the phone number of an animal shelter or kennel in your cell phone. Have a plan in place where you will keep your pet if you have to shelter in an American Red Cross shelter.
You have to wonder where outdoor animals go during a tornado. Tater was found near the Bouchillon’s overturned vehicle-where I can only presume he stayed overnight. Animals, especially dogs, can be fiercely loyal to their people. We owe it to them to prepare for their safety as much as ours.

To help, visit RedCross.org/Donate or call 1-800-REDCROSS. 

Tweet

Red Cross Preparing For and Supporting Storm Relief Efforts Across Texas

Even as we continue to support efforts in Van & around the state, we're preparing for more possible severe weather & flooding around Texas this weekend. Today, we sent truckloads of supplies to Waco and other Red Cross locations to the south, so we'll be ready to respond if we're needed.

Be weather-aware this weekend & make sure you talk to your family about what to do in an emergency. Download our free mobile preparedness apps to receive weather alerts and safety information!

Follow us on Twitter @RedCrossDFW for updates!

Tweet

Tex Versus the Tornado

by Suzanne Wiley, volunteer contributor

Van resident Tex, who was injured during the Van tornado
is comforted by a Red Cross nurse. Photo Credit: CBS11

I stood outside the American Red Cross shelter with Van resident, Tex. As he was telling me his story, he looked up at the sky, pointed and said, “That’s what worries me.” I looked up to where he was pointing at the darkening, thick clouds looming over the Van water tower. “We don’t need any more of that.”  

What you can’t see from the shelter is the destruction from the 700-yards wide tornado that struck the small town just a few blocks away from where we were standing.

Tex and his wife were both injured by flying debris during the tornado, but despite the physical pain and shock of what had happened, he shared his story.

Around 8:15, Tex’s wife received a storm alert on her phone and very shortly after, Van’s tornado warning sirens started blaring. Tex and his wife left their trailer home for their daughter’s house. He remembers the wind and the hail. Tex looks me straight in the eyes and tells me that as soon as they arrived at their daughter’s house, “Whamo!” The tornado had hit.

Miraculously, after the tornado passed, Tex, his wife and six others were alive. They found themselves somehow landing on top of all the lumber that used to be the house. The tornado took the whole house.

By the time I had met Tex he already become a local celebrity. Anxious to meet him, he told me he had already signed one autograph already. All the local news outlets had interviewed him on camera. As we were talking about what happens next for him and his family, an old friend stopped by to joke with Tex about how he didn’t win the fight. Someone responded, “Oh yeah, you should see that two by four!”

The lightheartedness of the joke made everyone smile. The people of Van need smiles. But in all seriousness, the people of Van know firsthand that weather doesn’t joke around. Fortunately, for Tex and his family, he did win this particular fight.

To download the free tornado alert app from the Red Cross, visit http://www.redcross.org/mobile-apps/tornado-app/setup-alerts.

To donate to aid in relief efforts, visit RedCross.org/Donate.

Tweet

"I'm Glad I Went Out for Ice Cream": A Personal Story of Survival from Van, Texas

From Anita Foster, American Red Cross North Texas Region

Chase Scruggs stands in the area where his Mom's house used to sit.

As the sun came up over Van, Texas this morning, there wasn't much doubt that the small town east of Dallas would never be the same. Tornado sirens wailed in the late night hours as residents did their best to get to safe rooms and cover up. Chase Scruggs said his late night craving for ice cream saved his life.

"I went out with my fiance and our daughter to get some ice cream when I heard the sirens," said Scruggs. "I knew right away that we needed to get to
shelter." While calling his Mom to tell her to get into the hallway, he sped with his young family to his mother's house on Bois d' Arc. Seconds after they dove into the hallway with the rest of the family, the tornado literally picked up their entire house and moved it from its foundation.

"We threw blankets over my daughter and my younger brothers while Dad and I tried to hold the doors closed," Scruggs reflected. "We barely made it to the hallway in time."

Scruggs was donned in heavy work gloves and boots to begin the daunting task of cleaning up what was left of his Mom's house. Meanwhile, Scruggs had yet to make the short trip across town to check on his own home, also in a hard-hit area of Van.

"I'll get to my house shortly. For now, it's most important to focus on those who have lost everything."  

The Red Cross will help Mr. Scruggs and all of the families affected by the Mother's Day storms. To help the Red Cross, click on www.redcross.org to make a financial gift. For updates on Red Cross responses across the area, follow us on Twitter @RedCrossDFW.

Tweet

Red Cross Services Available: Johnson & Erath Counties

This message from Anita Foster, American Red Cross North Texas Region:

Following damaging storms that tore across the state of Texas on April 26, the American Red Cross has been working around the clock to help families with their recovery. In total, some 600 homes were hit by the storms. Of those, 60 sustained major damage or were destroyed. Since the storms ended, the Red Cross has provided bottled water, meals and snacks, along with clean-up supplies, mainly tarps to cover damaged rooftops, to affected neighborhoods. Today, the Red Cross is opening two additional locations for families to visit if they need assistance:

Dublin – Resource Center

213 E. Blackjack St.

Dublin, TX 76446

Hours of Operation: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

Rio Vista – Resource Center

102 E. Depot St.

Rio Vista, TX 76093

Hours of Operation: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

These centers will remain open until May 2. Families who can’t easily make it to the Rio Vista or Dublin locations are urged to call the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS or (800) 733 2766.

Tweet

Top Ten Reasons to Download the New, Free Red Cross Emergency App

Today, we're super excited to introduce our newest mobile app, the all-in-one Emergency App! It combines all of our previous preparedness apps into one all-inclusive app! Why should you download it? Glad you asked!

1. IT’S FREE. Who wouldn’t want free 24/7 protection with emergency alerts and safety information? 
2. MONITOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Parents, rejoice. The “Family Safe” feature lets you know if your loved ones are okay, even if they don’t have the app.
3. EYE CANDY. Customize your weather alerts in various locations with photos of the loved one, or furry four-legged family member who lives there. 
4. WORKS ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. You can set 35 different emergency alerts to monitor multiple locations anywhere in the U.S.
5. PLAN AND PREPARE. The “Make a Plan” feature helps families plan out what to do and where to go if a disaster strikes.
6. HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL. Easily toggle between English and Spanish to use the language you’re most comfortable with in a stressful situation.
7. NO CONNECTION, NO PROBLEM. If you can’t connect, you can still access the pre-loaded preparedness and response information from Red Cross experts.
8. MAP IT OUT. Love maps? This app lets you overlay people, places, weather alerts, and open Red Cross shelters.
9. BE A GOOD SON (OR DAUGHTER). Don’t wait for your mom to get her alert and ask if you’re okay. Ping her directly with the touch of a button using the “I’m Safe” feature.
10. TORNADO SIREN. It’s loud. It’s awesome. It could save your life. 

The free app can be downloaded by searching EMERGENCY in the app store on your smartphone or tablet or by going to redcross.org/apps. (PS: Yes! It will even work on your new Apple Watch!) And while apps can help prepared someone for disasters, it’s important to remember that downloading any of the Red Cross apps is not a substitute for training. To learn more about or register for Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED courses, visit redcross.org/TakeAClass.

Tweet

Saving Lives by #GivingWhatFireTakes

by Suzanne Wiley, volunteer contributor

A Red Cross volunteer installs a smoke detector in Arlington, TX
as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign.

To those of you who have never been affected by a home fire, it is incredibly difficult to describe how devastating it is to assess the damage left behind. Sometimes all that is left behind is the clothes on your back and a smoldering charred pile of wood and shingles. I will never forget the first time I saw a home damaged by fire. In a matter of seconds, the entire living room was a complete loss. Black, and dark and damp. Puddles from the firefighters’ hoses stood like it had just rained. And it might as well could have—there was no roof left.

For many, there is little hope of ever replacing everything that was lost. I have witnessed that on top of the shock, adrenaline, stress and the frightening realization of “what’s next?”  there is a profound hope seen in the faces of families who just experienced a home fire—relief that everyone and the pet made it out safely.

Every eight minutes, the American Red Cross responds to a home fire. Michaela Curtis Tweeted, “When a fire takes a home, it’s a disaster” and that is why when a home burns, the Red Cross is there.

Unless you have been a victim of a house fire yourself, you may not be aware this service exists. All over the United States, at any given time, hundreds of Red Cross volunteers are on call to bring relief to families affected by fire. Because of generous donations from people just like you, the Red Cross provides lodging, comfort care kits and replacement clothing to those who have lost everything in a fire.

Volunteers headed to Arlington to educate North Texans about
fire safety as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign.

On February 4, 2015, the Red Cross launched a new nationwide campaign to help prevent home fires. All over the country, volunteers and Red Cross team members are going door to door installing free smoke detectors to families that need them. On March 28, 2015, the Dallas Fort Worth area chapter stepped out along with members of the Arlington fire department and volunteers from FEMA Corp to canvass a neighborhood in Arlington particularly at risk for fatal home fires. The target? 1,000 homes in six hours.

This same campaign has already saved 11 lives. I am proud to say that I witnessed at least eight smoke detector installations that day—potentially saving at least an additional 15 more people.

With so many willing volunteers and community involvement, The Red Cross is well on its way to meeting its goal of reducing the number of deaths and injuries due to home fires by 25 percent in the next five years with this home fire safety campaign. Besides providing free smoke detectors, teams all across the country are also providing pamphlets and discussing fire safety and prevention while visiting with families.

Stressing the importance of a fire escape plan, everyone we met was receptive to the important fire safety information we were handing out. Arlington Battalion Chief, Mike Shoemaker, who joined my team, said, “Take this seriously.”

Though home fires is a somber topic, I am happy to say that judging by all the smiles on my team members’ faces, as well as the smiles on the faces of the folks we were helping, we were all glad we were in it together, making a difference—#GivingWhatFireTakes

To prepare your own family, develop a fire escape plan, make sure you have working smoke alarms and practice a family fire drill at least once a year.

For more on fire safety, click here.

How are you and your family prepared for a fire? Share your story with us in the comment section below.

Tweet

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