A
Mother’s Guide to Preparedness
Amanda Christopher/American National
Red Cross
Predictions for an active hurricane season leave many families
wondering what they can do to help protect their loved ones from a hurricane
and the high winds, flooding and tornadoes that accompany them.
Even if you don’t live in the direct path of a hurricane,
severe winds, lightning, and tornadoes can affect you. By taking three basic
preparedness actions you can get “Red Cross Ready” for disasters and other emergencies
1) Get a kit, 2) Make a plan and 3) Be informed. Read
more.... RedCross.org — A
Mother's Guide to Preparedness American
Red Cross Hurricane Safety Tips Frequently-asked
Questions — Click
here for severe weather safety tips. ¿Está preparado
para un huracán? — Preguntas
con frecuencia hechas
Welcome Home, 356th! Families, Friends, and Polk Red Cross volunteers welcome home National Guard soldiers from Iraq
American Red Cross volunteers were on hand to thank the troops as they arrived home. Read all about it.
Help prevent Swine Flu
Follow Simple Tips to Prevent Spread of Disease
Swine flu is still active, with cases in the United States and the world. The American Red Cross recommends
individuals, families and businesses follow basic safety tips to prevent the spread of illness.
Wash hands frequently with soap and water or a hand sanitizer.
Avoid or minimize contact with sick people (a minimum 3 feet distancing is recommended.)
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough/sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into the crook of your elbow.
Stay away from others as much as possible when you are sick.
Adopt good business policies that encourage employees/students to stay home when sick and get a flu shot every year.
Follow health and travel recommendations from your local health authorities and the CDC.
As health experts across the world seek to get more information and a better understanding of the scope and strength of swine flu, this is also a good time for families, businesses and organizations to review and update their preparedness plans.
Read Red Cross Swine Flu Prevention Tips
Use the Red Cross Seasonal Flu Checklist Lea y utilice por favor: Seguridad contra la gripe
The American Red Cross and its chapters will continue to work with government officials on the swine flu issue and stand ready to help as appropriate. The American Red Cross is committed to educating the public on preparedness and safety and ensuring that we can continue to provide disaster services to those in need.
Red
Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern has released
a video proclaiming her appreciation for all that Red Crossers do
locally and around the world. http://www.redcross.org/flash/MarchGailVideo.htm(video should start playing automatically by clicking above link).
Fires
kill more Americans and affect more households each year than all
natural disasters combined. Help us prevent home fires.
Check and maintain smoke alarms,
Keep working fire extinguishers in your home and learn how to
use them. Develop and practice a home fire escape plan, to get
every family member out quickly and safely.
Get Red Cross
safety tips to prevent most causes of fires: Downloada
free copy of Adobe Reader to view PDF
files on our web site.
How
many fires does the Red Cross respond to?
Check out the total on Google
maps.Click
here for American Red Cross wildfire safety tips, or Click
here for American National Red Cross wildfire tips.
The
Red Cross is not a government agency, and relies on individual donations
to run its chapters. Any help you can give in these difficult times
will be appreciated. If you have given to the Red Cross before r have
never donated to the American Red Cross, now is the time. We need you. Please help your Red Cross, so we can be there to
help you. Donate. Visit RedCrossChat.org to learn about the American Red
Cross Disaster
Relief Fund, complete with Diagram.
Please
help the Disaster Relief FundYour continued support is needed to raise enough money to pay for relief for
future disasters.
The American Red Cross hopes to refill the
depleted Disaster Relief Fund. The fund was exhausted in 2008
by a record number of tornadoes, the worst Midwest flooding in 15 years, an early
wildfire season and active hurricane season.
The Disaster Relief Fund enables the Red ross to provide
free shelter, food, and counseling, and distribute emergency supplies to people
who need it, whenever and wherever disasters occur. The services are possible
through generous donations from individuals, foundations and corporations.
Anyone
can help by making a donation. Here’s how:
• Visit www.redcross.org in
English or www.cruzrojaamerican.org in
Spanish
• Call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 for Spanish.
• Text keyword GIVE (4483) to 2HELP (24357) to donate $5.
• Contact your local
chapter.
Thank
You for Supporting your American Red Cross at the Red,
White, & Blue Bash! Saturday,
May 2, at Bartow Civic Center
People came dressed
in their best patriotic outfits. Some signed on as General, Colonel, or
Captian sponsorships, or as a Private (single ticket). Tour of duty included
dancing, music, a cash bar, and both silent and live auctions.
Have
Coffee & Help Us! You
can't have the Red Cross without coffee, and now you can help the Red
Cross with every cup! Through
a partnership with Fazzini's Blend coffees and Numi Teas, a portion
of every purchase made of Polk
County Chapter and Highlands
Red Cross marked coffees and teas will go to support that local
Red Cross office. All you have to do is order it online, and enjoy
when it arrives!
'The
Best Cup of Coffee
I Ever Had'
Allan
Richards of Auburndale recalls a cup of Red Cross coffee on
a cold morning after the 1997 flood in North Dakota.
Highlands Red Cross Wants Your Help
Service
Center has 'wish list' for donors
To help the Highlands County office
to stay efficient at serving the people
of Highlands County, the Red Cross has a wish list of items:
A
dependable smaller-size vehicle, that doesn't use much gas and that
doesn't need repairs first;
A
Global Positioning System (GPS);
A
couple of laptop computers with air cards to operate outside — in
the field;
A
small trailer that can haul furniture, equipment or disaster supplies;
."
Volunteers for day-to-day operations
Volunteers are the life-blood of the
Red Cross. They staff local shelters during hurricanes and provide all
types of disaster relief throughout the
year both locally and nationally, as well as answer telephone calls and
other help in the office.
For more information, call (863) 386-4440. To make a local
donation, write a check to the American Red Cross, write "Highlands County," in
the memo line, and send it to 106 Medical Center Ave., Sebring, FL 33870 or drop
it off. The office is located behind Highlands Regional Medical Center.
Be ready for an emergency and prepared for disaster.
Your American Red Cross has items for sale that can prepare you for
a disaster, help you save a life, and let you lend support through a financial contribution to your local American
Red Cross Programs and Services.
Get
equipped, and help support your local Red Cross. Product List (pdf)
Get
your community ready with Disaster Assessment Workshops
Polk
Red Cross' Community Disaster Assessment Workshops are open again for mobile
home and other residential communities wanting to prepare their neighborhoods
and each other for the hurricane season.
The Community Disaster Assessment Program has won
an award at the 2009 Governor's Hurricane Conference for helping
prepare communities for disaster. It gives free training to community representatives
on making a disaster plan for their residents, assessing storm damage, and phoning
in a damage report to the Polk County Chapter, which can help speed disaster
assistance.
It's
FREE. The next Community Disaster Assessment workshops is June 9, 10 a.m.
to noon.
Learn now to use life-saving skills and help your community with child care.
The next Babysitting
Boot Camp is just around the corner. Whether you live in Polk or
Highlands County, there is a camp serving you. Sign
up now.
The
American Red Cross collects 50 percent of America's blood supply.
In Florida, however, most local chapters do not collect blood,
but work with local blood banks to promote blood drives to ensure a supply for
disasters.
Four blood banks cooperate with the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter
and Highlands County Service Center. For information, contact your local
blood bank. And if you are able, please give.
Since March 2002, the
United States has lived under one of five levels of possible terrorist
threat. To answer citizens' questions about what each one means,
the American Red Cross has developed a set of guidelines:
Beware
of scams
During
a disaster, plenty of people will solicit donations
in the name of the American Red Cross.
Sometimes, they aren't actually working with us. Don't fall victim to a scam.
To avoid scams completely, donate at www.redcross.org or contact your local chapter. Click the link below to learn
about some of the most recent scams.
Since 1881, the American Red
Cross has helped people who suffered from warfare, natural
disasters, or emergencies. Learn about our History from
our National Web site -- www.redcross.org.
So
many things compete for our attention each day, it's often hard
to prioritize what's good for us.
It may seem overwhelming, but we know from experience that preparing
ahead of time can help you respond and stay safe in an emergency.
Learn
the three recommended preparedness actions to "Be Red Cross Ready" for
emergencies, take the Pledge
to Prepare, and get involved today!
Create a Legacy of Compassion Legacy
Society members
help ensure the future financial stability of this chapter by including their local Red Cross in their estate plan. To find out how you can become a Legacy Society member, please call our Gift Planning Officer Ken
Fagan, toll-free, at 866-262-2755.
Send Direct
Local Donations to:
Polk
County Chapter
147
Avenue A, NW,
Winter
Haven , FL 33881 (863) 294-5941
Highlands
County Service Center
106
Medical Center Avenue
Sebring,
FL 33870 (863) 386-4440
Credit
Cards (please call the numbers listed above):
When
calling, please give your name; address; phone number; credit card
type, credit card number, and expiration date; and please specify
whether you want funds to support the Polk County Chapter, the Highlands
County Red Cross, or the National American Red Cross Disaster Fund.
The
Polk County Chapter is one of four in the Mid-Florida
Region, which includes:
If
you can't find what you need, please e-mail us.
Your input is welcome.
Florida is known for hurricanes, but
wildfires, floods, and tornados strike far more often. Home fires are the most common disaster. Learn how to keep
your family safe and secure by making and practicing disaster plans.
Your
Red Cross is ready. Are
you?
Help
Prevent Home Fires
PDF
files on our web site. 
Legacy
Society