AMERICAN RED CROSS NEWS RELEASE – Disasters can strike quickly and often without warning. During National Preparedness Month, the American Red Cross, Northern Nevada Chapter, encourages all households to get ready for the next emergency or disaster.
“Having a game plan in place is essential for all households so everyone knows what they should do when an emergency occurs,” said Clara Andriola, CEO. “National Preparedness Month is a perfect time for Northern Nevada residents to create or update their plan.”
A Washoe County School District Wellness Fair is scheduled September 7, and the Northern Nevada Chapter will be in attendance at the Washoe County School District Wellness Fair to help attendees develop their Family Disaster Plan, receive preparedness tips and learn more about preparedness in the community. The event will take place at Wooster High between 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
It is important that everyone in the household helps put the emergency plan together and knows what they should do if something occurs. Household members may not be together when a disaster happens – during the day many people are at work and school. The plan should include ways to contact one another and two predetermined places to meet – one near the home in case of a sudden emergency like a fire, and one outside the neighborhood in case circumstances prevent people from returning home. People should also identify an emergency contact person from outside the area in case local telephone lines are overloaded or out of service.
Any emergency plan should also include decisions about where family members will go if ordered to evacuate and what route they will take to get there. It’s a good idea to include alternate routes in case roads are closed. If pets are part of the household, make sure to include plans for them such as pet-friendly hotels and animal shelters along the evacuation route.
The Red Cross also has free mobile apps that provide information on what to do before, during and after emergencies including developing an emergency plan. “People can use the ‘Make a Plan’ feature in the apps to create their plan and then share it with their loved ones,” Clara Andriola said. “The preloaded content in the apps gives people access to vital information to use during emergencies, even if they can’t connect to the internet.” The apps can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.
For more information on how to prepare for emergencies, people can visit redcross.org or contact the Clara Andriola at 775-856-1000.
About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross Northern Nevada chapter area covers 87,000 square miles with a population of more than 670,000 people. Our chapter territory is from Tonopah north, with our main chapter in Reno and branch offices in Elko, Incline Villageand Winnemucca.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. Please visit us at redcross.org/northennevada. Follow us on Twitter @NNARC and Facebook/ARCNorthernNevada.
