Hurricane Dorian Update #1 by American Red Cross

Hurricane Dorian Update #1 by American Red Cross

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Hurricane Dorian made landfall Sunday afternoon in the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm leaving behind catastrophic damage—from destroyed homes to contaminated water sources. While a complete picture of the damage isn’t available yet, it’s clear the storm is dealing a devastating blow to families on the islands. Bahamas Red Cross volunteers and pre-positioned relief supplies—such as tarps, hygiene items, jerrycans, and hand-crank cell phone chargers—are at the ready. In the U.S., the American Red Cross is preparing to help tens of thousands of people in the path of Hurricane Dorian as the extremely dangerous storm tracks towards the southeast coast. While the exact path of Dorian is still uncertain, millions of people live in areas that could be impacted by wind, rain, flooding and a high storm surge, even if the storm doesn’t make direct landfall on the coast. The Red Cross is coordinating with community partners and emergency responders to prepare evacuation centers as planning estimates indicate as many as 60,000 people in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina may need help. Sunday night, some 2,600 people sought refuge in 60 Red Cross and community evacuation shelters in Florida. We are mobilizing over 1,600 trained volunteers from all over the country, 110 emergency response vehicles and 99 tractor-trailer loads full of relief supplies, including cots, blankets and 63,000 ready-to-eat meals. While the Red Cross does not typically collect and distribute blood in Florida, we have sent approximately 350 blood products to local blood centers there to ensure patients in need continue to have access to lifesaving blood. The Red Cross has also pre-positioned additional blood products and stocked many of our hospitals to capacity in areas of the Southeast likely to be impacted by the storm early next week. IF YOU ARE ORDERED TO EVACUATE The Red Cross urges people in the potential path of Hurricane Dorian to get prepared now. Follow your local news for the latest updates and prepare to evacuate quickly if local officials tell you to do so. Check your emergency kit and replace any missing items. Fill your car’s gas tank and plan your evacuation route. Where will you go and how will you get there? Will you go to a hotel, a friend or relative’s home, or an emergency shelter? Don’t forget your pets. If you must evacuate, make arrangements for your animals. Keep a phone list of pet-friendly hotels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes. Prepare your home. Cover windows with storm shutters or plywood. Store outside items, such as lawn furniture and trash cans, to prevent them from being moved by high winds. HOW TO FIND A SHELTER Anyone who needs a safe place to go can find information for open Red Cross shelters in our free Red Cross Emergency App. Download the app by searching “American Red Cross” in your app store or by going to http://redcross.org/apps. It should be noted that evacuation centers are intended to get as many people out of harm's way as quickly as possible, and some of them may not have cots, food, running water or electricity as they are meant to safely house people for about 72 hours until weather conditions improve. In time, and if needed, local officials may transition evacuation centers into emergency shelters after the storm passes. People who plan to stay in a Red Cross shelter to bring prescription medications, extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies, other comfort items and important documents. Don’t forget to bring any special items for children, such as diapers, formula and toys, or for family members who have unique needs. Red Cross shelters are open to everyone in need, regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation or citizenship status. All disaster assistance is free. We don’t require people to show any kind of identification to enter a shelter — just their name and pre-disaster address. More information on hurricane safety and preparedness is available here. HOW YOU CAN HELP You can make a difference in the lives of people impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word DORIAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance. Ensure your donation helps people affected by Hurricane Dorian by choosing that option on http://redcross.org/donate or 1-800-RED CROSS.

Uploaded 2019-09-02T22:45:17.000Z Aerials and Satellites Wakefield