(Evansville) — The American Red Cross has been working around the
clock to provide relief to people affected by the line of severe storms that
rolled through the Tri-State last night into this morning – prompting Tornado
Warnings, reported touch downs, damage and power outages in Southern Illinois
and Western Kentucky.
Currently, volunteers are scouring the area to ensure
anyone affected by the passing storms is aware of how the Red Cross can assist
them. Heavy concentration is being focused on the Poole, KY area where a Temporary Shelter remains open at
the Poole Fire Department and Damage Assessment Teams have been deployed to try
and survey the damage.
Individuals and families seeking shelter, a hot meal,
snacks or even just a place to seek respite or information are advised to visit
the Poole Fire Department or call your local American Red Cross chapter to alert
our team of volunteers to your emergency needs. .
“We’ll continue to help our
community in the hours and days ahead as needed – because whether your roof blew
off in the storm or your living without power, we’re all affected by this storm
and we want to ensure no one has to question where they can go to seek shelter,
needs others forms of assistance or even where to get a hot meal in the meantime
– help is available for you,” said Matt Bertram, Regional CEO, American Red
Cross.
The
Red Cross depends on financial donations to help people affected by disasters.
You can help by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
Visit www.tristateredcross.org or by
contacting or visiting your local Red Cross Chapter.
About the American Red
Cross: The American Red Cross shelters,
feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly
half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international
humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red
Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on
volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For
more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
Red
Cross Urges Residents to Prepare for
Flooding due to Rain in the Forecast
(Evansville) — The American Red Cross is urging the public and
especially those who live in flood prone areas or along area rivers or creeks to
prepare for flooding. The Tri-State area has many areas in Illinois, Kentucky and
Indiana that
are prone to seasonal flooding, and the Red Cross wants to ensure you take steps
now to stay safer when floods threaten.
“By
preparing together for floods, we can make our families safer and our
communities stronger,” Matt Bertram, Regional CEO, American Red Cross said. “We
can help you and your family create a flood preparedness plan now, before our
community is threatened by excessive rainfall.”
Take a
few minutes to BE RED CROSS Ready for flooding, by visiting www.tristateredcross.org to download
two important documents:
As with
any disaster, preparation can be the difference between life and death. The Red
Cross recommends that individuals and families prepare for floods
by:
Creating and practicing a Disaster Plan: Talk to
everyone in your household about what to do if a flood occurs. Decide where you
would meet and who you would contact in case of flooding. Assemble and maintain
an emergency preparedness kit. Be prepared to evacuate your family and pets at a
moment’s notice. Listen to area radio and television stations for possible flood
warnings and reports of flooding in progress.
Turn Around, Don’t
Drown: Drivers
approaching water logged roads are encouraged to turn around and not attempt to
travel through any roads covered with water as its hard for any driver no matter
the type of vehicle your drive how deep the water is and whether or not your car
could be stuck. Already today, emergency crews have had to rescue individuals
attempting to travel through water that was too deep forcing them to be
rescued.
Assembling an Emergency Preparedness
Kit: Kits should
contain a first aid kit and essential medications, foods that don’t require
cooking or refrigeration and manual can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a
battery-powered radio with extra batteries, copies of important documents and
other emergency items for the whole family.
Heeding Flood
Warnings: Listen to
your local radio and TV stations for updated flood information. A flood WATCH
means flooding or flash flooding is possible in your area. A food WARNING means
flooding or flash flooding is already occurring or will occur soon in your area.
When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher
ground and stay there.
Relocating During Flood
Warnings: Stay away
from flood waters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your
ankle, stop, turn around and go another way. If you come upon a flooded road
while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded
road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and
move to higher ground. As always, volunteers are on standby and shelters ready
to assist those that might be displaced by rising flood waters.
Editors
Note:The American Red Cross
stands ready to help our community through anymore severe weather, tornado
responses and especially river and creek flooding. American Red Cross Disaster
Assistance is provided free of charge thanks to donations from the community –
you can help us be prepared and ready to serve our community through any natural
disaster by making a financial gift online www.tristateredcross.org.
For
more information on flood preparedness, contact your local Red Cross chapter or
visit www.tristateredcross.org. We urge you to share these Red Cross
flood preparedness tips with every member of your household, because the best
protection is to be prepared ahead of time.
About the American Red
Cross: The American Red
Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters;
supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides
international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their
families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency —
and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform
its mission. For more information, please visit www.tristateredcross.org or
join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org
ARE YOU READY FOR A HEAT WAVE?
Here’s what you can do to prepare yourself and your family…
KNOW WHAT THESE TERMS MEAN
1.)Heat wave:prolonged period of excessive heat and humidity.
2.)Heat index:A number in degrees Fahrenheit (F) that tells how hot it really feels when relative humidity is added to the actual air temperature.Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat index by 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
3.)Heat cramps:Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion.Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.
4.)Heat exhaustion:Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in hot, humid places where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating.Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to vital organs.This results in a form of mild shock.If not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke.
5.)Heat stroke:Heat stroke is life-threatening.The victim’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working.The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.
6.)Sunstroke: Another term for heat stroke.
IF A HEAT WAVE IS PREDICTED OR HAPPENING
1.)Slow down.Avoid strenuous activity.If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day: morning between .
2.)Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sunshine.Try to go to a public place with air conditioning each day for several hours.Remember, electric fans DO NOT cool the air, but they do help sweat evaporate, which cools the body.
3.)Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.Light colors will reflect away some of the sun’s energy.
4.)Drink plenty of water regularly and often.Your body needs water to keep cool.
5.)Drink plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty.
6.)Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies.Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.They can make you feel good briefly, but make the heat’s effects on your body worse.This is expecially true about beer, which dehydrates the body.
7.)Eat small meals and eat more often.Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat.
8.)Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.
SIGNALS OF HEAT EMERGENCIES
1.)Heat exhaustion: cool, moist, pale or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion.Body temperature will be near normal.
2.)Heat stroke: hot, red skin; changes in consciousness; rapid and weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing.Body temperature can be very high—as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit.If the person is sweating from heavy work or exercise, skin may be wet; otherwise, it will be dry.
TREATMENT OF HEAT EMERGENCIES
1.)Heat cramps: get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position.Lightly stretch the affected muscle and replenish fluids.Give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes.Do not give liquids with alcohol or caffeine in them, as they may make the condition worse.
2.)Heat exhaustion: Get the person out of the heat and to a cooler place.Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets.If the person is conscious, give cool water to drink.Make sure the person drinks slowly.Give half a glass of water every 15 minutes.Do not give liquids with caffeine or alcohol.Let the victim rest in a comfortable position, and watch carefully for changes in his or her condition.
3.)Heat stroke:Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition.Help is needed fast!Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.Move the person to a cooler place.Quickly cool the body.Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it.Watch for signals of breathing problems.Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can.If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.
For more information, or to schedule a First Aid/CPR course,
contact the GibsonCountyChapter:(812) 386-6300.
FANS AVAILABLE!
The Gibson County Chapter is offering FREE FANS to the low income and elderly of our community, courtesy of Papa John's Pizza. Must have valid Gibson County ID, most recent utility bill, and not received a fan in the past 12 months. Limited supply.
Pick up fans at: 312 W State Street, Princeton from 12p-2pm (Mon-Fri).
