American Red Cross Prepares To Open Shelters

News Release
Published: September 4, 2008

The Onslow County Chapter of the American Red Cross has activated its Disaster Ready Team in preparation for the impact of Hurricane Hanna. Your Red Cross is on alert to respond and provide emergency services that may include mass care, family assistance, and disaster health services, among others to meet the disaster-related needs of victims. 

In addition, the Red Cross will open six (6) shelters in Onslow County at 1:00 pm on Friday, September 5, 2008 to provide safe shelter for individuals and families evacuated from risk-prone areas in the path of Hurricane Hanna.  The shelters will be located at:

o Dixon Middle School
o Swansboro High School
o Richlands High School
o Southwest Middle School
o Jacksonville Commons Middle School
o White Oak High School

The only shelter that accepts animals is the Jacksonville Commons Middle School.  The site is a co-located human and pet shelter.  The pet shelter is operated by the Onslow County Animal Response Team and is limited to domestic pets.  Pets must be in carriers, with current vaccinations, and accompanied by their owners. 

Families and individuals are advised to bring along basic emergency and personal items that will be needed in the shelters.  Such items include pillows and bedding items, toothbrush, toothpaste, essential medications and other health related items, extra clothing, and a quiet toy or activity for children.  Medications requiring refrigeration should be brought in a cooler or thermos.  Alcoholic beverages and weapons are not allowed. 

“The Red Cross Disaster Ready Team is the group that monitors hurricanes and plans, prepares and mobilizes both human and material resources before a hurricane hits and the watch teams are activated at the local, state, and national levels” said Red Cross Executive Joy Branham.  “Within 72 hours, they take emergency actions such as: reviewing high-risk areas and coordinating preventive operations with community leaders, along with other components of the preparedness phase.”

The Red Cross strongly recommends that individuals and families take preventive measures to ensure their personal safety, including:

• Listening to media hurricane progress reports.
• Securing a battery-operated radio, flashlight and extra batteries.
• Checking emergency supplies, including food, water and clothing.
• Fueling vehicles.
• Bringing in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools, anchor objects that cannot be brought inside.
• Securing building by closing and boarding up windows.
• Removing outside antennas.
• Turning refrigerator and freezer to coldest setting. Open only when absolutely necessary and close quickly.

For more hurricane safety information, access the Red Cross website at http://www.redcross.org/disaster/safety or call the Onslow County Chapter at 910-347-3581.

Governed by volunteers and supported entirely by voluntary community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 1,000 chapters and Blood Services regions dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Led by 1.2 million volunteers and 30,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 67,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and exchanges more than a million emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide.

All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people.  You can help the victims of [this disaster] and thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need.  Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish).  Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.  Internet users can make secure online credit card donations by visiting http://www.onslow.redcross.org.