Shopping for the Holidays and Supporting Your Red Cross

The holiday season celebrations are coming quickly! What kinds of gift ideas are you considering?

Click here to view a variety of health and safety courses and treat your family or friends to a training session to be certified in CPR/AED/First Aid. It’s a priceless gift to be prepared to save the life of loved one.

Click here to view a variety of disaster preparedness kits and purchase them for loved ones who may not have one yet. There is great peace of mind knowing your spouse or children have essential survival items should the unexpected happen at any given time or place.

Click here to view a variety of specially designed pins and purchase them for family and friends in recognition of their continued support in fulfilling the Red Cross’ humanitarian mission.

Click here to view a variety of first aid kits and purchase them for neighbors and colleagues who may have already had the training but do not have the basic supplies.

Click here to view a variety of ways to donate and help your local Red Cross continue providing essential services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

www.redcrossnca.org

Turning Back Time and Preparing for the Future

This weekend it’s time to “fall back” by turning our clocks back an hour. After you change the clock, take a moment to check on a few other important things that can also affect you and your family. 

“When you turn your clocks back one hour, take the time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and make sure the alarms work by pushing the test button,” said Scott Conner, Red Cross senior vice president, Preparedness and Health and Safety Services. “Replace the batteries at least once a year and check your carbon monoxide detectors, too.”

Other steps you can take to get prepared include:

• Updating the emergency contact information in your family communications plan. Choose an out-of-area emergency contact that each person in your family can call if he/she becomes separated during a disaster situation.
• Making sure your emergency preparedness kit still includes at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food items and water (one gallon per person per day), a flashlight, a battery-powered or crank radio, can opener, first aid kit, copies of important documents, and special items such as medications, diapers, and infant formula.
• Checking your emergency preparedness kit for expired food items; refresh staples such as water, food and batteries. If there have been changes in prescriptions or dietary needs, add new foods and medications as needed.

Taking simple actions like these can help you and your family be better prepared for a disaster or emergency situation. They can come in the form of a home fire, flu or H1N1 (Swine) flu, snow/ice storm, heart attack or power outage among many others.

So, when you turn back the clock this weekend, take a few extra minutes to ensure that you and your family are better prepared for the unexpected.

Click here to learn other ways to be prepared!

www.redcrossnca.org

Dangerously Unexpected Disasters: Chemical Emergencies and Terrorism

  

Our country faced tragic events on September 11, 2001.

National Preparedness Month reminds us to not only prepare for different kinds of hazardous weather, but also the other dangerously unexpected disasters like chemical emergencies and terrorism.

Take the time to educate yourself and your family about these types of disasters. Work together to build your disaster preparedness kits with consideration to immediate survival needs – water, food, medicine, etc. Plan what to do in the event you are unable to be together, ways you will be able to communicate to each other and how you can reunite. Gather resources that will help you obtain up-to-date information provided by public safety officials to determine what are safe steps to take.

Click here to learn about chemical emergencies and terrorism. Review the information with your family.

Click here to read more about three steps to preparedness.

Click here for an Emergency Preparedness Shopping List for ideas of what to pack in your emergency preparedness kit.

www.redcrossnca.org

More Than One Disaster Could Happen in Your Community

  

It’s common to plan for a family vacation, holiday get together or what you may want to do the next day at work or school. 

Have you considered how much planning you invest in preparing for the unexpected that could happen at any given time or place? All the other plans won’t matter as much if a disaster suddenly strikes.

It’s wise to become familiar with the disasters that may occur in your community and region. It’s also wise to learn about some disasters that may strike in the area you’re visiting for a business trip or family vacation.

Taking the time to learn about how to prepare increases your chance of survival.

Did you know that most of the disasters we respond are due to fires? Click here to learn about the different types of disasters that may happen in the National Capital Region. Prepare yourself and your family.

Click here to Be Red Cross Ready.

www.redcrossnca.org

Hurricane Preparedness Week – Shop Tax-Free in Virginia May 25 – 31

 

 Hurricane season begins June 1st – Are You Ready? 

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reminds everyone of Hurricane Preparedness Week May 24th – 30th.

 

Take advantage of Virginia’s Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday May 25th – 31st and build (or update) your family’s hurricane preparedness kit! (View the complete shopping list of applicable items.)

American Red Cross urges people, especially those who live in areas most susceptible to hurricanes, to learn more about what to expect, helping your family and having an evacuation plan. 

Visit our Online Store for other preparedness items and kits. 

Virginia.gov also has information about preparing for hurricanes, knowing the road conditions and staying

informed.

Don’t wait. Prepare today.

www.redcrossnca.org