Category Archives: Disaster Drills

How to keep safe this severe weather season

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By Sam Pudelski, Red Cross volunteer

Now that it’s spring, the storms that come along with the season and summer months also arrive. While many rainy days are part of the season, Northeast Ohio usually experiences several severe weather events throughout the year. The American Red Cross has tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe when severe weather strikes.

Severe Weather Safety

If thunderstorms are likely to occur, postpone outdoor activities. Many people who are struck by lightning aren’t in the area of a storm where it is raining.

Watch for storm signs – these can include darkening skies, lightning and increasing wind. If thunder roars, head indoors! If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger of being stuck by lightning.

If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued for your area and arrives:
– Take shelter in a substantial building. If you aren’t near a building, shelter in a vehicle with the windows closed. Make sure to get out of mobile homes, as they can blow over in high winds.
– If you’re driving, make your way to safely exit the road and park. Stay in your vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers so other cars on the road can see you until any heavy rain ends.
– If you are outside and are unable to seek shelter inside of a safe building or vehicle, avoid high ground, water, tall or isolated trees and metal objects, such as fences and bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts, sheds and pavilions are not considered safe shelters.
– Keep away from windows.
– Don’t take a bath, shower, wash dishes or use plumbing.

If a tornado warning is issued for your area:
– Move to an underground shelter, basement or safe room. If none of these are available to you, moving to a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building is the safest alternative.
Note: No area of a mobile home is safe during a tornado. If you have access to a sturdy shelter or a vehicle, move to this immediately.
– If you are able to, go to the nearest local emergency shelter.

Superstorm Sandy 2012 November 5, 2012. Photo by Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross

If someone is struck by lightning:
– Call for help immediately. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Anyone who has been struck by lightning requires professional medical care. Check the person for burns and other inquiries.
– If the person has stopped breathing, call 9-1-1 and begin CPR. If the person is breathing normally, look for other possible injuries and care for them as necessary.
– People who have been struck by lightning do not retain an electrical charge in their body.

Flooding Safety
Flooding often occurs following a hurricane, thawing snow or several days of sustained rain. Flash floods, on the other hand, occur suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream, body of water or low-lying area.

If there is a flood risk in your area:
– Listen to local radio, NOAA or TV news stations for the latest updates and information about weather in your area.
– Be prepared to evacuate quickly if you need to evacuate. Know your routes and destinations ahead of time. Find a local emergency shelter.
– Check your emergency kit and replenish any items missing or that are in short supply, such as medical supplies and medications.

If you have pets or livestock:

  • Consider a precautionary evacuation of your animals, especially any
    large or numerous animals. Waiting until the last minute could be
    fatal for them and dangerous for you.
  • Where possible, move livestock to higher ground. If using a horse or
    other trailer to evacuate your animals, move sooner rather than later.
  • Bring your companion animals indoors and maintain direct control of
    them. Be sure that your pet emergency kit is ready to go in case of
    evacuation.

For more information on how to prepare and respond in a severe weather emergency, visit redcross.org.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Power up for disaster preparedness

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Free on-line Red Cross presentations share safety tips

By Eilene Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

August 3, 2020- As we move into the “dog days” of August, it’s easy to feel a bit bogged down, a bit lethargic.  The American Red Cross is ready to wake up your brain and pump up your ability to care for yourself and others in an emergency.

“Be Red Cross Ready” is a collection of free safety presentations, delivered on-line. They cover disasters that happen every day – and explain what you can do to prevent and react to them.

People young and old all over Northern Ohio have been sitting in on these hour-long sessions to learn how to strengthen their own safety and the safety of those they love.

Hurricane Hanna 2020

“I wanted to thank you for the wonderful presentation,” Bill Riter said after taking a recent home fire safety class. “I’m trying to learn as much as I can {about preparedness) and your presentation had an immediate impact. I spoke with my girlfriend about a fire extinguisher and she doesn’t have one. She will in two days: I ordered one on Amazon.  We’ll check smoke detectors Saturday.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t stopping the Red Cross from offering vital information about being prepared for disasters,” said John Gareis, Northern Ohio regional manager for individual community and disaster preparedness.

“Our presentations are designed to help people prepare for thunderstorms, floods, home fires and other potential disasters.  We even offer a safety course for pets,” John added.

So, let’s start with pets. Pet First Aid covers hazards that can affect cats and dogs, and the first aid actions owners can take until they get their animal to a veterinarian. Owners also learn the signs of a healthy pet, so they recognize signs of distress.

California Wildfires 2018

How about General Preparedness and Fire Safety, the presentation Bill Riter took? It includes suggestions on how you and your family can be prepared for all kinds of emergencies, especially home fires. Learn how home fires start, how to prevent them and what to do if one flares up.

Sound the Alarm Event in Capitol Heights, Maryland 2019

Speaking of general preparedness, how about General Preparedness and Tornado Safety? This one also covers preparedness for all kinds of disasters, particularly tornadoes. (No, we’re definitely not out of tornado season yet in Northern Ohio!)

Texas Tornadoes 2020

One of the most effective disaster programs of the Red Cross is our Pillowcase Project. Volunteers present this program to children in grades 3-5, teaching them about personal and family preparedness – including safety skills, local hazards and basic coping skills. You can learn to lead students through a “Learn, Practice, Share” framework – a resource that will be vital as schools reopen for in-person learning.

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To join any of these presentations, register by clicking on the date and time of the topic you’re interested in; use the password Prepare20.

For more disaster safety tips, visit redcross.org. Be sure to also download the free Red Cross mobile apps, available in the Apple App Store or Google Play, for tools and preparedness information you can use every day.

 

Red Cross urges Northeast Ohio residents to practice and prepare for future disasters

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COVID-19 social distancing measures provide opportunity to be prepared

 By Eric Alves, Regional Communications Specialist, American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio

March 23, 2020 — As individuals and families remain at home at a higher rate due to the COVID-19 outbreak and social distancing measures, the American Red Cross is urging all Northeast Ohio residents to take the time to prepare for future disasters.

Sound the Alarm Event in Capitol Heights, Maryland 2019

Here are some safety tips to practice and follow while everyone is home together:

Home Fire Safety

Home Fire Save Story Birmingham, Alabama 2019

  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
  • Test smoke alarms every month. If they’re not working, change the batteries.
  • Talk with all family members about a home fire escape plan, make sure everyone has two exits out of every room.
  • Practice your fire escape plan and have everyone meet at the designated safe location. Make sure everyone escapes in two minutes or less.

Flood Safety

2002 Tropical Storm Isidore

Tornado Safety

Tennessee Tornadoes 2020

  • Talk about tornadoes with your family so that everyone knows where to go if a tornado warning is issued.
  • Ensure you have access to NOAA Radio broadcasts.
  • Prepare a pet emergency kit for your furry friends.

Thunderstorm Safety

  • Discuss thunderstorm safety and lightning safety with all members of your household.
  • Pick a safe place in your home for household members to gather during a thunderstorm. This should be away from windows, skylights and glass doors.
  • Make a list of items to bring inside in the event of a severe thunderstorm.

Sound the Alarm Event in Capitol Heights, Maryland 2019

Visit redcross.org to learn more emergency preparedness tips to ensure you and your family are Red Cross ready. Be sure to download the free Red Cross mobile apps, available in the Apple App Store or Google Play, for tools and preparedness information you need every day.

Resolve to prepare for home fires as Northeast Ohio rings in the new year

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

December 31, 2019- While celebrating the beginning of a new year, many of us make resolutions to change something in our lives. As you think about your 2020 resolutions, consider resolving to keep you and your loved ones safe from home fires year-round.

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Fire preparation safety is critically important in our area. So far in 2019, the American Red Cross’ Northeast Ohio Region has responded to 890 home fires. Winter is an especially prevalent time for home fires, as heating fires are the second leading cause.

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In Northeast Ohio and throughout the nation, home fires are the most frequent disaster, sadly taking an average of seven lives every day in the U.S. But you can help prevent tragedies by taking two simple steps: practice your home fire escape plan until everyone can escape in two minutes or less and test your smoke alarms monthly.

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WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

  1. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, placing them inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
  2. Test smoke alarms once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it. Smoke alarms typically need to be replaced every 10 years. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model.
  3. Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one. Talk to children regularly about fire safety and teach them not to be afraid of firefighters.
  4. Create and practice a home fire escape plan until everyone in your household can escape in two minutes or less — at least twice a year. Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home.
  5. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet.

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Additional information and free resources are at redcross.org/homefires.

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN

Sound the Alarm - Minnesota 2018

For more than five years, the Red Cross has been working to reduce home fire deaths and injuries through its Home Fire Campaign, which grew out of an initiative that began in Cleveland. Through the campaign, Red Cross volunteers and community partners go door to door in high-risk neighborhoods to install smoke alarms and educate families about home fire safety.

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So far, the campaign has saved as many as 14 lives in Northeast Ohio and 682 lives nationally. It has also reached 62,656 people locally and more than 2.2 million across the country by:

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  • Installing more than 2 million free smoke alarms, 62,656 of them in Northeast Ohio.
  • Reaching more than 5 million children through youth preparedness programs, 16,273 of them in our region.
  • Making more than 838,000 households safer from the threat of home fires. 22,308 homes are here in Northeast Ohio.

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For more information on the Home Fire Campaign in Northeast Ohio, to request an alarm or help with the initiative, click here.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Meet me at the corner! Plan for your family’s safety

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By Beth Bracale, American Red Cross volunteer

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Beth Bracale

If I close my eyes, I can still see the flames shooting out from the windows of the house across the street. I can hear the agonized screams that drew us to our own windows that night to see what had happened. I was five years old, and that was my first experience of sheer terror – both someone else’s and my own.

Believe it or not, no one got hurt that night. Both of the senior sisters who shared the home had escaped the fire, one out the front door, one out the back. Their screams were the agony of each believing the other to still be trapped in the inferno. When neighbors reunited them, they fell sobbing into each other’s arms.

No one is ever fully prepared for disaster, but families can plan together to minimize the suffering. What if the sisters had had a plan? Would that night have gone differently had they designated a meeting spot in case they got separated in an emergency?

As foster parents, it’s required that we have a clear escape plan in case of disaster, one that everyone in the family can understand and remember. Even young children can learn what to do. All the students in the school where I taught, ages four through 14, practiced how to exit the school if there was a fire, how to exit a bus in an emergency, and what to do if a tornado was headed toward our neighborhood.

So I wasn’t prepared for the day my class of four-year-olds sat on the story carpet, listening to my assistant talk about emergencies. They raised their hands eagerly to share what they knew about fire drills. Stay in line. Walk, don’t run. Remain silent. Wait in our class’ spot on the corner until we got the “all clear” to return to our room. They had it all right.

Eilene Guy photo

Photo credit: Eilene Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

“But what if an emergency happened at home?” my assistant asked.

“If a bad man comes in the house, you hide in the closet,” one child announced. Others nodded in agreement.

“What if a tornado is coming?” she asked.

“You run outside,” another child responded. More nods. I made a mental note to teach about tornado safety in the near future.

“What if you smelled smoke in your house or saw that something was on fire?” she quizzed.

“You call 911,” a student said confidently. “Yes, but what do you do before that?” she asked.

“Hide in the closet,” he said. The other children agreed.

Hide in the closet. Images of that house fire from years ago leaped into my head. And I imagined children inside, hiding in the closet.

We did a lot of learning and practicing that day. We sent the students home with information for their parents to use in creating family safety plans.

You can find information about keeping children safe on the American Red Cross website at https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/fire-safety-for-kids.html.

Don’t put it off. Create your own plan today!

Feel the Heat, 2015

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Working With the Military on a Disaster Drill

The firefighting abilities of the 910th Airlift Wing Fire Department were on full display at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station on Thursday, October 22, 2015, as were the services provided by the American Red Cross during times of disaster.

Video credit: Cal Pusateri/American Red Cross Volunteer

The second annual “Feel the Heat” exercise involved a simulated airplane crash, to demonstrate the response of firefighters and Red Cross staff and volunteers.  The drill also showcased how the Red Cross cooperates with the military to respond to the needs of family members and others.

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Photo credit/Jim McIntyre, American Red Cross

As flames shot from the hull of the simulated wreckage, members of the 910th Civil Engineer Fire Department raced to the scene, fought the fire and searched for “survivors.”  It is those survivors and their loved ones who the Red Cross serves in the event of an aviation disaster.  The American Red Cross is responsible for tracking victims and their families, and providing them with counselling and support.  Staff members and volunteers would be activated to set-up necessary shelters, coordinate family and childcare facilities, arrange suitable non-denominational services, and make referrals to mental health professionals and support groups.

The American Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters every year, big and small.  Most are home fires.  Victims are given emergency financial assistance, food, shelter, clothing and assistance with medicines, eyeglasses, even dentures they may have lost in a disaster.

It takes the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors to help the victims of disasters.  You can learn more about volunteering, and make a donation at redcross.org, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.  You can also text the words “Red Cross” to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation.

The American Red Cross also serves members of the military and their families through the Service to Armed Forces program.  Learn more about the ways in which the Red Cross is committed to helping the U. S. Military here.

Top Ten Fire Safety Tip List

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For Home and Work

The biggest disaster threat in the United States isn’t tornado, hurricane or flood: it is fire. The American Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters every year.  Most are home fires.  In Northeast Ohio, Red Cross workers and volunteers help an average of 3 families, victims of home fires every night.

Mike Parks, Chief Executive of the American Red Cross, Northeast Ohio Region recently appeared on WKYC Channel 3 to help the station kick-off its Safety Week activities.  Station management has a genuine concern for the well-being of the Channel 3 workforce, so they turned to the Red Cross during National Preparedness Month to help improve worker readiness in the face of an emergency.

During Mike’s visit to the station on Monday, September 14, the fire alarm was sounded.  Employees were not warned in advance.  The exercise was meant to assess their reaction. Hosts Michael Cardamone and Hollie Giangreco vacated the premises promptly, along with the studio crew and support staff.  Mike then went on the air with station President and General Manager Micki Byrnes to explain the importance of responding immediately to a fire alarm, and to credit the employees who evacuated without hesitation.

“This is something all companies should be doing,” he said.  “All organizations should have a plan in place.”

Fire prevention and escape plans aren’t just for the workplace: every home should have a plan as well.

Here is a Top Ten list of Fire Safety Tips:

  1. Install smoke alarms on every floor
  2. Change the batteries at least once a year, and install a new one if the low-battery alarm chirps
  3. Test alarms once a month
  4. Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and what to do if they hear it
  5. Establish at least two escape routes from your home
  6. Consider emergency escape ladders for rooms on the second floor and above
  7. Select a meeting spot where your family can safely gather after escaping
  8. Practice your escape plan twice a year: time each drill until every family member can escape within two minutes
  9. Make an emergency kit. Get the basics from our previous blog posting here.
  10. Visit redcross.org to find out more about how to protect you and your family from fire

Every year, the Red Cross spends an average of $370 million helping people and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from nearly 70,000 disasters across the country and around the world. Help people affected by disasters like home fires and countless other crises by making a donation to support Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation towards disaster relief.

And be watching Channel 3 News for more coverage of National Preparedness Month. Employees are being offered classes in First Aid and CPR through the American Red Cross.

Red Cross and the 910th Airlift Wing team up for “Feel the Heat” event

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IMG_4036IMG_4080 IMG_4095 IMG_4133 On Monday, October 27 the
American Red Cross of the Mahoning Valley and the 910th Airlift Wing teamed up to conduct a mock aircraft crash disaster training event at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

The 2014 “Feel the Heat” event simulated a mock aircraft crash. The 910th Civil Engineer Fire Department responded to contain the aircraft fire while the American Red Cross provided care and comfort to simulated survivors. The exercise is designed to demonstrate the high level of readiness of the air station’s first responders and the everyday work of the area’s American Red Cross staff and volunteers who respond to the plight of those in need of their services in our community. An audience of invited guests and area media outlets were on hand to observe the exercise.

Designed to showcase the partnership between the Red Cross and the military, this exercise was the second event to take place as part of the Air Force Community Partnership Initiative at Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

“This exercise is another example of community partnership and support. Since Clara Barton, the Red Cross has been committed to helping our military. We are proud to continue that tradition with our 910th Air Reserve Station and, in doing so, making our community a safer place.”

For more information about the Air Force Community Partnership Initiative, the Youngstown Air Reservation Station and more photos of the event, please visit their site.