Hurricane Sandy, which has left a path of destruction in the Caribbean, is now making its way north. Sandy has the potential to collide with a cold front, creating a “super storm” that brings widespread, damaging winds, heavy rain, major coastal flooding and power outages to our area. The storm is huge and its path is becoming more clear with the East Coast as its target.
“The American Red Cross is working closely with our government and community partners throughout our region to determine where shelters may need to be opened,” said John Miller, CEO, American Red Cross on Long Island. “Just as we are preparing for Sandy, we urge Long Islanders to prepare now as well.”
Preparedness Tips
Make sure to keep current on Sandy’s progress, update family emergency plans, and build or update your household disaster kits. As the direction of the storm becomes more defined, here are other ways to prepare if you are in Sandy’s path:
- Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters.
- Fill your vehicle’s gas tank.
- Bring in anything that can be picked up by the wind, like outdoor furniture.
- Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting and keep closed as much as possible so food will last longer if the power goes out.
Download the Red Cross Hurricane App
The free Red Cross Hurricane App for mobile devices is available and provides real-time hurricane safety information. You can use the app to receive weather alerts and get information on Red Cross shelters. The app also features a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and alarm, and the one-touch “I’m Safe” button lets someone use social media outlets to tell family and friends they are okay.
The Hurricane App can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross and is available in Spanish. (Users just need to make sure the language setting on their smart phone is set to Spanish before downloading the app)
HOW TO HELP
To help, make a donation by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). You can also text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to the local Red Cross chapter or the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
