We at the Putnam County American Red Cross know first-hand a burst of destructive floods, tornadoes, winter storms and other natural hazards rob families of their homes and belongings, causing major disruptions to businesses, and cost billions in property damage and economic losses. We also know from experience that the soaring social and economic costs of disasters can be dramatically reduced if families are prepared ahead of time.

Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters. Our disaster relief efforts focus on meeting people's immediate, emergency, disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health & mental health services to address our clients’ basic human needs.

If you have had a disaster and need emergency assistance, call (419) 233-4059. Caseworkers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you.

Find lost loved ones or register yourself during a national disaster at www.safeandwell.org.

If you are interested in training to become a disaster responder for the American Red Cross,

take the Introduction to Disaster Services Course and contact your local American Red Cross office at (419) 523-4810.

Be Prepared

Although helping individuals and families affected by disaster is the heart of the American Red Cross, disaster preparedness is another important role we play. By planning ahead, you can be assured of a more calm disaster response should tragedy strike. The three primary steps to being prepared for a disaster are:

GET A KIT,  MAKE A PLAN,  BE INFORMED

The American Red Cross is pleased to offer an online educational tool that expands on these three steps, Be Red Cross Ready! The purpose of Be Red Cross Ready! is to provide participants with the knowledge to prepare for possible disasters and other life-threatening emergencies from the convenience of their home or office computer.

You can access the online Be Red Cross Ready! presentation directly by clicking on the following link to the national Web site for The American Red Cross:

http://www.redcross.org/beredcrossready

Here are some other resources that are provided by the Red Cross on disaster preparedness:

Link to Preparing for a Flood page on the national Red Cross website
Link to Disaster Preparedness page on the national Red Cross website