Local Red Cross provides support to Hurricane Sandy victims

October 30, 2012, North Myrtle Beach, SC – Connie Ross-Karl, of the Coastal South Carolina Chapter of the Red Cross, said in an email release late last night: Locally, we have deployed 22 volunteers/staff as well as 6 Emergency Response Vehicles. Additional deployments will be made once it is safe for our volunteer to travel to the affected locations. Five of those deployed are from your Chapter.

The American Red Cross is providing safe shelter from Hurricane Sandy to thousands of people across nine states in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast as this massive and dangerous storm makes landfall.

More than 3,200 people spent Sunday night in 112 Red Cross shelters in nine states – New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Massachusetts. The number of people going to shelters is expected to grow as the storm comes ashore.

The Red Cross has mobilized more than 1,300 disaster workers into the region from all over the country, activated 160 response vehicles, and shipped in more than 230,000 ready-to-eat meals and snacks.
 
The Red Cross urges people stay in a safe place until the storm passes and listen to their local officials and evacuate if told to do so. To find a Red Cross shelter, people can download the Red Cross Hurricane app, visit the Red Cross web site, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or check local media outlets.

Nearly 100 Red Cross blood drives have already been cancelled due to the storm, and this will only increase as the week goes on. These cancellations represent a loss of as many as 3,200 blood and platelet products. The Red Cross is asking people who are eligible to give blood especially in places not affected by the storm, to schedule a blood donation now.

The Red Cross has shipped blood products to hospitals in affected areas ahead of the storm as patients will still need blood and platelets despite the weather.

To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood, people can visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To give blood, someone must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health.  Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them.  Some states allow 16-year-olds to give with parental consent.

This is a large, costly response, and the Red Cross needs everyone’s support.  

The included picture is a snap shot of the number of shelters open by the American Red Cross and illustrates the Hurricane App.  To see how the app works view this youtube video.