American Red Cross begins preparations ahead of Hurricane Helene
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - As Hurricane Helene draws closer to our area, the Red Cross is already making sure it’s got the equipment and personnel ready to respond to any crisis that might come up.
The American Red Cross says it’s never too early to be prepared, in fact, the earlier the better.
Not to scare you, but to prepare you.
“We’re ready for whatever it’s going to bring to us,” said Susan Everitt, the Augusta area’s American Red Cross executive director.
Everitt says natural disasters are more frequent than they used to be.
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“We used to respond to just a few major hurricanes a year. We’re looking at possibly up to 20 named storms this year alone. We’re already at number eight with Helene. So, we just have to stay prepared, literally year-round,” she said.
And they are starting over with preparations after Tropical Storm Debby.
“Anything that we had from Hurricane Debby last month, we actually donated those back into local nonprofits in our community so that they could use it to continue taking care of our community every single day. So, anything that happens with Hurricane Helene will be using new supplies,” said Everitt.
They have already started working on checklists to make sure everything is stocked and ready to go.
“We do anticipate a lot of trees falling down on people’s homes that may cause a need for shelters to open,” she said.
Everitt says it’s important to make preparations on your own too.
“Make sure that you have backup generators, that you have all your batteries, if you have a generator, that you have gas for that. Make sure that you have food that doesn’t have to be refrigerated in case you lose power, and that you have water and medical supplies,” said Everitt.
Everitt says it seems like a lot to prepare but if you follow their app they have a checklist for you, along with a list of shelters that are open in your area.
The app is available in the App Store and Google Play Store.
There are also always ways that you can help out.
“We need volunteers all the time,” said Everitt. “You can donate blood, and of course, donate financially, so that financial assistance can be given directly to clients who are impacted.”
They say it’s important to understand that things can change at any time, which is why it’s important to be prepared early.
Tips from the Red Cross
HURRICANE SAFETY TIPS
- Bring outdoor items inside, such as lawn furniture and trash cans, which could be picked up by high winds and hurt someone. Secure objects that can’t be brought inside, such as gas grills and propane tanks.
- Before a storm threatens your community, make a plan to evacuate and one to shelter safely at home. Don’t forget to include pets in your plans.
- To prepare for heavy rain, clean out drains, gutters and downspouts.
FLOOD SAFETY
- During a flood, be prepared to evacuate immediately if local officials advise. Don’t return home until officials say it’s safe.
- Don’t walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Turn around, don’t drown.
- If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising around you, quickly get out of the car, move to higher ground and stay there.
POWER OUTAGE SAFETY
- Use flashlights in the dark — not candles.
- During a prolonged outage, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to protect your food. Use perishable food from the refrigerator first, then, food from the freezer. If the power outage continues beyond a day, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items. Keep food in a dry, cool spot and always cover it.
- If you are using a generator, keep it dry and don’t use it in wet conditions.
- Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device inside a home, garage, basement or other partially enclosed area. Keep this equipment outside and away from doors, windows and vents, which could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.
- Operate the generator on a dry surface under an open canopy-like structure, such as under a tarp held up by poles. Don’t touch a generator with wet hands.
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