GET YOUR SPOON READY FOR THE 19TH ANNUAL SOUP’S ON EVENT TO SUPPORT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN

The American Red Cross in Northeast Wisconsin will host the 19th annual Soup’s On presented by Jack’s Maintenance Friday, November 2, 2012. This year promises to be full of fun and excitement and, as always, one distinguished restaurant will earn the coveted Platinum Soup Ladle trophy and bragging rights for an entire year.

This highly5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Grand Meridian, 2621 N. Oneida Street in Appleton -anticipated event will be held from. Not only does the fun-filled evening raise vital funding for the American Red Cross, it highlights the many local services provided to our community, including disaster response, community disaster education & prevention, services to armed forces at home and abroad, life-saving skills training and the Shopping and Errand program which serves disabled and elderly community members.

“Successful fundraising events – and the ultimate services to people in need – can only happen with dedicated volunteers and staff,” says Steve Hansen, Chapter Executive for Northeast Wisconsin and Regional COO. “For Soup’s On to be running strong after 19 years is a true testament to our participants, sponsors and masterful restaurateurs.”

Each year area chefs and restaurateurs present either a classic soup or a custom creation of divine flavors with maximum crowd appeal. This year’s competitors include: CSI Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College Culinary School, Grand Meridian, Kangaroostaurant, Mark’s East Side, Michiels Fox Banquets, Plum Hill Café, Remington’s at the Holiday Inn Neenah Riverwalk, Shellatte’s, Stone Cellar Brewpub, Van Abel’s of Hollandtown and Zuppas. Throughout the evening, each attendee’s palate serves as the judge for their favorite soup, votes are cast and the platinum “Ladle Award” is presented.

Additional tantalizing treats throughout the evening include appetizers compliments of McCain Foods, grilled cheese sandwiches from Simon’s Specialty Cheeses, Simple Simon Bakery desserts, Great Harvest Bread, Culver’s Frozen Custard and Wilmar’s chocolates. The evening’s Master of Ceremonies will feature Skip Willis from WVBO radio and music will be provided by Fran the Piano Man.

Community support is also provided by numerous area businesses that support the silent auction. Fabulous prizes include jewelry, artwork, golf packages, vacation travel, sports memorabilia and so much more!  New this year is the Mission Moment, in which you can help raise $5,000 toward the purchase of a disaster trailer that will be filled with special needs cots, medical supplies and equipment. Please, help us ensure that we can quickly get these supplies to a shelter with a donation in the amount of $50, $100, $250, $500 or $1,000.

Corporate sponsors of Soup’s On include: Presenting Sponsor, Jack’s Maintenance Service; Diamond Sponsor,Kimberly Clark Corporation; Gold Sponsor, SCA Tissue; Silvers Sponsors, Boldt and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans; and Bronze Sponsors, Agropur, Bassett Mechanical, Festival Foods and Outlook Group Corp.

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $45 or at the door for $50. Reserved tables are also available. Tickets can be purchased by calling (920)-733-4481, by visiting the Red Cross at 1302 E. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton or by visiting the redcross.org/newisconsin website.

The Northeast Wisconsin Chapter serves 20 counties with a mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. To learn more about local Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the Chapter headquarters at 920-231-3590 or visit redcross.org/newisconsin. Find us on facebook.com/newredcross, twitter.com/newredcross, the local blog is newredcrossblog.org and event photos will be at flickr.com/photos/newredcross.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Red Cross Responding as Thousands Seek Help

Financial and blood donations needed in the wake of superstorm

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, October 31, 2012 — In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, thousands of people from more than a dozen states have turned to the American Red Cross for help and trained disaster workers are responding with food, shelter and comfort.

“We’re caring for thousands of people across the affected region and more help is on the way,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red Cross. “We’re mobilizing more disaster workers, response vehicles and relief supplies now. The Red Cross response is already very large and could be our biggest U.S. disaster response in the past five years. It will be very costly and we need the public’s help.”

THE RED CROSS RESPONSE With communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast suffering from widespread power outages, wind damage and significant flooding from Superstorm Sandy, the Red Cross has provided more than 23,000 overnight shelter stays since Saturday. Tuesday night, more than 9,000 people stayed in 171 Red Cross shelters across 13 states.

On the ground, the Red Cross has more than 2,300 Red Cross disaster workers from all over the country who have served more than 100,800 meals and snacks. The Red Cross has activated nearly 200 emergency response vehicles that are beginning to circulate through some communities distributing meals, water and snacks.

While access into many areas is still difficult, the Red Cross is working hard to get help to where it is needed. As roads and airports re-open and people are able to travel again, more Red Cross disaster workers, vehicles and relief supplies will be arriving.

HOW TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED  “The Red Cross needs both blood and financial donations as this large response effort will continue over the next several weeks,” Shimanski said.

Approximately 300 Red Cross blood drives have already been cancelled due to the storm, and more are expected. This represents a loss of as many as 10,500 blood and platelet products. The Red Cross is urging immediate blood and platelet donations in areas where it is safe to do so. To schedule an appointment, please go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Financial donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy, as well as countless crises at home and around the world. To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC20013.

COPING IN THE AFTERMATH  While residents will be anxious to return home, families and individuals should go back to their neighborhoods only when officials have declared the area safe. Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges. Stay out of any building that has water around it.

Before reentering homes, residents should look for loose power lines, damaged gas lines or other hazards that pose dangers. Beware of snakes, insects and other animals that may be in or around the home. Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it’s not contaminated and check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Local Resident Helps Out in Aftermath of Sandy

October 31, 2012 By Carol Thompson Peninsula Pulse 

Rudy Senarighi and his wife Shirley volunteer for the Red Cross during national disasters. Rudy is helping the Red Cross’s mental health team with Hurricane Sandy disaster relief.

At some point in your life, you decide if you’re going to just take up space or do something good for the world. Rudy Senarighi chose to do something good. On the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 31, he hopped on a plane to New Jersey to volunteer with the Red Cross Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts.Senarighi, of Sturgeon Bay, helps with the Red Cross’s mental health team.

He’s a retired guidance counselor who worked at Walker Middle School for 25 years, and when the Red Cross sent out a call for volunteers in the mental health field, he signed up. “I’m retired now, and I have the time,” said Senarighi. “I want to give back.

Senarighi’s volunteered at nine natural disasters, including hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the tornados in Joplin, Missouri. He’s also helped out with local disasters like fires.

He’s not sure what he’ll be assigned to do in New Jersey – it depends on what needs to be done. In the past he’s helped support victims and other volunteers, and helped connect people in need with available resources.

For the next three weeks, Senarighi will be helping to bring normalcy back to a disaster zone. He does it because he knows he can help, and he wants to give his time and energy to people that could really use it.

“We know they’re going to be there for us when we need them, so we’re going to be there for them,” Senarighi said.

Local Red Cross volunteers to help Sandy victims

Written by Charles Davis Green Bay Press-Gazette

American Red Cross volunteer Donna LaPlante of Little Suamico stopped at a Green Bay site before heading to New York to help victims of Superstorm Sandy on Oct. 30, 2012. / Charles Davis/Press-Gazette

Two local American Red Cross volunteers are leaving this morning for New York to help feed victims impacted by post-tropical cyclone Sandy.

“They are going to be living in conditions and working in conditions that are identical to the people they’re helping,” said Steve Hansen, chapter executive of the American Red Cross of Northeast Wisconsin. “This is not a vacation for our volunteers.”

Sandy hit the East Coast on Monday, leading to an estimated billion of dollars in damage, millions of people without electric power, thousands of flight cancellations, extreme flooding and at least 17 deaths.

Ginny Gibson of Iron Mountain, Mich., and Donna LaPlante of Little Suamico, will take an emergency response vehicle on a 17-hour drive to the East Coast. The women are expected to arrive late Wednesday in Middletown, N.Y., where they will then be directed to help residents in an area impacted by the storm. The response mission is expected to last from two to three weeks. Southern Baptist disaster relief teams will prepare meals, and the women will then deliver the food to neighborhoods that have been damaged.

“It’s such a rewarding experience to help and give someone a warm meal who hasn’t had a warm meal for days,” Gibson said, adding she has previously responded to several natural disasters, including helping victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

On Tuesday, the women helped load the vehicle with bedding, water and equipment at the American Red Cross offices at 121 Bader St. On the drive there, the volunteers expect to face road closures, downed trees and severe weather.

More than 3,000 American Red Cross volunteers nationwide are responding to the East Coast, Hansen said. Seven volunteers and one employee from the eastern region of Wisconsin already have responded, and another 15 volunteers are on standby to travel to the region once travel restrictions have been removed.

About 30 American Red Cross volunteers from the eastern region of Wisconsin helped in Gulf Coast relief efforts after Hurricane Isaac hit in late August, Hansen said.

“It’s our job to anticipate and prepare for these types of disasters. This is what we do,” he added.

The storm canceled about 100 blood drives in the East Coast region on Monday and local residents are encouraged to donate blood, Hansen said.

— cedavis@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @pgcharlesdavis.

Red Cross Continues Large Sandy Relief Operation

Residents should listen to local authorities as widespread power outages and
storm damages make travel dangerous

The American Red Cross is continuing a major relief operation throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast to shelter and assist people affected by Superstorm Sandy. Millions awoke this morning to power outages, fallen trees, scattered debris, and flooded neighborhoods and the Red Cross is working hard to get help where it is needed.

Nearly 11,000 people spent Monday night in more than 250 Red Cross shelters across 16 states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Indiana, and Michigan. These numbers could increase as the storm moves into cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee with heavy wind, rain and snow.

“Our first priority is to get people the help they need – providing families and individuals with a safe place to stay and food to eat,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red Cross. “While it is too early to know the full extent of Sandy’s damage, we expect to be working with a variety of partners to help people for the next several weeks.”

The Red Cross has mobilized 1,700 disaster workers from all over the country who have served more than 25,000 meals and snacks so far. We have also activated167 response vehicles and shipped in more than 230,000 ready-to-eat meals. This is a huge disaster, bigger than any one organization can handle and the Red Cross is working closely with multiple partners including a variety of civic groups, advocacy organizations, professional organizations and houses of worship to share their expertise and volunteers.

SAFETY AFTER THE STORM In areas hit by this storm, the Red Cross urges people to check on their neighbors, make sure everyone is okay, and take care of each other until help arrives. Everyone should follow the direction of their local officials during this disaster – evacuate if told to do so, stay in a safe place and off the roads until the storm is over, and do not return home until officials say it is okay.

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. People can let their loved ones know how they are by using the “I’m Safe” button on the Red Cross Hurricane App which can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross. People can also register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to let loved ones know they are okay. To register, visit http://www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

With more than 7 million people without power as of Tuesday morning, residents should take precautions to ensure the safety of themselves and their loved ones. For those without power, surround food with ice in a cooler or refrigerator to keep food cold for a longer period of time and keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Use flashlights, not candles. Residents should also turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment and any appliances, equipment or electronics that were on when the power went out to avoid damaging them when the power is restored. Finally, eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car as traffic lights will be out and roads congested.

FINANCIAL AND BLOOD DONATIONS NEEDED “The Red Cross response to Sandy is very large and will be very costly, affecting a massive area spanning much of the eastern half of the country. We need the public’s help now,” said Shimanski.   

Financial donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate, people can visit http://www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Approximately 300 Red Cross blood drives have already been cancelled due to the storm, and more are expected. The Red Cross is urging immediate blood and platelet donations in areas unaffected by this storm and asks that people in the affected areas consider donating blood once the storm passes through and it’s safe to do so.

Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet height and weight requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height), and who are generally in good health may be eligible to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, please go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

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Red Cross volunteers mobilize

By MIKE DESOTELL
EagleHerald staff writer

(l-r) Donna LaPlante, of LIttle Suamico and Ginny Gibson, of Iron Mountain, getting ready to head to NY with the Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle.

MARINETTE – New York City and Marinette, Wis., are 1,100 miles apart but what’s happening with Hurricane Sandy out there is having an impact on people and decisions being made here in northeast Wisconsin. The American Red Cross in Northeast Wisconsin has already shifted into gear. Two volunteers from the region, Kathy Brockman of Kaukauna and Barbara Behling of Madison, are in position to help. Brockman is working at a shelter in the New York area and Behling is assisting with public affairs in Washington, D.C.

“Right now we are under a travel restriction,” said local Red Cross spokeswoman Jody Weyers. “We’re waiting for ‘Sandy’ to actually make landfall so we can assess what the damage is and then deploy people according to the needs and where the needs are.” Weyers said calls are also being made to registered disaster volunteers to find out who is available to head out for a two to three week assignment. Once the travel restriction is lifted and damage assessments are made, the deployment process will begin again.
Volunteer mission

At 8:30 this morning, Ginny Gibson of Iron Mountain, Mich., and Donna LaPlante of Little Suamico will leave Green Bay for New York State in the Emergency Response Vehicle. As of Monday afternoon sustained winds in New York had reached 90 mph and are expected to go even higher as the storm pushes its way up the coast.

“It sounds like it’s going to be the height of the storm when we get there,” said Gibson. “I’m a little apprehensive, sometimes you just don’t know what to expect. There’s a little anticipation going on.”Apprehension and anticipation, yes. But not enough to back away from someone in need. Gibson has been a Red Cross volunteer since 2005 and has answered the call to some of the most powerful and destructive storms in modern history.

“The biggest storm was Katrina,” she recalled. “But I’ve always said that when your house is flooded, it’s big, it impacts you directly. It doesn’t matter if 100 miles of homes get hit, it impacts each person.” Gibson also went to Texas to help victims of Hurricane Isaac. Then in August and September she traveled to Louisiana to assist in Red Cross operations for people there who were displaced by the hurricane. “It seems like every time I’ve gone it’s a little bit different,” she said. “Not being from that area you don’t know what you’re going to find or how it’s impacted that area.”

Gibson and LaPlante will report to Middletown, New York, about 75 miles north of New York City. They won’t know exactly what they’ll be doing until they report in at the Green Bay office. However, the vehicle they’re driving is designed to distribute meals ready to eat and to deliver hot meals to storm victims or to shelters. The vehicle is also used to deliver cleaning supplies and clean up kits.
WPS

Historically, Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) has assisted other parts of the country in restoring power after major outages; however WPS has no plans to assist with Hurricane Sandy. Instead, WPS has released its contractor crews, including tree trimmers, to allow them to assist in the hurricane aftermath.

“The reason why we’re not sending our crews is because we’re anticipating a lot of high winds in our area,” said WPS spokeswoman Jenny Short. A WPS forecast projected wind speeds of 30 to 50 mph winds beginning late Monday night. WPS said with winds that strong, it’s likely there could be downed lines from broken poles, trees and branches.

Red Cross donations
http://www.redcross.org

Thousands Look to Red Cross For Shelter from Sandy

People Can Support Response by Giving To Red Cross Disaster Relief

Thousands of people across nine states took refuge from Hurricane Sandy in American Red Cross shelters Sunday night as the massive storm neared the East Coast.

More than 3,200 people spent the 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 deployed more than 1,300 disaster workers to the region from all over the country to help those affected by the storm. As many as 160 emergency vehicles are ready to respond when it is safe to do so, and more than 230,000 ready-to-eat meals have been sent into the area.

“Sandy is a large and dangerous storm, and will affect large parts of the eastern part of the country for the next few days, said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red Cross. “We urge people to remain in a safe place until it passes, and to listen to instructions from local officials.”

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 their local media outlets.”

People can also register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website, a secure and easy-to-use online tool that helps families connect during emergencies. To register, visit http://www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). This site also connects with the Twitter and Facebook accounts of users.

BLOOD DRIVES CANCELLED Meanwhile, nearly 100 Red Cross blood drives have already been cancelled due to the storm, and there could be more as the week goes on. This means a loss of as many as 3,200 blood and platelet products. If anyone is eligible, especially in places not affected by the storm, they are asked to please schedule a blood donation now.

“Patients will still need blood despite the weather,” said Dr. Richard Benjamin, chief medical officer of the Red Cross. “To ensure a sufficient national blood supply is available for those in need, both during and after the storm passes, it is critical that those in unaffected areas make an appointment to donate blood as soon as possible.”

 To schedule a blood donation 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.

HOW TO HELP  “This will be a large, costly relief response and the Red Cross needs help now,” Shimanski said. “People can help by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief online, by text or by phone.”

Financial donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC20013.

RED CROSS APPS More than 235,000 people have downloaded the free Red Cross Hurricane App Friday when Sandy began approaching, making it one of the most popular free apps. The app gives up-to-date weather alerts, information on open Red Cross shelters, a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and alarm and a one-touch “I’m Safe” button that lets someone use social media outlets to let family and friends know they are okay.

People have been using the app to find shelters, to set up locations for the app to monitor, to make a disaster plan, and learn what steps they can take to stay safe. The app is available in Spanish just by changing the smart phone setting to Spanish before downloading.

The First Aid app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in a person’s hand. Both can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Make a Difference Day

Thank you to the Oakfield Fire Department for working with the American Red Cross on our Make a Difference Day Project.  We delivered fire prevention door hangers in the rural communities in Fond du Lac County. By partnering with the Oakfield Fire Department, and were able to deliver door hangers to the entire Village of Oakfield. Thank you for making a difference!

Next 24 Hours Critical for Public to Make Hurricane Preparations

Posted October 27, 2012

Hurricane Sandy is barreling toward the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The American Red Cross urges residents along the coast and interior regions to make their storm preparations now as heavy rains are forecast to begin in the Northeast Sunday afternoon. Click on the links in this story for details on how to get ready for Sandy.

Weather experts predict this massive weather system could affect as many as 50 million people, with the storm having a significant impact in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Hurricane Sandy will bring heavy rain and flooding, winds gusting up to 75 miles per hour, extended power outages and even snow.

WHAT WE’RE DOING  Some expect the approaching storm to be more powerful than Hurricane Irene, which caused a widespread disaster response operation in 2011. The Red Cross is mobilizing disaster workers and putting relief supplies into place. It also has shelters standing by and more than 100 emergency response vehicles on alert to respond, including vehicles from as far away as Wisconsin.

HELPFUL RED CROSS APPS Download the free Red Cross Hurricane App and First Aid App to have emergency information at your fingertips. The Red Cross also has videos available to help get prepared, including information on severe weather preparedness and how to get ready for winter weather.

PREPARE YOUR FAMILY Government officials and weather experts are urging people to get ready for the storm now. Bring anything inside that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture, etc.). Keep up-to-date about the storm’s progress and find out about your community’s disaster response plan. Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs and make plans for your pets.

CHECK DISASTER SUPPLIES Everyone should build or restock their disaster supply kits now. Replace or restock items as needed. These supplies should include:

• Water—one gallon per person, per day
• Food—non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
• First aid kit
• Medications (7-day supply) and medical items

POWER OUTAGES Utility companies are warning customers that the storm could cause power outages lasting several days. Everyone should fill their vehicle’s gas tank and get extra cash now as gas pumps and ATMs won’t work if the power is out. Other steps you can take are:

• Have coolers on hand and surround your food with ice in the cooler or refrigerator to keep food cold for a longer period of time. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
• Use flashlights, not candles.
• Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment and any appliances, equipment or electronics you were using when the power went out to avoid damaging them when the power is restored.
• Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car as traffic lights will be out and roads congested

USING A GENERATOR If you are planning to use a generator, never use it indoors, including in a garage, carport, basement, crawlspace or other area, even with ventilation. Generators put off carbon monoxide fumes, which can be deadly. Full details are available at the link above.

IF YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE  Several states have already declared a state of emergency and some are calling for voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas.Stay informed about the storm’s progress and evacuate if told to do so. If you need to find a shelter, download the Red Cross Hurricane app, visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or check your local television, radio and newspaper.

If coming to a shelter, there are things you should bring with you such as:

• Prescription medicine
• Identification and valuable papers
• Toiletries
• Change of clothing
• Water, non-perishable food
• Blankets, pillows and/or sleeping bags
• Baby food and diapers

HOW TO HELP To help those who may be affected by this storm and other disasters, you can make a donation by visiting http://www.redcross.org or 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 your local Red Cross chapter or the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Red Cross Says Have a Happy and Safe Halloween

Take Steps to Keep Everyone Safe While Trick or Treating

Halloween is just around the corner and youngsters will soon be out trick or treating.As they get ready to collect their Halloween treats, the American Red Cross has tips to make this a fun and safe Halloween.

“Halloween is a fun time, especially for the little ones,” said Lisa Stanchfield, Community Preparedness Coordinator. “The Red Cross has steps everyone can take to make sure their Halloween is also a safe one.”

COSTUME SAFETY

There are steps parents can take to keep their little ghosts and goblins safe in their disguises:

• Add  reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
• Use  flame-resistant costumes.
• Use face makeup instead of masks, which can cover their eyes and make it hard to see.

BE SAFE WHILE OUT AND ABOUT

To maximize safety for the trick or treaters, plan a route ahead of time. Make sure adults know where children are going. If the children are young, a parent or responsible adult should accompany them as they walk through the neighborhood.

Here are more safety tips to follow as children go from house to house:

• Make sure trick-or-treaters have a flashlight.
• Visit only the homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door—never go inside.
• Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic.
• Look both ways before crossing the street, and cross only at the corner.
• Don’t cut across yards or use alleys. Don’t cross between parked cars.
• Be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.

GREETING TRICK OR TREATERS

For those who expect to welcome trick-or-treaters at their door, they can make sure it’s fun for everyone by following a few tips:

• Make sure the outdoor lights are on.
• Sweep leaves from sidewalks and steps.
• Clear the  porch or front yard of any obstacles that a child could trip over.
• Restrain pets.
• Use a glow stick instead of a candle in jack-o-lanterns to avoid a fire hazard.