As you’re watching and reading coverage of Hurricane Irene from the comfort of your home in St. Louis, you may be asking yourself, what can I do for my friends and family who may be in the path of the storm? Understandably, you are concerned for their wellbeing and want them to make it through the storm unscathed.

 

While talking to my dear friend, Deborah, who lives in New York City (where they are evacuating nursing homes in low-lying areas and will suspend much of the public transit system tomorrow) I shared with her some basic preparedness tips and reminded her to make sure she had some basic supplies -- food, water, a flashlight and radio (and batteries!) She wasn’t sure if she had batteries, so she was going to make sure that she picked some up. I also asked her to send me text messages over the weekend so I know she’s okay. (I don’t have any friends or family who live in areas with mandatory evacuation orders, but if I did, I would be encouraging them to get to safety!)

 

Social media and text messaging can be a critical piece of your emergency plan. Following Tuesday’s earthquakes on the East Coast, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate used both social media and text messaging when cell phones were down in Washington, D.C. to let family and friends know that he, his wife and mother-in-law were all fine.

 

In addition to your personal social media devices, The Red Cross offers two free mobile applications—one that provides shelter locations and the “American Red Cross SOS” app that teaches first aid and CPR. The shelter finder app can be accessed through the Apple app store and the SOS app can be accessed through the Android marketplace. The Red Cross has also integrated Facebook and Twitter into the Safe and Well site, so people can register that they are safe and update their social media status and let others know how they are doing.

 

As Red Cross staff and volunteers and our partner agencies are gearing up to help those in need because of Irene, don’t feel like you can’t do anything. Encourage your friends and family in her path to take precautions to ensure their safety and consider making a donation to help support disaster relief.

 

 

Elena