Public encouraged to get a disaster kit, to make an emergency plan, and to be informed in advance

St. Louis, Friday, August 31, 2007 - The American Red Cross joins the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies at the local and national level to launch the fourth annual National Preparedness Month in September. The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter continues to encourage the community to make emergency preparedness a personal priority. Recent local polling indicates that less than half of St. Louisans have prepared themselves for a disaster or emergency. To help increase the level of local preparedness, the Red Cross will issue safety tips designed for individuals, businesses and schools each week throughout September.

"We have discovered that the community is willing to take the steps necessary to get prepared for a local emergency, however they want the process to be as easy as possible," said Joseph C. White, chief executive officer for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter. "The St. Louis Area Chapter is here to serve as an important resource to help our neighbors prepare themselves and their loved ones for the unexpected. The Red Cross has streamlined preparedness into three easy steps through its Be Red Cross Ready program, and we've introduced a number of convenient tools to make the process easier than ever before."

About Red Cross Preparedness Resources:
To make emergency preparedness as easy as possible, the American Red Cross has introduced a variety of resources, including the new Be Red Cross Ready online tool now available at www.redcrossstl.org. Be Red Cross Ready outlines emergency preparedness in the following three steps:

1.  Get a Kit - Plan to have at least three days of supplies in an easy-to-carry evacuation kit, with additional supplies on hand. Supplies include water, non-perishable and high protein food items, a First Aid Kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, medications, and a battery-operated radio.

2.  Make a Plan - Planning ahead will help you have the best possible response to a disaster. Establish responsibilities for each family member and choose two places to meet following a disaster. Families should practice their emergency plan at least twice a year.

3.  Be Informed - Learn what disasters or emergencies may occur locally and identify how authorities will notify the public with important instructions. It is important to seek lifesaving training in First Aid and CPR so that people are ready to lend a hand in an emergency situation.

Free Community Disaster Education presentations are designed for all ages and reach more than 82,000 people each year. The curriculum can be tailored for a variety of emergency scenarios - from home fires, winter storms, earthquakes and tornadoes to thunderstorms, floods, and pandemic flu.

Ready-made disaster supply kits containing basic emergency supplies are available for purchase, range from $40 to $70, and should be adapted for each person's unique needs and circumstances. The Red Cross also helps people build their own kits by providing a comprehensive list of necessary supplies, which is also featured online at www.redcrossstl.org.

Online CPR and First Aid training is affordable and available at www.redcrossstl.org, enabling participants to complete all prerequisites and written testing from the comfort of home at their own pace. Once the online portion is completed, course participants demonstrate skills to a Red Cross instructor to achieve certification. Each year, the St. Louis Area Chapter trains more than 85,000 people in CPR, First Aid and the proper use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

About Recent Local Preparedness Polling:
A new survey conducted by the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter in conjunction with the one-year anniversary of the July 2006 windstorm and power outages revealed that most St. Louisans have not taken the necessary steps to be ready for another local emergency. The poll revealed both good news and bad news for the community - most St. Louisans understand what it means to be ready, yet the majority of them have not acted on that knowledge.

"We celebrate that four out of 10 St. Louisans have prepared themselves for the next local disaster by creating a family emergency plan," continued White. "St. Louis ranks slightly above the national average, which may be attributed to increased awareness that stems from our recent experience with local emergencies. During National Preparedness Month, we challenge the remaining St. Louisans to join their neighbors in making preparedness a personal priority."

Overall, St. Louis area residents have an idea of what a disaster or emergency supply kit should include. However, less than half of all residents (41 percent) have actually prepared a kit for their home, according to the survey. It is troubling that most have not taken the necessary steps to prepare, especially considering that a majority of local residents (71 percent) say they have experienced some kind of hardship as a result of a public emergency situation. Hardships included: being unable to reach family, having to evacuate their home or community for one or more nights, being without electricity for three or more days, having to leave work for one or more days, or being unable to get to the store for three or more days.

"The severe weather events of the past year show just how vulnerable St. Louis is to emergencies," said White. "By planning for all scenarios, we significantly reduce the fear of the unknown. There are things that each of us can do to make our home, school and workplace a safer environment. If each of us embraces the preparedness message, this community can continue to achieve great things."

The 2007 American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter Preparedness Survey was conducted by Fleishman-Hillard Research in May 2007. The telephone survey included 402 adults within the coverage area of the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter, which includes the city of St. Louis and St. Louis, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties in Missouri, as well as Monroe and St. Clair counties in Illinois.

About Red Cross Safety Tips for the Week of September 2, 2007:

• Tips for Individuals:
  • Plan ahead for your pets. Find out where you will be able to take your pet in the event of a disaster or emergency. The Red Cross works closely with the Humane Society to help the public include their pets in their emergency planning. The St. Louis Area Chapter also offers Pet First Aid training, which helps pet owners develop skills to care for their injured cat or dog.
  • Check the smoke detectors in your house once a month and replace batteries at least once a year. One smoke detector should be placed on each level of the home, as well as outside any sleeping areas. The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter provides emergency assistance to more than 1,100 local families each year who lose their homes to fire.
  • Learn how and when to turn off utilities such as water or gas, so that if you are instructed to do so by emergency officials, you will know what to do.
• Tips for Businesses and Schools:
  • Utilize community resources that are available and invite the American Red Cross to visit onsite and deliver a free presentation along with educational materials designed to help employees and/or students prepare for disasters.
  • Conduct regular evacuation drills to prepare employees and/or students for an emergency situation, and establish responsibilities for individuals to make the process a success.
  • Develop a Continuity of Operations Plan for your business or school. This ensures that business or education will continue in the aftermath of a disaster or emergency.

For More Information:
To learn more about the fourth annual National Preparedness Month or Red Cross emergency preparedness resources, please call the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or log on to www.redcrossstl.org.

About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter:
Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter celebrates 90 years of dedicated service, providing emergency relief and preparedness training more than 410,000 times each year. The Red Cross is not a government agency and depends on the efforts of thousands of volunteers and donors to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, services to military personnel and support for blood services. The Chapter, a United Way agency, provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair (including Scott Air Force Base) and part of Madison County in Illinois. All disaster relief services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the American people. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or www.redcrossstl.org.

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