Online training tools, free presentations, and ready-made disaster kits are now available

St. Louis, Thursday, March 8, 2007 - March is National Red Cross Month, a perfect time for St. Louisans to focus on the Red Cross mission to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies. The St. Louis Area Chapter continues its community outreach by encouraging people to embrace the message of Red Cross Month and prepare now for the unexpected. The Red Cross has streamlined emergency preparedness through its new Be Red Cross Ready program. Preparing for the unexpected is now easier than ever before thanks to online training tools, free Community Disaster Education presentations and ready-made disaster supply kits.

Research indicates that most people do not expect disaster to impact them personally, yet the American Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters nationwide each year. Right here in St. Louis each year, more than 1,100 families receive Red Cross emergency assistance that includes food, clothing and shelter after losing their homes to fire. There is a potential for disaster to impact every life, but there are important things that each person can do to be ready in the event of an emergency.

"The Red Cross is asking St. Louisans to personally invest in making our community as safe as it can possibly be," said Joseph C. White, CEO of the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter. "For each of us, preparedness should begin with a personal assessment. Do we have a disaster supply kit? Dow we know how to contact our loved ones if a disaster knocks out power? Does every family member know how to evacuate the home quickly? The Red Cross is here to help our neighbors answer these important questions so that if or when disaster strikes, each of us will be as ready as we can be."

About Be Red Cross Ready and Health and Safety Online Tools:
National polling reveals that only 2 in 10 Americans feel prepared for a major disaster or emergency, yet 82% of the American public said they would get prepared if they knew what to do. To make this process as easy as possible, the American Red Cross has introduced a new online training tool which highlights its Be Red Cross Ready program. The Be Red Cross Ready online tool is now available at www.redcrossstl.org and streamlines emergency preparedness into three easy 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, medications, and a battery-operated radio. A kit should be checked every six months in order to replace supplies as necessary. In addition to taking this kit with you in an evacuation, it can also be used to shelter-in-place.

2.  Make a Plan - Planning ahead will help you have the best possible response to disaster. Establish responsibilities for each family member and choose two places to meet following a disaster - directly outside the home (if an incident happens while the family is home) and outside the neighborhood (if the family is away from home during an incident and cannot return, or the family is ordered to evacuate by emergency officials). 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 local 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.

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 Community Disaster Education:
The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter offers free Community Disaster Education presentations designed for all ages. These courses are provided on-site for schools, businesses and community organizations. Presentations can be tailored to meet specific needs and prepare participants for a variety of emergency scenarios - from home fires, winter storms, earthquakes and tornadoes to thunderstorms, floods and pandemic flu. Course curriculum is interactive, empowers participants to be proactive in their approach to preparing for the unexpected, and is featured online at www.redcrossstl.org. More than 72,000 St. Louisans benefit from these presentations each year.

About Ready-Made Disaster Supply Kits:
The St. Louis Area Chapter helps people build their own disaster supply kits. To make the process easier, the Red Cross also offers ready-made kits, which are available for purchase and should be adapted for every person's unique needs and circumstances. A variety of kits are available at any Red Cross location, range from $39 to $65, and include basic supplies that are essential during an emergency. This includes bottled water, non-perishable high-protein food items, battery-operated radios and flashlights, a first aid kit, a blanket and work gloves.

"By planning for all scenarios, we significantly reduce the fear of the unknown," said White. "There are things that each of us can do to make our homes, schools and workplaces safer environments. If we start now and work together, this community can achieve great things."

For More Information:
To learn more about online Red Cross preparedness resources, free Community Disaster Education presentations, or ready-made disaster supply kits, please contact the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or 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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