Red Cross Volunteers En Route To Help In Aftermath Of Florida Tornadoes
"Safe and Well” website helps link families

WILMINGTON, DE – February 3, 2007 — Trained and experienced Red Cross disaster volunteers are on their way to Central Florida to assist communities impacted by Friday’s devastating tornadoes. John Honeywell, from Chestertown, Maryland, and Debbie Meliodon from Newark, trained by the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula, will leave tomorrow on a 3-week assignment, to join other Red Cross staff, volunteers, emergency response vehicles (ERVs) and mobile feeding units already on the ground to help their neighbors in need. Red Cross workers have set up emergency shelters in the affected Florida counties, providing food, water and other services.

John Honeywell will be taking on a warehousing assignment while Debra Meliodon will be providing mental health assistance to those affected by the tornadoes. They both have local and national experience in Red Cross disaster response.

“Safe and Well” Secure Website

Due to widespread power and telecommunication outages, service may not be restored in the impacted area for several days. During this critical time, it may be difficult to reach family and friends affected by the recent storms. Please visit www.redcross.org and click on Safe and Well to view messages that may have been left on this secure website by your loved ones to update you on their well-being. From a list of standard messages, they can select those they want to communicate to their family members - who may be worried about their safety. If you hear from a loved one in the affected area, you can input their information so other family members would be updated on their well-being as well. As with any other Red Cross service or product, Safe and Well safeguards the privacy of disaster victims and protects their information according to privacy law standards. Messages – but not locations – will be viewable by friends and family. The Red Cross recommends that people affected should determine how best to communicate their contact information and whereabouts to family members.

Family Communications Plan

The American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula reminds local families of the importance of having a plan in place to keep in touch during emergencies. Here are a few tips:

• Make an emergency contact list on a card that you can easily carry in your wallet or purse.
• Write contact information including name, home, work and cell phone numbers and e-mail address.
• Be sure to include an out-of-town contact too, as large numbers of phone calls can overload circuits in the affected area.
• Copy the card for each loved one to carry with them in the event of a disaster or other emergency when you need to contact each other urgently.
• Place a call to family and friends as soon as possible after disaster strikes to let them know your whereabouts and your well-being.
• Pre-select a designated person to receive all messages, to save your loved ones from making multiple calls to reach you, and can help to alleviate their anxiety.

For more information on how individuals and families can prepare for disaster, please visit www.redcrossdelmarva.org/staysafe.html.

With all disasters, large or small, Red Cross assists with the immediate disaster-caused needs of those affected – primarily temporary shelter, food and clothing – free of charge to the recipients. The families are also referred to other community partners for their longer term needs, and provided with information on the steps they should take to cope with the disaster and plan their recovery.