TOMPKINS COUNTY RED CROSS ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO "SPRING" BREAK FOR FAMILY PREPAREDNESS

March is Red Cross Month. Many families will embark on spring break vacations this year to destinations across the country-but just as many families will stay home. Rather than spending days playing video games or hours watching television, the Tompkins County Chapter of the American Red Cross encourages adults and young people alike to take five easy steps to disaster preparedness.

1: Build a kit, 45 minutes.
Assemble enough supplies in your home (in one place) to meet your needs for at least three days. Be sure to have plenty of flashlights as candles are not recommended for emergency lighting. Build a disaster supplies kit to take with you if you are asked to leave your home. The basics you should stock in your portable kit include: water (1 gallon per person and pet per day); food; first aid supplies; a change of clothing and blanket or sleeping bag; emergency tools (like a wrench for turning off utilities); flashlights, radio, batteries; and special items for infants, elderly family members or people with disabilities. Keep these items in an easy-to-carry container-such as a covered trash container, a large backpack or a duffle bag.

2: Make a plan, 40 minutes.
Plan where to meet after a disaster. Choose two places outside your home, in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire and another outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to leave your neighborhood. After determining meeting places, you should also determine the best escape routes from your home and out of your community (two ways out of each location). Finally, ask an out-of-town friend to become your "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance over landlines. All family members should know to call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact's number.

3: Get trained in lifesaving skills, 90 minutes.
Take a Red Cross course in how to save a life at your local Red Cross. Knowledge of lifesaving skills is imperative for parents and children alike. The Tompkins County Red Cross chapter offers a 90-minute presentation that includes basic instruction in first aid and disaster preparedness. Call your Red Cross chapter at 273-1900 for more information or click HERE for Health and Safety course information, or HERE for Disaster Training information.

4: Sign up to be a volunteer, 30 minutes.
Sign up to be a volunteer with the Tompkins County Chapter Red Cross. There are many volunteer opportunities for people of all ages. As a Disaster Action Team member, you can offer assistance to the victims of fires and other emergencies; as an Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES) caseworker, you can help send emergency messages to U.S. troops overseas; or as a blood services volunteer, you can help register people at Red Cross blood collection sites. Call Cheryll Vosburgh at 273-1900 ext.24 to learn more about the opportunities your Red Cross offers.

5: Give blood, 60 minutes.
Every 2 seconds someone in America needs blood. Every day blood is needed in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities for patients with cancer and other diseases, for organ transplant recipients, and to save the lives of accident victims. For patients who receive blood transfusions, your donation can make the difference between life and death. Call Darla VanOstrand at 273-1900 ext. 17 to schedule an appointment. Click HERE for the most current blood drive information.

For more information on how you and your family can Spring Break for Preparedness, visit www.redcross.org .