Great Evacuation Tips

To see some great evacuation tips please follow this link: http://www.utahredcross.org/pdf/BeRedCrossReadyChecklist.pdf. You'll find great advice of how to best prepare for the need to evacuate your home.

Please visit our website to see more helpful suggestions.

Kanarraville Shelter for New Harmony Wildfire Evacuees

Washington & Iron Counties, UTAH (Sunday, August 30, 2009) The Mountain Valley Chapter and the Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross have disaster action teams on the scene to help the families who have been forced from their homes this weekend due to a dangerous wildfire raging in Washington and Iron Counties. The Red Cross can provide immediate essential needs for the families which can include a place to sleep, meals to eat and clothes to wear. The Red Cross can also help people affected by disasters like this wildfire with items like eye glasses or lost prescriptions due to the fire. Disaster Action Teams are on the scene and also offer families simple kindness, showing them that someone cares about the trauma they are going through. Individuals in the area affected by this disaster who need assistance need to report to the Red Cross shelter at 50 S. Main in Kanarraville to register.
Additional Red Cross Disaster Action Teams are on alert throughout the state, the disaster trained volunteers are on standby and ready to go in case they are needed. More details will be released as soon as they become available.

Red Cross Chapters in Utah respond to up to 200 incidents each year, some of them render multiple families homeless. Nationwide, the American Red Cross’s local chapters help victims of major and minor disasters by offering immediate comfort, which may include food, a warm place to stay, clothing and other life necessities. Volunteers give comfort kits to victims of fire, flood or other disasters. The kits include helpful items like toothbrushes, toothpaste and a toy for children.

You can help victims of fires like this one by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters.

About the American Red Cross in Utah: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; teaches lifesaving skills; supplies blood to 30 area hospitals; and supports military members and their families. The organization also provides emergency utility assistance and international family tracing services. The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization, not a government funded agency, which depends entirely upon volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. Donate your time or resources to your local Red Cross: Mountain Valley Chapter/Provo (801) 373-8580, Northern Utah Chapter/Ogden (801) 627-0000, Cache Valley Area/Logan (435)752-1125, Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter 801-323-7000. Visit www.utahredcross.org click on “Across Utah.”

Cottonwood Heights praised for emergency preparedness

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — This east-side bedroom community has received an award for Collaborative Preparedness Planning from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The recently incorporated city was chosen for the high honor because of its citywide communication system. When finished, the system will be able to communicate with residents of each street and home in the city, according to city spokesman Robert Warnick.

Local church groups, emergency-trained residents and professional organizations such as the Red Cross were included in the Citizen Corps planning, according to Warnick.

Cottonwood Heights was chosen for the highest recognition from a short list of cities and counties that also included San Francisco, Douglas County, Pa., and Escambia County, Fla. Overall, the Utah municipality competed with 2,395 cities across the country.

FEMA paid to send two elected officials from Cottonwood Heights to Washington, D.C., to receive the award.

"This has been an incredible experience," said Councilman Gordon Thomas. "This is the first time they have given awards, and we were there."

Source: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705324758/Cottonwood-Heights-praised-for-emergency-preparedness.html

Fire in Taylorsville

Red Cross Disaster Action Team Helps Taylorsville Family after Fire

August 13, 2009

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH ( Friday, August 14, 2009)— Today the Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is helping a mom and two young children after they had a fire in their apartment in Taylorsville in the 4500 block of Bridgeside Drive. Red Cross volunteer Damon Talbot said, “We are helping them with food and baby supplies today. They were able to move into another unit in the same apartment complex.” The fire occurred at about 7:30 last night, and the family contacted the Red Cross for assistance today. It has been a busy summer for disasters in Utah. During the past month, Red Cross local chapters responded to about 10 disasters, most of them home fires. Red Cross Chapters in Utah respond to about 200 incidents each year; some of them render multiple families homeless. Nationwide, the American Red Cross’s local chapters help victims of major and minor disasters by offering immediate comfort, which may include food, a warm place to stay, clothing and other life necessities. Volunteers give comfort kits to victims of fire, flood or other disasters. The kits include helpful items like toothbrushes, toothpaste and a toy for children. Help people affected by disasters like this fire by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, or your local Chapter. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Learn more www.utahredcross.org.