The American Red Cross uses the month of March to educate communities on the importance of preparedness before an emergency strikes.
Santa Monica Red Cross CEO Julie Thomas made a presentation on public safety at the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) meeting at the Palisades Branch Library on Thursday, March 12.
Thomas started her presentation by quoting the mission statement of The American Red Cross: “(We) prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”
According to Thomas, the Red Cross responds to about five home fires a day in the Los Angeles area and “we provide shelter, clothes and case workers where needed.”
The five areas that Red Cross focuses on are: disaster, blood, preparedness, international and armed forces services.
Thomas emphasized that 90 percent of the Red Cross workforce is volunteer and through their efforts, “1,699 disasters in L.A. County involved Red Cross volunteers and $340,246 was given in the form of financial aid to support families in need after emergencies in 2014.”
Currently, the L.A. chapter has 1,479 active volunteers. In her presentation, Thomas gave three simple preparedness tips to Palisadians that could save their lives if disaster strikes – get a kit, make a plan and be informed.
“Easy things like storing gallons of water in an accessible place, enough for three days per person in each household, and putting old tennis shoes by the door for a quick getaway could save your family’s lives,” Thomas said.
Only two residents outside of the PPCC board attended the meeting.
For information on how to create a “family action plan” and to download additional information, visit the Santa Monica Red Cross chapter website: http://www.redcross.org/ca/santa-monica.
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