Mother Nature's Angry Return

Photo courtesy wetmtv.com

After a summer full of sun and heat, some severe weather returned to the area yesterday. While many of us here in the Buffalo area simply received some much needed rain, other places weren't so lucky. The Southern Tier was hit with severe thunderstorms, and a possible tornado wreaked havoc just over the state border in Pennsylvania. Another possible tornado touched down a little further to our east in Elmira, NY, where the local Red Cross chapter has opened a shelter at the Elmira Free Academy. Volunteers were housing and providing food for as many as 50 residents this morning, and the damage was so severe Gov. Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in Chemung County.

While our thoughts are with everyone dealing with the devastation this wild weather caused, this also serves as a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness. It's easy to become complacent when the weather is as beautiful as ours has been this summer. But disaster can strike anytime, anywhere, often without warning. If these storms had been just a few miles further north, would you and your family have known where to go to stay safe, or had time to gather needed items like food, water and necessary medications if forced to evacuate?

The time to prepare for an emergency isn't when the severe weather warnings are posted. There are three steps everyone can take that can help make a difference: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed. Take a few minutes now to review these tornado and thunderstorm safety checklists, and consider scheduling a free disaster preparedness education program at your school, business or other organization.

When a disaster does hit, you can find Red Cross shelter locations online, and you can download the shelter finder app on your iphone. You can also register as Safe & Well, which is a great way to let your loved ones know that you are okay. Make sure that when Mother Nature decides to make her next visit, you are Red Cross Ready!

Responding to Tragedy in Wilson

UPDATE: The latest information on how the Red Cross continues to assist the family through this tragic situation is available on our Chapter website. In addition, Communications Coordinator Jay Bonafede discussed the support the Red Cross is providing on WBFO radio, and Sr. Director of Emergency Services Ken Turner was interviewed by WGRZ-Channel 2 Thursday afternoon. Again, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy, and we will continue to provide for the immediate emergency and emotional needs of the family.

Many of us woke up this morning to the news of a massive house explosion that leveled a home in the Niagara County community of Wilson. Throughout the morning, the news unfortunately got worse, as it was later reported that a young girl lost her life in the blast, and four other family members needed to be hospitalized. Two other children were apparently not at home at the time.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and everyone affected by this morning's tragedy, and the Red Cross stands ready to provide for the family's immediate emergency needs. Earlier today, staff members Mark Dashner and Lisa Taibi went to the scene to talk to Emergency Management officials, while Sr. Director of Emergency Services Ken Turner, State Disaster Mental Health Advisor Tara Hughes and I went to ECMC, where the survivors are being treated for their injuries. We were not able to meet directly with the family, but were heartened to see they had a support network including friends and community members on hand. Ken and Tara were able to speak to the family's Pastor to make sure everyone was aware of the services the Red Cross has available, and we will meet directly with the family as soon possible.

As the family heals from their physical injuries and leave the hospital, the American Red Cross is ready to provide temporary housing, food and clothing as needed. Tara and her team will also be offering mental health counseling to the surviving family members.

As is often the case following a tragic situation, the community steps up to help, and the Red Cross relies on the generosity of the public to perform our mission. If you would like to assist not only those affected by today's tragedy in Wilson, but also help us be ready the next time disaster strikes, please consider making a donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by clicking here, calling 1-800-REDCROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Good advice--from a bear!

In case you haven't stepped outside of the air conditioning lately, the hot and hazy days of Summer 2012 continue! The heat is on again in Buffalo today, and temps Tuesday predicted to reach over 90 degrees with high humidity. Since this isn't exactly the first time we've experienced these conditions this year, you're probably quite familiar with how to stay safe in the extreme heat-things like drinking lots of water (#H20B4UGO!), wearing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and not leaving kids or pets in an enclosed vehicle.

A Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle on the scene
of an area devastated by recent wild fires in Colorado

What you may not be aware of is how these hot, dry conditions increase the risk of wild fires. In fact, Governor Cuomo recently instituted a residential burn ban across New York State. Unfortunately, we've already seen an example of how quickly a small fire can spread in these conditions, as firefighters battled a brush fire in Derby over the weekend. As evidenced by recent events in Colorado and other western states, wild fires can be fast moving and have a devastating affect on those who live in the area.


While the American Red Cross has a lot of experience responding to wild fires, we here in Western New York don't see them all that often. So take a moment to review this wild fire safety checklist and review the Governor's burn ban letter referenced above for ways to help prevent a fire from spreading quickly. If, like me, you're old enough to remember Smokey the Bear, you know that "Only You can Prevent Forest Fires!"

Scary Swimming Stats

If you tuned into NBC's Today Show this morning, you may have gotten a rude wake-up call regarding the dangers of swimming. Among the sobering statistics in their story, Pool Drowning Deaths on the Rise:

• There have been 77 drownings nationwide since Memorial Day
• 390 children under 14 drown each year
• Drowning is the #1 cause of death in children five and under.

As a parent who had his five year old (along with nieces, nephews and other relatives) in the water much of last week, this story is pretty alarming. We've already had several stories of drownings and near-drownings right here in WNY this summer, with several weeks of swimming season still ahead of us. 

The good news is, the Red Cross is here to help you take steps to ensure you don't become a statistic. The first--and maybe most important--step is to make sure everyone in your family knows how to swim. Even if you don't own a pool or live near a body of water, chances are your children will visit a friend or neighbor with a pool at some point. Enroll them in a Red Cross Learn-to-Swim program at your nearest aquatic facility (my son is taking his second class this afternoon!). Make sure you only swim in designated areas, and that there's a Red Cross-certified lifeguard at all public locations. Never swim alone, and make sure children are under constant supervision.

Of course, even if you follow all the recommended safety guidelines, there's always the chance that an emergency could occur. Make sure you are able to recognize when someone is having trouble in the water (as you can see from the Today Show video, it's not like you've seen in the movies!). Then, be ready to help save a life--sign up to take a CPR/AED/First Aid training course today.

Take it from this father--you'll never be able to stop your kids from wanting to enjoy the water throughout the summer, nor should you want to. Just take the time to ensure this summer swimming tradition doesn't turn tragic.