Ten years ago today, North Carolina was forever changed by the destruction and devastation of its worst natural disaster, Hurricane Floyd. This Category 2 storm killed 52 people, dropped up to 20 inches of rain, and caused over $7 billion in damage. Floyd traumatized cities and towns, and taught us how important it is to be prepared for natural disasters. To mark this crucial anniversary, the American Red Cross wants to ensure that you are Red Cross Ready by taking three easy preparedness actions:  1. Get a Kit, 2. Make a Plan, 3. Be informed.

Learn how to prepare at TriangleARC.org/Ready

Get or assemble a disaster supplies kit:

Gather enough emergency supplies to meet your needs. A portable kit, stored in a sturdy, easy to carry, water resistant container should have enough supplies for three days. The Red Cross also recommends having at least two weeks worth of supplies at home and to keep a smaller kit in the trunk of your car. Check your kit and replace the stock every six months. Whether you purchase a kit or choose to build your own, your three-day kit should include:
•    A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person, per day) and ready-to-eat non-perishable foods, such as tuna fish, peanut butter, crackers, canned fruit, juice boxes, etc.
•    A manual can opener.
•    A battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries
•    A first aid kit and reference guide
•    Prescription and non-prescription medication items
•    Copies of important documents, including birth certificates, insurance policies and social security cards.
•    Cash. ATMs and credit cards won’t work if the power is out.
•    Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members
•    A change of clothes for everyone, including long-sleeved shirts, long pants and sturdy footwear
•    One blanket or sleeping bag per person
•    Emergency tools, including tools to turn off utilities.
•    An extra set of home and car keys
•    An extra pair of glasses or contact lenses; extra batteries for hearing aids
•    Pet supplies

Prepare a Personal Disaster and Evacuation Plan

The American Red Cross urges each and every household to develop a household disaster plan.
•    Meet with your family to create a plan. Discuss the information you have gathered and why it is important to prepare for a disaster.
•    Identify two meeting places; One right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire, and one outside your neighborhood in case you can’t return home.
•    Choose an out-of-area emergency contact person. During or after a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance, especially if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service. Family members should call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your emergency contact person’s phone number and email address.
•        Tell your family about the Safe and Well web site accessible at all times via www.redcross.org.  The Safe and Well Web site is an Internet-based tool that allows those directly affected by a disaster to let their loved ones know of their well-being. People within a disaster affected area are able to select and post standard “safe and well” messages. Concerned family members who know the person’s phone number (home, cell, or work) or a complete home address can search for the messages posted by those who self-register.
•    Show and explain to each family member how and when to turn off the water and electricity at the main switches. Turn gas off only if instructed by local authorities. Remember, if the gas is shut-off, only a professional can turn it back on.
•    Plan your evacuation route. Use local maps and identify alternate evacuation routes from home, work and/or school. Know where you are going and how you plan to get there before you leave home.

Have a Safe Place To Take Your Pets
The best way to protect your family from the effects of a disaster is to have a disaster plan. If you are a pet owner, that plan must include your pets. Being prepared can save their lives.
•    Local and state health and safety regulations do not permit the Red Cross to allow pets in disaster shelters. Service animals which assist people with disabilities are the only animals allowed in Red Cross shelters. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to find shelter for your animals in the midst of an evacuation, so plan ahead.
•    Contact hotels and motels outside your local area to check their policies on accepting pets and restrictions on number, size and species. Ask if "no pet" policies could be waived in an emergency. Keep a list of "pet friendly" places, including phone numbers, with your other disaster information and supplies. If you are alerted to an impending disaster, call ahead for reservations.
•    Ask friends, relatives or others outside the affected area whether they could shelter your animals. If you have more than one pet, they may be more comfortable if kept together, but be prepared to house them separately.
•    Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinarians who could shelter animals in an emergency; include 24-hour phone numbers.
•    Ask local animal shelters if they provide emergency shelter or foster care for pets during a disaster. Animal shelters may be overwhelmed caring for the animals they already have as well as those displaced by a disaster, so this should be your last resort.

Assemble a Portable Pet Disaster Supplies Kit
•    Whether you are away from home for a day or a week, you'll need essential supplies. Keep items in an accessible place and store them in sturdy containers that can be carried easily (a duffle bag or covered trash containers, for example). Your pet disaster supplies kit should include:
•    Medications and medical records (stored in a waterproof container) and a first aid kit.
•    Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and/or carriers to transport pets safely and ensure that your animals can't escape.
•    Current photos of your pets in case they get lost.
•    Food, potable water, bowls, cat litter/pan, and can opener.
•    Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and number of your veterinarian in case you have to foster or board your pets.
•    Pet bed or toys if easily transportable.
For more information about pet preparedness visit bayourescue.org. They provide disaster relief and rescue response for animals and their caretakers, locally and nationally.  

Be informed:
•    Listen to local media broadcasts and NOAA Weather Radio for the latest storm conditions and follow the advice of local authorities.
•    If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately. You may choose to evacuate sooner than alerted if you think you may need additional time.

Know what to do if a hurricane WATCH is issued:
•    Listen to weather updates from your battery-powered or hand-cranked radio.
•    Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, hanging plants, bicycles, toys and garden tools, anchor objects that cannot be brought inside.
•    Close all windows and doors. Cover windows with storm shutters or pre-cut plywood.
•    If time permits, and you live in an identified surge zone, elevate furniture or move it to a higher floor to protect it from flooding.
•    Fill your vehicle’s gas tank.
•    Check your disaster supplies kit to make sure items have not expired.

Know what to do if a hurricane WARNING is issued
•    Listen to the advice of local officials, and leave if they tell you to do so.
•    If in a manufactured home, check tie-downs and evacuate as told by local authorities
•    Secure your home by unplugging appliances and turning off electricity and the main water valve
•    If you are not advised to evacuate, stay inside, away from windows, skylights and glass doors
•    Do NOT use open flames, such as candles and kerosene lamps, as a source of light
•    If power is lost, turn off appliances to reduce damage from a power surge when electricity is restored



Although local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, they cannot reach everyone right away. The best way to make you and your family safer is to be prepared before disaster strikes.

For more information regarding how individuals and families can prepare for disasters or to purchase emergency preparedness and first aid kits, visit www.redcross.org or contact the Triangle Area Chapter at 919-231-1602.  

Help people affected by disasters like the recent hurricane, by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. 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. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.”