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Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more
than 67,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the
majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes,
tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents,
explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.
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Center for Disease Control and Prevention -
Tsunami Web Site Information and Guidance
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Wirthlin Report Provides Overview on
the State of Preparedness in the U.S.
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Disaster Relief & Preparedness Calendar
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Help Still Available for September 11
Victims
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Health & Safety Services
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Volunteers Services
more...
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The Good News Is That We Can Help
Although the American Red Cross is not a government agency, its
authority to provide disaster relief was formalized when, in 1905,
the Red Cross was chartered by Congress to "carry on a system
of national and international relief in time of peace and apply
the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence,
famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to
devise and carry on measures for preventing the same." The
Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of
duties and obligations to the nation, to disaster victims, and to
the people who generously support its work with their donations.
Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate
emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or
strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and
mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition
to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the
assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster
to enable them to resume their normal daily activities
independently.
The Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries
from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides
blood and blood products to disaster victims, and helps those
affected by disaster to access other available resources. |
