Get informed during PA Severe Weather Awareness Week

By Alana Mauger

The American Red Cross joins the National Weather Service (NWS) in observing Severe Weather Awareness Week in Pennsylvania April 15-19, 2024. The educational campaign aims to inform the public about how to prepare for and respond to severe weather events like thunderstorms, flash flooding and tornadoes.

National Weather Service video – Thunderstorm Types

Severe Thunderstorms

A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces wind gusts of at least 58 miles an hour or hail stones that are about the size of a quarter. These storms are usually accompanied by heavy rain, lightening and possible tornadoes.

NWS issues watches and warnings to alert the public about severe weather risks.

• A severe thunderstorm watch is issued when conditions in the atmosphere are favorable for thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail to develop in a geographic region. If a watch is issued for your area, consider rescheduling outdoor activities and check for updates throughout the day.

• A severe thunderstorm warning means a severe thunderstorm is happening or is about to happen at your location soon. Warnings typically last less than an hour and may list specific towns that are in the storm’s path. If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued for your area, seek shelter inside immediately and go to an interior room on the lowest level. If you’re driving, pull over to the side of the road until the storm passes.

Outlooks, Watches and Warnings

Watches and warnings can be issued for any severe weather event and apply to the flash flooding and tornado sections below.

In addition to watches and warnings, NWS issues a convective outlook 1-8 days ahead of severe weather to predict the risk for broad regions. Categories of risk include general thunderstorms, marginal, slight, enhanced, moderate and high. The higher the risk, the greater potential for intense and widespread severe storms.

NOOA graphic – A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is happening or will be happening. Some roads will be flooded. Move to higher ground. Never drive through flooded roads. A Flood Watch is issued when flooding is possible. Stay tuned to radio/TV, follow weather.gov and be ready to seek higher ground.

Flash Flooding

Unfortunately, more people are killed by flash floods than by other storm-related weather hazard, with most deaths caused by driving on flooded roads. A flash flood is flooding that happens quickly. During a flash flood, streams, creeks or manmade drainage systems rise rapidly and crest within a few hours as a result of heavy rain. They’re so dangerous because the water rises quickly and can catch people off guard and trap them in dangerous situations.

If you encounter a flooded road, TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN! Don’t drive or walk through flooded areas. It takes only 6 inches of water to knock you off your feet, and 16 inches of water to move a vehicle. Get to higher ground outside of the area prone to flooding and stay informed by monitoring weather alerts. Pay attention to flood warnings and watches.

National Weather Service video – Get Weather Ready During a Tornado

Tornadoes

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground. Wind speeds inside a tornado can range from just under 100 to 300 MPH and can travel as fast as 70 MPH. While Pennsylvania is at a lower risk for tornadoes than areas in the mid-west, they do occur here. In fact, the commonwealth averages around 15 tornadoes per year.

If a tornado warning is issued for your community, seek shelter in a basement or interior room on the lowest floor. Closets, bathrooms, and other interior rooms without windows offer the best protection. Avoid windows and get under something sturdy or cover yourself with a mattress. If you’re at a school, hospital or shopping center, follow directions to a pre-designated shelter area.

If you’re in a vehicle, buckle your seat belt, and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If your vehicle is hit by flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park. Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat or other cushion if possible.

Red Cross graphic – Download the Red Cross Emergency App! Monitor over 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Stay Informed

The Red Cross provides a free Emergency App for real-time alerts and proactive planning. This app has been delivering timely and reliable storm emergency information to affected communities since 2015 and was updated last year with new features that provide modern accessibility, customization, and proactive planning guidance. Download it from any app store or visit our website.

Climate Crisis

The climate crisis has led the Red Cross to respond to nearly twice as many large disasters compared to a decade ago. In 2023 alone, the U.S. experienced an all-time high of 28 billion-dollar plus disasters that ravaged communities and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee from severe storms, floods and wildfires.

With the growing frequency and intensity of disasters driven by the climate crisis, the Red Cross is racing to adapt its services and grow its disaster response capacity across the country. Visit our Climate Crisis webpage to learn more.

World Water Day: ‘Leveraging Water for Peace’

By George Edwards

UN graphic – UN Water 22 March World Water Day: 2024 Water for Peace. Enduring peace relies on water.

Since 1993, the United Nations has instituted a call to observe World Water Day every March 22^nd. World Water Day is dedicated to highlighting the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources with the goal of attaining clean water and sanitation for all by 2030. Each year focuses on a theme related to water issues, and 2024’s specific focus is “Leveraging Water for Peace”.

We sometimes take water for granted, but water is the most basic element of life, and it has the potential to foster cooperation or exacerbate conflict among nations and communities. According to the United Nations, over 2 billion people worldwide live in countries experiencing high water stress, and about 4 billion people face severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year.

It is surprising that agriculture consumes around 70% of the world’s freshwater. But inefficient practices have jeopardized food production, leading to food shortages and increased prices. Common farming techniques extract groundwater at rates faster than it can be replenished, leading to a rapid decline in water tables. In addition to food shortages and droughts, unsustainable water use can collapse aquatic ecosystems, rapidly depleting fish populations.

Poor water quality is also a significant problem that can cause societal unrest. Lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities can lead to the spread of diseases, such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. The World Health Organization also estimates that 829,000 people die each year from diarrhea due to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation, and hand hygiene.

Given the critical importance water use and sanitation play in our lives it’s worth considering ways to help conserve our most vital resource.

Here are some things to consider:

• Be conscious of your water usage: Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving, fix leaks as soon as you can, and be mindful of the amount of the you spend showering. Shortening your shower by just a few minutes can save gallons of water each time.

• Fix Leaks Promptly: Repair dripping faucets, leaking toilets, and other plumbing leaks as soon as you notice them. A small drip can waste a significant amount of water over time.

• Full Loads Only: Only run the washing machine and dishwasher when they are fully loaded to maximize efficiency.

• Efficient Appliances: Use water-efficient appliances and fixtures, like low-flow showerheads or dual-flush toilets, which can reduce water consumption substantially.

• Smart Gardening: Water plants early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation, purchase a rain barrel to collect rain for watering your garden, and use mulch around plants to retain soil moisture.

• Cover Swimming Pools: When not in use, covering your pool will reduce water loss due to evaporation.

World Water Day can serve as a great opportunity to reflect and consider ways to make a difference through smart consumption of water in your daily routine. Remember, small actions will accumulate successfully over time, and go a long way to help other in need.

2023 trends: Red Cross responds to growing climate-driven humanitarian needs

By Dave Skutnik

Red Cross graphic – 1 in 7 people have been directly impacted by the climate crisis in the last 10 years. Source: IFRC

In 2023, the intensifying climate crisis took a devastating toll on people in the U.S. who turned to the American Red Cross for help coping with a record number of billion-dollar disasters.

So far this year, an all-time high of 25 billion-dollar disasters ravaged communities across the country, with the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region deploying volunteers to 18 different national disasters to help with relief efforts. And these back-to-back disasters led to a series of blood drive cancellations, which further strained the national Red Cross blood supply that was already dwindling from summer travel and back-to-school activities.

“The climate crisis is causing more humanitarian needs for families in the Delaware Valley and across the country, from the deadly flash flood in Bucks County over the summer to devastating wildfires in Hawaii,” Jennifer Graham, Regional CEO for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania said. “This holiday season, please remember those who need support in the face of emergencies — and join us to provide care and comfort by making a financial donation or by giving blood or platelets.”

In addition to responding to these climate-driven disasters across the country, here at home Red Cross volunteers respond to an average of 2-3 home fires every day. So far in 2023, the Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania has responded to more than 700 home fires, leaving more than 2,200 people displaced across Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. The Red Cross provides these families with temporary shelter and helps with longer term disaster recovery services.

Help during the holidays by visiting redcross.org to make a financial donation or an appointment to give blood or platelets. You can also register for volunteer opportunities in our area.

Red Cross graphic – Actions we’re taking to address the climate crisis: 1. Enhancing large scale disaster response services. 2. Strengthening local partnerships to mitigate health, hunger and housing challenges. 3. Growing our disaster teams to provide more relief. 4. Expanding our financial assistance programs.

INCREASING SUPPORT AMID THE CLIMATE CRISIS

With the growing frequency and intensity of disasters driven by the climate crisis, the Red Cross is racing to adapt its services and grow its disaster response capacity across the country. As part of this national work in 2023, the Red Cross distributed $108 million in financial assistance directly to people after disasters of all sizes, including major disasters such as Hurricane Idalia, the Hawaii wildfires and a spate of tornadoes across multiple states.

Due to increased needs from the climate crisis, the Red Cross has expanded financial assistance programs for major extreme weather disasters — including to help families bridge critical recovery gaps, such as security deposits for new housing and costs for home repairs.

Across the country, the Red Cross is delivering this vital financial assistance on top of its immediate relief efforts — including safe shelter, nutritious meals and emotional support — which have been provided on a near-constant basis for this year’s relentless extreme disasters. In fact, this year’s onslaught of large disasters drove an increase in emergency lodging provided by the Red Cross with partners — with overnight stays up more than 50% compared to the annual average for the previous five years.

During 2023, Red Cross volunteers from Southeastern Pennsylvania deployed more than 200 times to help with these large disasters across the country, including floods in California, wildfires in Hawaii, tornadoes in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri, Typhoon Mawaar in Guam, Hurricane Idalia in Florida, flooding in Vermont and many more.

Red Cross graphic – There for the moments that matter.

RESPONDING TO ADDITIONAL EMERGING NEEDS

Beyond the climate crisis, people stepped up through the Red Cross to address other emerging needs for communities, including:

• BLOOD DONATIONS: As the nation’s largest blood supplier, the Red Cross is grateful for the millions of donors who rolled up a sleeve throughout the year for patients in need. To further improve people’s health outcomes, the Red Cross has been working with community partners to introduce blood donation to a new and more diverse generation of blood donors — which is critical to ensuring that a reliable blood supply is available to the 1 in 7 hospital patients who need a lifesaving blood transfusion. The holidays can be a challenging time to collect enough blood for those in need. To book a time to give, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS. As a thank-you, all who come to give blood, platelets or plasma Dec. 1-17 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. Terms apply. See rcblood.org/Amazon. Plus, those who come to give Dec. 18-Jan. 5 will get a legendary long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while they last!

• LIFESAVING TRAINING: This year, the Red Cross expanded its training to empower people to act during current-day crises — which is vital considering that nearly half of U.S. adults report being unprepared to respond to a medical emergency. This included launching the new “Until Help Arrives” online training course last spring for opioid overdoses, severe bleeding, cardiac arrest and choking emergencies, and partnering with professional sports leagues through the Smart Heart Sports Coalition to help prevent tragedies among student athletes by offering CPR training and increasing access to AEDs.

• MILITARY FAMILIES: Red Cross workers helped service members on U.S. military installations and deployment sites worldwide — including in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. As part of our support this year, Red Cross volunteers delivered emergency communications messages connecting more than 87,000 service members with their loved ones during times of family need, while also engaging members in morale and wellness activities during deployments.

• INTERNATIONAL: As part of the world’s largest humanitarian network, the American Red Cross supported international response efforts to disasters such as this year’s massive earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the drought and hunger crisis in Africa, and flooding in Pakistan and Bangladesh. This has included providing millions in cash assistance, food, shelter, basic supplies, medical care and mental health services. As devastating conflicts persist in other areas of the world, the global Red Cross Movement continues to provide aid for people suffering, including those in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza, as part of its neutral, humanitarian mission.

Visit redcross.org/philly for more information about how the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region helped people in Philadelphia and beyond in 2023.

Red Cross focuses on worsening extreme weather during National Preparedness Month

By Alana Mauger

Red Cross graphic: The climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis.

September is Disaster Preparedness Month, and the American Red Cross is urging everyone to prepare for a national trend of worsening severe weather. In fact, as an organization, we have responded to nearly twice as many large disasters across the country as we did a decade ago.

As rapidly intensifying, weather-related events pose serious challenges to our humanitarian work and the people we serve, the Red Cross has announced an ambitious national plan to take urgent action. With more climate-driven disasters upending lives and devastating communities, we’re racing to adapt our services and grow our disaster response capacity across the country. At the same time, we’re funding new international programs on climate response and preparedness, as well as minimizing our own environmental footprint.

Locally in Southeastern Pennsylvania, we’re recruiting and training more Red Cross volunteers to respond both in our region and across the country. Currently, 11 of our local volunteers are deployed to assist people in Hawaii, Southern California, Washington and Florida, as well as virtually, and this summer, our volunteers have also helped people impacted by extreme weather in Guam, Texas, Vermont, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Arkansas.

For National Preparedness Month, you can individually take three lifesaving actions — get a kit, make a plan and be informed — to help protect yourself against local emergencies.Follow safety tips now at redcross.org/prepare. We also invite you to check our Red Cross Philly Blog throughout the month for a series of volunteer-written articles about specific preparedness topics.

Red Cross graphic — Actions we’re taking to address the climate crisis: enhancing large-scale disaster response services; strengthening local partnerships to mitigate health, hunger and housing challenges; growing our disaster teams to provide more relief; expanding our financial assistance programs.

ADAPTING TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS

In the first half of 2023 alone, the nation experienced an above-average 15 billion-dollar disasters. That’s all on top of extreme heat in communities across the U.S. — which have made July the country’s hottest single month on record. What’s more, the U.S. is just now entering its typical peak time for hurricanes and wildfires.

As extreme weather disasters increase, more people need help from the Red Cross in the U.S. As such, we’re taking bold and thoughtful actions to adapt our services and grow our capacity. For example, the Red Cross is:

• Enhancing large-scale disaster response services by bolstering the aid provided in emergency shelters and extending casework support to help people with the most recovery needs.
• Expanding financial assistance to help more families with unmet needs and bridge the gap between immediate disaster relief and long-term recovery assistance.
• Strengthening local partner networks in targeted areas that face a high risk of extreme weather and existing societal inequities with a focus on increased access to health and mental health services, nutritious food and safe housing for local families.
• Growing our disaster workforce to deepen disaster readiness. This includes fortifying the critical infrastructure and technology that enables 24/7 response to disasters across the country.

Red Cross graphic: New Tee, Sept. 1-18 – Give Blood, Give Hope.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER IMPACT THE NATIONAL BLOOD SUPPLY

The Red Cross has seen a significant shortfall in blood and platelet donations over the last month, making it hard to keep pace with the need for blood products. Blood and platelet donations that go uncollected due to climate-related events, such as hurricanes, wildfires and extreme heat, can put further strain on the national blood supply. As extreme weather events are worsening, the Red Cross is seeing that translate into more blood drive cancellations. In 2022, over 1,300 blood drives were canceled due to weather — about 23% higher than the average of the prior nine years.

In thanks for helping ensure the nation’s blood supply is prepared for all emergencies, from disasters to medical emergencies, all who come to give blood, platelets or plasma Sept. 1-18 will receive a limited-edition Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Those who come to give throughout September will also receive a coupon for a free haircut by email, thanks to Sport Clips Haircuts. Details are available at rcblood.org/racetogive. Donors can schedule an appointment to donate using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).