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The American Red Cross Responds to the earthquake in Haiti
How to Help
For inquiries about people in Haiti, please be patient and call repeatedly until the lines clear or contact other family members who live nearby. Telephone, Internet and other communication lines are often disrupted in times of disaster.
People trying to locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Haiti should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or (202) 647-5225.
We are not accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti. If you would like to volunteer for the American Red Cross, please contact volunteer@mtbredcross.org. To find out more about volunteer opportunities in Haiti go to http://www.interaction.org/.
We are not accepting in-kind donations. Please call 1-800-7INKIND or go to http://www.giftsinkind.org/
ICRC is helping reconnect separated families in Haiti at www.icrc.org/familylinks
The best way to help is to make a donation to the American Red Cross International Response Fund at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter.
Donors can text "Haiti" to 90999 on their cell phone to send a $10 donation to support Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. A $10 donation can provide a family with two water cans to store clean drinking water, basic first aid supplies or a blanket appropriate to the climate.
The American Red Cross has spent or committed nearly $78 million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors.
- To meet urgent needs, 71 percent of the funds spent or committed by the American Red Cross have been for food and water; 20 percent have been for shelter; and the rest are for health and family services.
- Because of the generosity of donors, people in Haiti will receive more than immediate relief - they will receive resources, support and training from the Red Cross that will help them recover and rebuild in the years ahead.
The humanitarian aid pipeline is opening wider and logistical problems are getting smaller, but the needs in Haiti are still immense. Red Cross teams are on the ground assessing ways to not only meet the immediate needs but also provide long-term recovery assistance, such as restarting the local market economy and addressing housing needs.
- 4 Red Cross warehouses (2 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and 2 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti) are open and operating at full capacity.
- The Red Cross is now producing 1 million liters of water per day, enough for 185,000 people to receive 5.4 liters per person per day. In addition, Red Cross teams are working to scale up latrine construction.
- To date, Red Cross distributions of food and relief items have reached nearly 20,000 families (or 100,000 people).
- To date, more than 64 flights carrying Red Cross aid from around the world have arrived in Santo Domingo and Haiti.
- The American Red Cross is in Haiti as a part of the broader and coordinated Red Cross and Red Crescent network. Read some more about how the American Red Cross responds to international disasters.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.
February is American Heart Month
The Mt Baker Chapter of the American Red Cross challenges you to get trained in lifesaving CPR and First Aid skills this month!
American Red Cross training programs in First Aid, CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) are designed to give you confidence to respond in an emergency situation, such as cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac arrest, with skills that can save a life. Often when you are faced with an emergency situation it will be a member of your family that needs help. The Red Cross wants you to be ready to respond when you need to.
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American Red Cross Urges Preparations for Strong Winds and Potential Power Outages |
Tips from the Red Cross on preparing for high winds and possible power outages:
Prepare for High Winds
• Make trees more wind resistant by removing diseased and damaged limbs.
• Move or secure lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants and anything else that can be picked up by wind and become a projectile.
• During the storm, draw blinds and shades over windows. If windows break due to objects blown by the wind, the shades will prevent glass from shattering into your home.
Top Safety Tips for a Power Outage
• Assemble essential supplies, including: flashlight, batteries, portable radio, at least one gallon of water, and a small supply of food.
• Only use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Due to the extreme risk of fire, do not use candles during a power outage.
• Use the phone for emergencies only. Listening to a portable radio can provide the latest information. Do not call 9-1-1 for information – only call to report a life-threatening emergency.
• Do not run a generator inside a home or garage. If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system.
• Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out. Leave one light on so you know when the power comes back on.
• Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.
• If you use medication that requires refrigeration, most can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem. If unsure, check with your physician or pharmacist.
• Stay focused on the risks of smoke and carbon monoxide. Buy a carbon monoxide alarm if you do not already have one. They are available at most hardware stores. If you have one, check the battery to make sure it is working. If the alarm sounds: get to fresh air by going outside. Contact the fire department before you go back inside your home. |
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H1N1 |
The situation with H1N1 can change daily. Gather information on a regular basis from reliable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) and the Whatcom County Health Department. You can visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu, and the Health Department at www.co.whatcom.wa.us/health/h1n1.
You can find additional information on planning and preparing for pandemic flu at www.redcross.org/pandemicflu and www.flu.gov.
During a pandemic or other disaster, you can let others know of your well-being by registering on the Safe and Well website at www.redcross.org/safeandwell. |
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The Mt. Baker Chapter serves all communities in
Whatcom County and Skagit Valley.
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