Red Cross assisting seven Richmonders displaced by fire

For Immediate Release
August 5, 2010
Contact: Bill Harrison
804 780 2256
804 396 0162

The American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter, is helping seven adults who were displaced by a fire at 1814 Bainbridge on the city’s southside.

The Red Cross is assisting with lodging in a local hotel and debit cards for food and clothing. They are also meeting with Red Cross caseworkers to establish long range recovery plans.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by the donation of time and money by the American people, To help these and other disaster victims, please mail contributions to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 655, Richmond, Va. 23218, call 804-780-2250 or visit www.greaterrichmond.redcross.org

Red Cross Urges Preparedness during Swine Flu Outbreak

The recent documented cases of swine flu in the several states across the U.S. and in a growing number of other countries may cause many people to wonder what they can do at this point.

As health experts across the world seek to get more information and a better understanding of the scope and severity of the swine flu outbreak, this is a good time for families, businesses and organizations to review and update their preparedness plans.

The Red Cross and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are offering the following tips to ensure you stay healthy.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

This is a good reminder to prepare for life’s emergencies. The Red Cross recommends you take this opportunity to prepare your family for any disaster by getting a kit, making a plan and being informed. More information is available on the Red Cross Web site, www.RedCross.org.

Up to the minute updates on the swine flu can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.  People seeking information on human swine flu should visit the CDC web site or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

Red Cross sending volunteers and Emergency Response Vehicles to Alabama

NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Theresa House
Public Relations Representative
American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter
Office: 804.780.2297 § Cell: 804.396.0186
Email: houset@usa.redcross.org
http://www.greaterrichmond.redcross.org/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 27, 2008

Red Cross sending volunteers and Emergency Response Vehicles to Alabama
These Red Cross resources will be pre-staged for the arrival of Hurricane Gustav

RICHMOND, Va.—The Greater Richmond, Rappahannock and Southside chapters of The American Red Cross are deploying Emergency Response Vehicles and volunteers to Montgomery, Ala. to prepare for Hurricane Gustav’s arrival in the gulf coast region.

The crews from the Greater Richmond and Rappahannock chapters will leave Thursday, August 28 at 2 p.m. from the Richmond headquarters at 420 East Cary St. They expect to arrive in Montgomery around 7 p.m. on Friday, August 29.

The Greater Richmond ERV crew will be Warren Delaney and Rosa Roncales. Delaney has volunteered for the Red Cross for 10 years. Roncales began working at the chapter in August through the AmeriCorps program.

The ERV, a mobile feeding unit, can deliver as many as 1,500 meals a day. It may also be used to deliver supplies including clean-up kits, rakes, garbage bags, and toiletries that may be useful for displaced residents.The Greater Richmond Chapter serves the Richmond area. The Rappahannock Chapter serves the Fredericksburg area, and the Southside Chapter serves the Petersburg area.