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Red Cross assists communities after severe winter weather
Written by
Katie Lawson
, Staff Writer, Redcross.org
Thursday, January 18, 2007 — After a severe winter storm blasted parts of the United States earlier this week, temperatures continue to drop and many are still without power in several states from the Heartland to the Midwest. In response to the storm front that brought ice, snow, high winds, freezing rain and even some flooding to states from Texas to Maine, the American Red Cross has been busy opening shelters and distributing food to weary residents in affected areas.
Oklahomans received the brunt of the storm with the McAlester and Muskogee areas among the hardest hit. The storm prompted Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry to issue a state of emergency for all 77 counties in the state and President Bush has approved an emergency presidential disaster declaration. Several Red Cross chapters throughout Oklahoma have joined together to open 32 shelters, and 17 mobile feeding units will serve meals and snacks in affected areas.
In the Tulsa, Okla., area, the Red Cross has opened 13 shelters and is supporting another five community-operated shelters. A feeding site also has been serving residents of Pittsburg County who are without power. Two Southern Baptist Men’s Disaster Kitchens, which are capable of producing between 10,000 and 25,000 meals per day, were set-up and cooking by noon on Wednesday near McAlester and Muskogee.
While the Texas Gulf Coast and Houston area were initially coated with ice, widespread flooding also became a problem throughout the weekend. Red Cross chapters in the Southwest opened two shelters that have since closed their doors. Another round of ice and snow hit central Texas Wednesday morning as well, closing schools and roads throughout the state.
In Missouri, the cold weather continues, and tens of thousands are still without power with outages possible through the end of the week. Many of those without power turned to the Red Cross for shelter. Eight Red Cross shelters remain open in central Missouri where more than 2,000 overnight guests were welcomed. In addition, two Red Cross supported shelters remain open in the area.
Over the past few days, the local Midwest chapters have served nearly 2,800 meals and more than 7,700 snacks to shelter guests. As of last night, there are 12 Red Cross emergency response vehicles providing mobile feeding in Missouri to residents who are braving their dark, frigid homes.
Red Cross volunteers continue to provide food and shelter to those affected by severe winter weather across the country. Chapters in Arkansas, Illinois, New Hampshire and New York also have opened shelters as a result of the severe winter weather.
To learn more about disaster preparedness and safety including winter storm safety, visit the "Get Prepared" section of Redcross.org or contact your local Red Cross chapter.
The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
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