Disaster Updates

Red Cross Update for Tuesday, May 14, 2008 ( 4:09 p.m.)

Call 1-866-RC-HELPS for Emergency Disaster Assistance

Atlanta Red Cross Responds to Mother's Day Tornadoes

Following its response to a devastating March 14 tornado, which ripped through portions of downtown Atlanta and surrounding neighborhoods, the Atlanta Red Cross again swung into action, assessing the needs of dozens of families which were impacted by a series of Mother's Day storms.

On Sunday, May 11, the Atlanta Red Cross dispatched several teams of Red Cross Disaster Assessment volunteers to portions of Carroll, Douglas, Fulton and Clayton Counties to provide relief to victims of reported EF0- EF2 tornadoes. A Red Cross command center vehicle was also dispatched Monday, May 12, to provide a headquarters for Red Cross staff and volunteers who were conducting client casework in hard-hit portions of Clayton County.

To date, the metro Atlanta Red Cross has provided emergency assistance to 132 clients. More Red Cross volunteers from our community remain on standby to respond as needed.

The information below shows the current status of the Red Cross relief effort throughout the state of Georgia---

CURRENT SITUATION:

Governor Sonny Perdue has declared a State of Emergency for Bibb, Carroll, Douglas, Laurens, Jefferson, and Johnson Counties.

                Carroll County:

Red Cross damage assessment complete. 15 houses sustained major damage or were destroyed, while 118 houses were affected. 10 cases were opened following disaster outreach. 4 families were housed in hotels. 

Clayton County:

Red Cross damage assessment complete. 53 homes were found to be uninhabitable while, overall, 194 homes were affected. 23 cases were opened following disaster outreach. 11 families were housed in hotels. The Atlanta Red Cross deployed its’ Mobile Command Center to the Incident Command Post.

  Douglas County:

  Red Cross damage assessment complete. Red Cross damage assessment        
  shows 30 homes affected. 2 cases opened. 1 family was housed in a hotel.

Fulton County:

Red Cross damage assessment complete. 1 home sustained minor damage while 12 homes were affected. Disaster action teams completed Red Cross damage assessment on May 11. No disaster cases were opened.

Red Cross damage assessment is still underway. Initial estimates hover around 140 homes which have sustained major damaged or are destroyed, and 700-1,000 homes which have been affected. A Red Cross shelter in the Macon area is currently home to approximately 40 residents and mass care feeding continues for emergency workers and others affected in the area. The local chapter is currently utilizing caseworkers to provide immediate emergency assistance to those affected by the storms. The Atlanta Red Cross has dispatched 16 volunteers and one staff member to assist with relief efforts in the Macon area.

Other:
Red Cross Disaster relief is either underway or has been completed in the following counties:

Emanuel County (Savannah Chapter), Tattnall County (Savannah Chapter), Bulloch County (Bulloch Chapter), Montgomery County (Bulloch Chapter), Toombs County (Bulloch Chapter), Glynn County (Southeast Coastal Georgia Chapter), McIntosh County (Southeast Coastal Georgia Chapter), Brantley County (Southeast Coastal Georgia Chapter).

Red Cross Update for Monday, May 13, 2008 ( 4:06 p.m.)
Call 1-866-RC-HELPS for Emergency Disaster Assistance

Atlanta Red Cross Responds to Round Two of Atlanta Tornadoes

Following its response to a devastating  March 14 tornado, which ripped through portions of downtown Atlanta, the Atlanta Red Cross again swung into action, assessing the needs of dozens of families which were impacted by a series of May 10 storms.

On Sunday, May 11,  the Atlanta Red Cross dispatched several teams of Red Cross Disaster Assessment volunteers to portions of Carroll, Douglas, Fulton and Clayton Counties to provide relief to the tornado victims. A Red Cross command center vehicle was also dispatched Monday, May 12, to provide a  headquarters for Red Cross staff and volunteers who were conducting client casework in hard hit portions of Clayton County. More Red Cross volunteers from our community remain on standby to respond as needed.

The information below shows the current status of the Red Cross effort in Metro Atlanta.

Carroll County
10 cases were opened during disaster outreach.  4 families were housed in hotels.

Clayton County
53 homes were found to be uninhabitable. 23 cases were opened following disaster outreach. 11 families were housed in hotels. The Atlanta Red Cross has deployed its Mobile Command Center to the Incident Command Post. Disaster Assessment Teams are in the field today, May 12, to  complete damage assessment and to continue casework through outreach.  The Atlanta Red Cross will send additional damage assessment teams, caseworkers and casework supervisors as needed. 

Douglas County
Red Cross Disaster Action Teams in field today, May 12, to  complete damage assessment.  2 cases opened.  1 family was housed in a local hotel.

Anyone in Metro Atlanta needing emergency disaster assistance can reach the Red Cross by calling 1-866-RC-HELPS. Any Atlanta resident whose loved ones elsewhere may be concerned about them following the tornado, are encouraged to register on the Red Cross "Safe and Well" Web site at https://disastersafe.redcross.org/. This site provides reassurance that individuals are “Safe and Well” for family members who have been unable to contact them. 

Red Cross Services to Families in Georgia (through April 10)

	Total
Families provided one-on-one assistance*	391
Shelter registrations	310
Comfort kits distributed	310
Clean-up kits distributed	250
Meals served	5,514
Snacks served	17,265
Mental Health contacts	554
Health Services contacts	482
Red Cross workers	328

RED CROSS TRANSITIONS ATLANTA
TORNADO ASSISTANCE CENTER
Help still available

ATLANTA (April 3, 2008) - The American Red Cross Tornado Disaster Assistance Center operating at Beulah Baptist Church in Vine City will transition its client services to the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter beginning Monday, April 7.

Anyone still in need of help from the Red Cross as a result of the recent tornado will be able to meet with a caseworker by appointment at the chapter's headquarters, which is located at 1955 Monroe Dr. NE, Atlanta. The number to call to schedule an appointment is 404-870-4440.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross Disaster Assistance Center at Beulah Baptist Church, 170 Griffin St. NW, Atlanta, remains open for walk-ins today (Thursday) from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and again on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Red Cross offices are closed Saturday and Sunday.)

"We look forward to continuing to assist those who still need our help," says Marilyn Self, transition director of the relief operation. To date, the Red Cross has provided one-on-one assistance for 298 local families affected by the storms.

The American Red Cross responded immediately to the tornadoes and severe weather that hit statewide on March 14-15, resulting in federal disaster declarations for seven Georgia counties. To date, working with community partners, Georgia-based chapters of the Red Cross have provided emergency services for 388 families, served 5,514 meals, distributed 250 clean-up kits, and utilized the services of more than 300 volunteers from around Georgia and across the country to help our neighbors in need.

All American Red Cross disaster relief is free, a gift from the American People. Led by 1.3 million volunteers across the country, the Red Cross is ready to respond at a moment’s notice when help is needed. To help the victims of this and other disasters, contributions may be made to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. Internet users can make a secure online credit card donation by visiting www.redcross.org.

March 31, 2008

DISASTER ASSISTANCE CENTER

• Beulah Baptist Church, 170 Griffin St., in Vine City area.
  Open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (closed Sunday)
  

PHONE NUMBER FOR RED CROSS ASSISTANCE:
Anyone in metro Atlanta in need of assistance following the storms should call 404-870-4440.

Red Cross Services to Families in Georgia (through March 30)

Click here

ATLANTA RED CROSS TRANSITIONS LANG CARSON SERVICE CENTER
Red Cross help still available at Beulah Baptist Church

ATLANTA (March 26, 2008) - The American Red Cross service center at Lang Carson Recreation Center will transfer tomorrow, March 27, to Beulah Baptist Church to continue to provide aid for individuals affected by the Georgia tornadoes.

Those in Metropolitan Atlanta still needing assistance can visit Beulah Baptist Church at 170 Griffin Street in the Vine City area, or call (404) 870-4440. The center at Beulah Baptist Church will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Sunday, until further notice.

Consolidating client services at Beulah Baptist Church will provide clients the opportunity to seek assistance in a location convenient to our federal partners at the disaster recovery center in the gymnasium at nearby Morris Brown College.

“The American Red Cross Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter has been very active reaching out to affected areas, and in directing people who have been affected by this disaster to the two main service centers, as well as keeping a hotline open directly to the chapter,” said Pat Goodale, Job Director. “We look forward to continuing to assist those who still need our help.”

To date, Georgia-based chapters of the American Red Cross have provided emergency services to 335 families, served 5,267 meals, distributed 250 clean-up kits, and utilized the services of more than 300 volunteers from around Georgia and across the country.

All American Red Cross disaster relief is free, a gift from the American People. Led by 1.3 million volunteers across the country, the Red Cross is ready to respond at a moment’s notice when help is needed. To help the victims of this and other disasters, contributions may be made to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. Internet users can make a secure online credit card donation by visiting www.redcross.org.

March 25, 2008

Helping Families in Need

The Burke Family

Nicholas and Karen Burke, with their children ages 8, 5, 3 and 1,  turned to the Red Cross for help.

"Nick, don't look at your car," are the first words Nicholas Burke recalls his wife Kerrin saying when she pulled herself to their bedroom window after the tornado passed over. But Burke's new car, now crushed by a tree, was just the tip of the disaster iceberg for this family of six. Their home at the Azalea Garden Apartments in Atlanta was heavily damaged and unsafe, and most of their personal belongings were destroyed.  

The Burkes found refuge and hot meals in the Red Cross shelter opened last week at the Central Park Recreation Center. They also met one-on-one with Red Cross caseworkers, who provided emergency referrals and resources for food clothing and housing assistance. 

 "You guys are angels," says a grateful Burke. "When people need help, the Red Cross is there."


The Moraguez-Dixon Family

Maria Moraguez and Mario Dixon get help from Red Cross caseworker Tony Hardin.

Cabbagetown resident Maria Moraguez, a hairdresser and mother of two, was home alone when the tornado hit. She grabbed a flashlight and her cell phone and keys when the windows of her second floor loft bowed inward. Then the lights went out. Moving toward the door, Moraguez found she couldn't open it against the air pressure in the room. It was the sound of a train roaring in the outside hallway that sent her crawling for the bathroom. Water poured down on her from the floor above.   

"I've never been that scared in my life," says Moraguez, who managed to escape from the building and dodge debris in the pitch dark to find her car and partner, a valet, who was working half a mile away. Mario Dixon rode out what he thought was just a heavy rainstorm, in his car, and couldn't believe what Moraguez was telling him - their home and the entire building they lived in had been destroyed by a tornado.

"This is amazing to me," said Moraguez, glancing around the Red Cross Disaster Assistance Center at Beulah Baptist Church in Vine City. "I had no idea how many people came together to offer Red Cross services. These Red Cross volunteers are amazing people."

The couple met one-on-one with Red Cross caseworker Tony Hardin, who helped them with food, clothing, housing assistance, bedding and other household necessities.  

I'm so overwhelmed I don't know what I need to do next, and he's thinking of things I haven't even thought of," smiled a grateful Moraguez.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE CENTERS REMAIN OPEN IN METRO ATLANTA:

• Lang Carson Recreation Center,
  100 Flat Shoals Ave., in Reynoldstown area.
  
• Beulah Baptist Church,
  170 Griffin St., in Vine City area.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

PHONE NUMBER FOR RED CROSS ASSISTANCE:
Anyone in metro Atlanta in need of assistance following the storms
should call 404-870-4440.

Atlanta residents whose loved ones may be concerned about them following the tornado, are encouraged to register on our "Safe and Well" Web site, https://disastersafe.redcross.org.  The site provides reassurance that individuals are "Safe and Well" for family members unable to reach them.

Red Cross Services to Families in Georgia (through March 24)

Neighbors Helping Neighbors with Tornado Clean up Saturday will get Support from Red Cross Aid Stations

Special Thanks to our Corporate Partners for their Support

March 21, 2008 - The Red Cross will operate two Disaster Emergency Aid Stations to support recovery efforts in Cabbagetown and Vine City on Saturday, March 22. The Aid Stations will offer water and snacks to community volunteers and affected families working together on clean up and repairs in tornado-stricken neighborhoods.

Volunteers including Red Cross caseworkers and health and mental health workers will be available to offer first aid, emotional support, supplies and resources for recovery. Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVS) at both locations may also use the Aid Stations as a home base for mobile outreach to families in affected neighborhoods.

The Red Cross relief operation is supported by volunteers from metro Atlanta, other parts of Georgia and neighboring states that are donating their holiday weekend to help our community.

Immediately following the tornadoes that swept through Georgia on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15, Red Cross chapters in metro Atlanta and across Georgia mobilized volunteers, equipment, and supplies to help families devastated by the storms. We’re committed to helping families in our communities for as long as emergency relief is needed.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Georgia tornadoes, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. 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.

To Make a Donation for Red Cross Disaster Relief call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.atlantaredcross.org

Red Cross Closes Shelter; Continues Services at Two Disaster Assistance Centers

March 20, 2008.... With a dwindling need for emergency shelter after last week's tornado in metro Atlanta, the Red Cross has closed its last remaining shelter at the Central Park Recreation Center, 400 Merritts Ave. NE, Atlanta, as of 5:00 pm today.

The Red Cross continues to help metro residents affected by the storms at two Disaster Assistance Centers in Atlanta. The Centers are open daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., with the exception of Easter Sunday. They are located at:

Beulah Baptist Church, 170 Griffin Street NW, Atlanta

Lang Carson Recreation Center, 100 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta

Individuals and families can meet one-on-one with Red Cross case workers and get emergency assistance for their disaster-caused needs, among them health services and emotional support.

Anyone who needs emergency help as a result of last week's severe weather is urged to call the Red Cross at 404-870-4440.

Red Cross Adds Disaster Assistance Center

March 19, 2008 - The American Red Cross has opened an additional Disaster Assistance Center to help families affected by last weekend’s tornado and severe weather.

The new Center is in the Reynoldstown area of Atlanta and is located at:

Lang Carson Recreation Center
100 Flat Shoals Ave. SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30316

The Red Cross also has a Disaster Assistance Center in the Vine City area at:

Beulah Baptist Church
170 Griffin Street NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30314

Anyone still in need of emergency help after last weekend’s severe weather in metro Atlanta can call the Red Cross at 404-870-4440.

March 18, 2008
Red Cross Disaster Relief Update

Preparing for Another Wave of Severe Weather

With another round of potentially severe weather forecast for Georgia and the metro Atlanta area tomorrow, the Red Cross urges families to make disaster preparedness a priority. The following tornado tips could save lives:

http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_248_,00.html

The Red Cross is prepared to respond to any disaster emergency that may occur.

Ongoing Georgia Tornado Response

The Red Cross continues to provide food, shelter, clothing, and other emergency assistance to families affected by the tornadoes that swept through Georgia on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15. Areas with the heaviest damage include downtown Atlanta and Floyd, Polk, Bartow, Jefferson, and Effingham counties. 

To date, the Red Cross has provided emergency financial assistance for 204 families in affected counties and that number is growing by the day. The Red Cross has also provided the following services:

Red Cross Services
(as of Tuesday, March 18, 2 p.m.)

In Atlanta:

• Anyone in need of emergency disaster assistance can reach the Red Cross by calling 404-870-4440.
  
• affected families can find refuge and a hot meal this evening at the Red Cross shelter located at the Central Park Recreation Center, 400 Merritts Ave. NE, Atlanta

A Red Cross - Salvation Army Disaster Assistance Center at Beulah Baptist Church, 170 Griffin St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30314 will be open from 9:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m tomorrow. The Center serves families with emergency needs resulting from last Friday’s tornado.

How You Can Help

GIVE MONEY – The best way to help is by making a financial donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund at www.atlantaredcross.org or by mailing a check to:

American Red Cross
P.O. Box 101590
Atlanta, GA. 30392

ORGANIZE A COLLECTION or HOST A FUNDRAISER  - Visit www.atlantaredcross.org
for detailed information. 

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like these tornadoes, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. 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. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Saturday, March 15, 2008:

Call 404-870-4440 for Emergency Disaster Assistance

The Following Red Cross Shelter is Open for Residents Displaced by the Atlanta Tornado:

• Central Park Recreation Center, 400 Merritts Ave., NE, Atlanta (adjacent to the Civic Center)

(Note: Anyone who registers at a Red Cross shelter will be asked to show proof of residency in a storm-affected area.)

The shelter is housing approximately 40 people at this time.

Four teams of disaster volunteers have competed damage assesments in the Cabbage Town, Five Points and Old Fourth Ward areas of the city and are now concentrating their efforts in the Vine City area. They are reporting that most damage to homes has occured in the Cabbage Town and Vine City neighborhoods.  Another Red Cross shelter in the area is on stand-by to open if needed this evening.

A shelter opened earlier today at the Helene Mills Recreation Center, 515 John Wesley Dobbs Ave., has now closed.  

Aproximately 45 Red Cross disaster workers are part of emergency relief efforts following Friday night's tornado in the heart of the city, which damaged prominent Atlanta landmarks and  urban dwellings alike. Outreach to affected families continues. (Updated 8:30 p.m.)

Atlanta Red Cross Responds to February's Metro Area Storms
A series of ferocious storms ripped through the metro Atlanta area on the morning of February 26, producing heavy rain and damaging winds. According to official reports, hundreds of homes in several counties suffered mild to severe damage.

Immediately following the storms, the metro Atlanta Red Cross dispatched Emergency Response Vehicles and teams of disaster volunteers to canvass storm ravaged neighborhoods and to identify those with emergency needs for food, shelter, comfort kits, and replacement medications.

In all, Red Cross caseworkers are helping five families get back on their feet again following the late winter storms.

Metro Atlanta Chapter Sends Help to Tornado-Scarred States

Richard Huger (left) and Jack Lambert ready their Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) for travel as they prepare for deployment to tornado-stricken Tennessee.

The Atlanta Red Cross has deployed 14 disaster volunteers across the Southeast to assist victims following one of the largest series of tornadoes in decades. They are part of a larger group of national Red Cross volunteers which is also assisting with disaster relief efforts in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Among the Atlanta volunteers are Jack Lambert and Richard Huger, who are assisting victims in the Nashville area.

Red Cross volunteers are providing shelter, food, beverages, physical and mental health care, family services, client casework support and clean up supplies to those affected throughout the region. A typical volunteer assignment lasts about 3 weeks.

Red Cross Sees Dramatic Spike in Home Fires as Colder Weather Sets In

November is off to a tragic start for 28 metro Atlanta families who have lost their homes to fires. Red Cross disaster action team volunteers worked around the clock over the weekend to provide food, clothing, and shelter to over one hundred people.

From November 2- 5 of this year, volunteers responded to 16 home fires, half of which affected multiple families. The fires also occurred in 4 of the 5 districts served by the Metro Atlanta Chapter.

The Metro Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross currently has deployed 18 volunteers to assist victims of the Southern California wildfires, which forced several hundred thousand people from their homes. This group is part of a larger group of national and regional Red Cross volunteers which is assisting with disaster relief efforts following the wildfires which, according to media reports, have decimated more than 600 square miles of scrubland and residential property.

Red Cross has deployed a total of 233 volunteers from the Southeastern region to the California wildfires from the 290 volunteers who were available for assignment. Georgia chapters collectively have sent 40 volunteers to date. Ten of the Georgia's 22 Red Cross chapters deployed staff to California.  Many of these volunteers engaged in sheltering operations, several for the first time. The experience they gained on this assignment will substantially strengthen the capacity of the chapters to respond to local events, especially those that may require sheltering.

So far, more than 6,400 Red Cross workers from across the nation have responded to the California event. There the Red Cross managed 26 shelters or evacuation sites, served more than 173,000 meals and 318,000 snacks, and provided mental health counseling for 18,619 people, and has made 7,437 health services contacts.

RELATED LINKS:
http://www.redcross.org/news/ds/profiles/disaster_profile_CAWildfires.html
https://disastersafe.redcross.org/

Red Cross Responds to Recent Slew of Local Disasters 

Fifteen volunteers from Dekalb County spent the evening of August 23 meeting with families burned out of their homes when lightning struck at the Friendly Hills Apartments in Decatur. Seventy-two people received immediate assistance with clothing, food and shelter.

On August 25 and 26, Red Cross volunteers responded to three incidents in which wind blown trees had fallen on homes in both Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

In all, Red Cross volunteers responded to 54 incidents and provided emergency assistance to approximately 123 families during the month of August.

Bluffton University Bus Accident Summary

On Monday, March 5, Red Cross assistance transitioned to a special family care team based out of the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter building. This team consisted of experienced caseworkers who offered mental health counseling and referral services to the affected families of the Bluffton team.

The Red Cross chapter in Lima, Ohio also provided mental health and other family assistance services for the Bluffton University community, as the team and their families returned home.

Atlanta Red Cross Aiding Relief to Georgia Tornado Victims

On Friday, the Atlanta Red Cross dispatched an Emergency Response Vehicle and two volunteers to Americus, Georgia to provide relief to the tornado victims in south Georgia. Our command center vehicle was also dispatched Friday to provide a temporary headquarters for Red Cross staff who were displaced from their tornado-damaged chapter building in Americus. On Monday, two additional volunteers from Atlanta joined the effort in the storm-ravaged region.

More Red Cross volunteers from our community remain on standby to respond as needed. The table below shows the magnitude of the Red Cross effort in south Georgia.