Lowcountry Red Cross Volunteer Deploying to Assist with Disaster Response in West Virginia

Lowcountry Red Cross Volunteer Deploying
to Assist with Disaster Response in West Virginia

Robin McRae available to speak with media Wednesday morning

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., June 28, 2016 — Local American Red Cross volunteer, Robin McRae, is joining fourteen volunteers from South Carolina in providing support and comfort to people affected by the devastating flooding in West Virginia. McRae, a disaster mental health volunteer, will be providing emotional support to families overwhelmed by the flooding and devastation.

“We sympathize with the people in West Virginia, having recently been through flooding of our own in South Carolina,” said Louise Welch Williams, regional CEO for the Red Cross in South Carolina. “We understand that families not only need food and shelter, but emotional support as well to help them get through this disaster and begin to recover.”

McRae, an experienced Red Cross volunteer, has responded to disasters across the country, including the floods in Texas last spring, and helped here in her hometown after the historic floods in South Carolina. She is available for interviews with the media on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 before she departs for West Virginia.

When:              Wednesday, June 29, 2016             

7:15 – 7:30 a.m.

Where:             American Red Cross of Lowcountry SC

2424 City Hall Lane

North Charleston, SC 29406

Contact:           Jennifer Heisler, 843-412-0018

HOW TO HELP 

You can help people affected by disasters like the floods in West Virginia and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or send a donation to the American Red Cross, 2424-A City Hall Lane, North Charleston, SC 29406.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visitwww.redcross.org/sc  or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossSC

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Free Monster Guard App can help save children’s lives

If a fire broke out in your home, would your child know what to do? If your child knows to get out of the house rather than hiding in the closet when fire breaks out, or is able to stay calm enough to get into a bathroom or closet with no windows when a tornado is coming, then this child is literally taking lifesaving actions, helping themselves and others.

Kids are disproportionately affected by emergencies and large scale disasters. Children typically represent 50-60% of those affected by disasters, despite making up only 25% of the general population*. The American Red Cross wants to help you teach your kids how to stay safe when facing danger and ensure their well-being, before, during, and after a disaster.

Preparedness is important for children of all ages. You can begin teaching children about emergencies at a young age. As children get older, you can add more detail and information. For example, kids will likely hear a smoke alarm at a very young age, even if only from burned toast. Teach them that a smoke alarm warns you about a fire and that they should leave the house if they hear it. For older kids, explaining some of the science behind an emergency, like what causes a hurricane, can make it more interesting.

Monster Guard, a free mobile app created by Red Cross, gives children a fun opportunity to prepare for disasters while gaming. Children between the ages of 7 and 11 learn ways to prepare and stay safe in home fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other disasters by role-playing as different monster characters.

“The Monster Guard App provides a fun, gaming environment for youth to learn about fire prevention and what to do if a fire or other disaster occurs,” said Louise Welch Williams, regional CEO for the American Red Cross in South Carolina. “The intent is to empower children with knowledge and have them discuss what they’ve learned with family and household members.”

Set in the ‘Monster Guard Academy,’ children earn points as they identify hazards, locate a safe room in the house, and select items for their emergency supplies kit. They earn gold, silver or bronze medals based on the number of points they score. Star multipliers located throughout the episodes allow them to bump their scores even higher. If a player completes all the episodes, he or she will graduate and become a member of the ‘Monster Guard.’

Monster Guard is available for free in your App store or you can text 'MONSTER' to 90999 to receive a direct link to download the app. For more information on disaster preparedness for your entire family, visit redcross.org/get-help.