Red Cross Helps Communities Affected by Hurricane Humberto

Catching many residents off guard, Hurricane Humberto has continued its assault on areas of Texas and Louisiana, many of which have yet to fully recover from the devastating hurricanes of two years ago. The Red Cross reacted quickly, and continues to provide relief to residents as this storm moves further inland.

By the time Tropical Storm Humberto strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane and began battering southeastern Texas, the Red Cross had already pre-positioned additional support, including staff, equipment and supplies, in response to the damage caused by 80-mph winds and driving rain. By monitoring the path of the storm and maintaining contact between its local chapters and national headquarters, the Red Cross has been able to target areas with the greatest potential need for assistance. Currently, the Red Cross is moving mobile feeding vehicles, sheltering supplies (such as cots and blankets) and trained workers to the affected areas in Texas and Louisiana.

As Humberto continues to unleash severe winds and rain, the Red Cross stresses several points for residents to remember:

Humberto has left many homes without power. Residents should take care to keep all perishable items on ice. A refrigerator that is half full will hold food at a safe temperature for only 24 hours. For more information about food safety during extended power outages go to www.redcross.org.
The Red Cross is focusing on providing for the immediate, emergency needs of families affected by Hurricane Humberto. This includes providing sheltering, food at the shelters and in the community, and other necessary items such as personal hygiene items and useful items for clean-up such as brooms, shovels, and gloves.
Once the emergency needs of the communities have been met, families may work one-on-one with the Red Cross to identify additional community resources to meet their long-term unmet needs brought about by this hurricane.
All families should invest the time to do what they can to prepare for disasters. This means get a kit, make a plan and be informed. More information on this can be found at www.redcross.org.