RedCrossNW Disaster Services, Preparedness

How the Red Cross is preparing for The Big One

By Gordon Williams  All along the Pacific Coast, mid-June is time for CR22--this year’s version of the disaster drill known as Cascadia Rising. Emergency managers from California to Alaska--including disaster response experts  from the American Red Cross--are using the drill to  revise and refine how they would react to the event widely described as “The Big … Continue reading How the Red Cross is preparing for The Big One

RedCrossNW Preparedness

Lessons to be learned before the next tsunami hits

A tsunami warning sign is prominently placed near the Bremerton ferry dock in Washington State. By Gordon Williams  Fortunately, the mid-January tsunami triggered by an undersea volcanic eruption near the Pacific nation of Tonga caused only minor flooding along the Washington seacoast. Ocean waves never topped three feet and never swept inland to threaten coastal … Continue reading Lessons to be learned before the next tsunami hits

RedCrossNW Home Fire Campaign, Preparedness

Stop home heating fires before they get started

By Gordon Williams  There is nothing as comforting as a blast of heat on a wintry day. That’s why we fill our homes with devices that generate heat on command.  Figures from the American Red Cross show that “nearly half of American families use alternative heating sources such as space heaters, fireplaces or wood/coal stoves … Continue reading Stop home heating fires before they get started

RedCrossNW Preparedness

Staying Safe on the Road Whatever Winter Brings

By Gordon Williams With snow, ice and bone-chilling cold so often in the forecast, driving in winter can challenge the most experienced of drivers. But given the predictions from some widely-followed prognosticators, hitting the highways this winter could be especially perilous.  “This coming winter could well be one of the longest and coldest that we’ve … Continue reading Staying Safe on the Road Whatever Winter Brings