Get Ready for Spring’s Severe Weather

Spring is here, ushering in the most active weather season of the year.

Spring weather can lead to severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, damaging winds and flooding. Experts predict the worst of the storms and tornadoes could hit the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio Valleys and it could be a near-record year for tornadoes. By May, thunderstorms may be widespread across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions.

GET READY NOW Planning is the key to being ready for an emergency. Make a plan to stay safe and know how you’ll stay connected.

1.     Contact your local office of emergency management to learn what hazards may affect your community.

2.     Depending on the emergency, you may need to stay where you are or go somewhere else to stay safe. If you may need to leave, think about where you will go, how you will get there, where you will stay and what you’ll take with you.

3.     Plan well in advance if you’ll need help leaving or use public transportation.

4.     Don’t forget to include pets in your plans.

5.     Make a plan to reconnect with loved ones if you are separated or if the phone or internet is down. Write down important phone numbers on a contact card and carry it with you.

6.     Plan to stay informed by monitoring local weather and news reports even if the power goes out. Have a backup battery or another way to charge your cell phone, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.

7.     Sign up for free emergency alerts from your local government, and make sure you know what different types of alerts mean. For example, a WATCH means be prepared, and a WARNING means take action.

8.     Gather critical supplies — like food, water and medicine — and organize them into a go-kit and a stay-at-home kit. Your go-kit should include three days of supplies that you can carry with you. Include backup batteries and chargers for your devices (cell phone, CPAP, wheelchair, etc.)

9.     Your stay-at-home kit should have two weeks of food and water, and a one-month supply of medications and medical supplies. Customize your kit to meet your household’s specific needs. If you have pets, include leashes, carriers, food, water, bowls, litter, litterbox and photos of you with your pet in case you are separated.

10.  Keep personal, financial and medical records safe and easy to access (hard copies or securely backed up). Consider keeping a list of your medications and dosages on a small card to carry with you

CLIMATE CRISIS The Red Cross is responding nonstop, with a major disaster occurring as often as every 15 days. 2024 saw the second-highest number of billion-dollar disasters in a single year marked by extreme events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton. As the climate crisis worsens and disasters become more frequent and intense, the Red Cross is increasing our capacity to help those in need. We urge everyone to get ready now in case a disaster threatens your community

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the free Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Choose whether you want to view the content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. Find these and all of the Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.