Evacuation Kits

During a major unexpected emergency, there's nothing like having pillows, cots and personal hygiene products for comfort. The American Red Cross is providing evacuation kits for evacuation teams in several communities with these necessities, thanks to an $80,000 grant from U.S. Steel. The company had given a grant before and is back to give a second installment. Each kit will contain a trailer of these items to provide for up to 100 people. Regional Red Cross Emergency Services Director Michael Adametz says these teams are great for the community, and they become vital in times of disaster. He says in 2004, when Hurricane Ivan affected many local communities, the American Red Cross had gotten about 40 requests for shelter and assistance in one evening. "We did not have the capacity to handle anything that grand of a disaster," he says. Now that this program is established, dealing with any kind of emergency event is much easier to handle.