Deadly storms blew across Central Florida early Friday morning, damaging homes, killing residents and causing power outages.
The American Red Cross is rapidly responding, moving personnel and resources that were in place for Sunday?s Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida. In addition, the Red Cross Safe and Well Web site is operating to assist those who cannot reach loved ones.
Red Cross staff, volunteers, emergency response vehicles (ERVs) and mobile feeding units are mobilizing from Red Cross Chapters across Florida to help their neighbors in need. Red Cross workers have set up emergency shelters in the affected Florida counties, providing food, water and other services.
Due to widespread power and telecommunication outages, service may not be restored for several days. During this critical time, your family and friends may not be able to reach you. If you have been affected by the recent storms in Central Florida, please visit www.redcross.org and click on Safe and Well to inform your loved ones of your well-being. This secure website provides a way for you to identify yourself as ?safe and well.? From a list of standard messages, you can select those you want to communicate to your family members – who may be worried about your safety. If you hear from a loved one in the affected area, you can input their information so other family members would be updated on their well-being as well.
As with any other Red Cross service or product, Safe and Well safeguards the privacy of disaster victims and protects their information according to privacy law standards. Messages ? but not locations ? will be viewable by friends and family. The Red Cross recommends that people affected should determine how best to communicate their contact information and whereabouts to family members. During the initial hours of this disaster it is important to stay connected with loved ones. Take action now by visiting www.redcross.org.