Red Cross: How to prepare your home for an emergency

British Red Cross says that acting now could help reduce stress and upset when the unexpected happens.

i) Prepare an emergency kit for your home, on the move or in the car. Lists are available on the British Red Cross website.

ii) Download the free Red Cross emergency app to your mobile phone. It’s available on the Apple app store and Google Play. It allows you to set up emergency alerts for your area, including severe weather warnings. You can also add a location finder for yourself as well as family and friends so you can keep them informed. Also, the built-in personal alarm and strobe light features could help you attract attention in an emergency.

iii) Learn first aid. Free videos are available on the Red Cross website, and the charity also offers a free downloadable first aid app.

Could you volunteer to help in emergencies?

The British Red Cross offers two distinct emergency response volunteering roles:

i) Emergency response volunteer. From domestic fires and floods to large-scale emergencies, our highly-trained emergency response teams are there to help when crisis strikes.

ii) Community reserve volunteer. Being a community reserve volunteer is perfect if you are someone who would naturally feel the urge to help during an emergency, but don’t have the time to commit to volunteering all year round.

If disaster strikes, community reserve volunteers will form a practical taskforce, working as a team to do anything from filling sandbags to sorting food for their community.

To find out more visit the British Red Cross website.