Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-10-31
RED CROSS READY
FOR service IN
Big DISASTERS
4. 800 900 Lives Lost and ST.
900, OOO,O 900 in Property
Destroyed in Dis
asters Since 1900

Gross, it has just been announced,
as one Of the important features OF
its wide peace program, for the sup
port of which an effort will be maze
to secure a record membership dur
ing the Third Red Cross Roll Call, NO
lvember 2 to II.
Experience shows that suffering in
lcident to public disasters a be
greatly reduced by extension of the
Red Cross machinery for supplying
emergency relief and knowledge
gained in putting through the task OIL
the Red Cross in the war is to De
,used to the greatest possible adyan-
itage.
Because of the lack of the spectac.
ular in many of them it is not gen
erally realized how frequently, year
after year, disasters occur, bringing
wide devastation, death and suffering
nm their wake. Since 1900 disasters
of peace have cost many thousands OF
lives and have brought personal in
,i,rry and property losses to no fewer
than 100000 persons, at the same
time destroying property valued at
over $1,000, 900, 900. During 1917
alone, eighty disasters came to the at
ltention of the American Red Cross
eixty-two tornadoes, five floods, tour
great fires, two earthquakes, W serl
Gus mine explosions, two munltlon
infant explosions, a race riot, a snip
wreck and the tragic calamity which
-, TT-Tsr.~ nhn total nf deaths
entailed was 1888, while 1927 were in
fured and the property loss rea he'd
$110,0 600 600.
Speed of Fire Department.
That. in brief, is the situation hat
demands a preparedness for emer-
gency relief comparable to the SER
vice and speed required of the fire
department and that is what the Red
Gross, to which the people instinct
turn when fire, flood, tornado,
or great accident comes, 10 leave men,
women and children dead, injured,
homeless or starving, is to supply.
Under it's direction the entire re
sources of all communities for emerg-
ency relief will be modified for in
use when needed. Red Cross
Chapters everywhere will create dis
aster preparedness Committees that
will make surveys locating not only
emergency food supplies, drugs and
tother hospital supplies, cots, mat
trasses, blankets, clothing, schools,
larmories and other buildings for
housing refugees, but will also can
,vass physicians, nurses, social work
,ers and others prepared to respond
Anstantly to calls for their services
IN disasters.
Information gathered in these sur
ieys will be collated and filed by
the thirteen Red Cross Divisional or
PLANTATIONS in the United States,
which will establish disaster RELIEF
supply centers and take charge OF OPP
erations when assistance is needed.
In case of major disasters, where the
of the Division in which it
occurs are over-taxed, the entire re-
lief strength of the Red Cross in the
country will be mobiled, through nj
tional headquarters. And in both
large and small disasters there will al
so be ready for immediate relief duty
the equipment and personnel OF the
fifty base hospitals organized by the
american Red Cross and turned over
ito the Army for service in France.
Disaster Manual Compiled.
For the guidance of its representa-
Hiyes at the scene of disasters a com
prehensive Relief Manual has been
compiled by ]. Byron Deacon, director
general of the American Red Cross
Department of Civilian Relief, who is
charged with responsibility for Red
Gross funds and operations in dis
asters. The Manual, which Will be
distributed to Chapters throughout
the country, calls attention to the fire.
uuency of disasters and urges that re
lief to be effective must be swift and
centralized. In accordance with the
Manual the principle upon which Red
Cross service will be extended dis
Iaster-stricken communities is to place
the resources represented by its mem
bership, preparedness and influence,
at the disposal of the afflicted COM
immunity without delay.
The local community, so far as pos
sible, is depended upon to provide its
W relief, with the Division and Ma
tional Red Cross organizations stand
ing ready to rush additional aid where
1t is necessary. The extensive and
varied experiences Of the Red Cross
rplaces it is a peculiar position to
offer sound counsel. 1t has built
up a trained and seasoned stan
of relief workers and will leave on
file in Division Offices, its list OF ex-
perienced disaster workers under
agreement to go, at a moments no
tice, to any stricken territory.
A. r. c. Sewing School