The Mount Holly news., 1919-11-25
RED CROSS READY
FOR SERVICE IN
Big DISASTERS
1,5O0, 600 lives Lost and 81,
600, 100000 in Property
Destroyed in Dis
asters Since 1900

Preparedness for disaster relief on
a scale never before possible is be.
ing undertaken by the American Red
Cross, it has just been announced
as one of the important features OF
it's wide peace program, for the SUP
port OF which an effort win be made
to secure a record membership dur.
ing the Third Rcd Cross Roll Call, No
vembcr to II.
Experience shows that suffering in
cident TO public disasters can ho
greatly reduced by extension of the
Red Cross machinery for supplyin'
emergency relief and knowledge
gained in putting through the task q
the Red Cross in the war is to be
used to the greatest possible advan'
tage.
Because of the lack of the spectac
ular in many of them it is not gen
orally realized how frequently, yeal
after year, disasters occur, bringing
wide devastation, death and SUFFERING
in their wake. Since 1900 disasters
Of peace have cost many thousands OF
lives and have brought personal in
jury and property losses to no fewe
than 100000 persons, at the same
time destroying property valued a.
over $1,000, 900, 900. During 1917
alone, eighty disasters came to the at
tention Of the American Red Cross
sixty-two tornadoes, five floods, foui
great fires, two earthquakes, two seri-
Gus mine explosions, two mun1tlon
plant explosions, a race riot, ship
wreck and the tragic calamity which
befel Halifax. The total of death.
entailed was f75S. while 1927 were in-
jured and the property loss rea he'd
$4,000, OO0
Speed of Fire Department.
That in brief, is the situation that
demands a preparedness for emer-
gency relief comparable to the SER
vice and speed required of the fire
department and that is whate the Rcd
Cross, to which the people instinct
lively turn when fire, food, tornado,
or great accident comes, to leave men,
women and children dead, injured.
homeless or starving, is to supply.
Under its direction the entire re-
sources of all communities for emerg-
ency relief will be mObilized for in
slant use when needed. Red Cross
Chapters everywhere will create dis
asterS preparedness Committees that
will make surveys locating not only
emergency food supplies, drugs and
other hospital supplies, cots, mat
II ,sses, blankets, clothing, schools,
armories and other buildings for
housing refugees, but will also can
va3s physicians, nurses, social work
ers and others prepared to respond
instantly to calls for their services
in disasters.
Information gathered in these sur
veys will be collated and filed by
the thirteen Red Cross Divisional or
ganizations in the United States,
which viii establish disaster relief
supply centers and take charge of op-
erations when assistance is needed.
In case of major disasters, where the
resources 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 ma
tienal 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
to the Army for service in France.
Disaster Manual Compiled.
For the guidance of its representa-
tives at the scene of disasters com
prehensive Relief Manual has been
| compiled by J. Byron Deacon, director
general of the American Red Cross
Department of Civilian Relief, who is
charged with responsibility for Red
Cross funds and operations in dis
asters. The Manual, which will be
distributed to Chapters throughout
| the country, calls attention to the fire.
| quency 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
1 CTOSS SeTNlC0 Will DS cALSHuSu us
aster-stricken communities is to place
| the resources represented by its mem
bership, preparedness and influence
at the disposal of the afflicted com
munity without delay
The local community, so far as pos
sible, is depended upon to provide its
own relief, with the Division and Ma
tional Red Cross organizations stand
ing ready to rash additional aid where
| il is necessary. The extensive and
varied experiences of the Red Cross
places it is a peculiar position te
offer sound counsel. 1t has built
up a trained and seasoned staff
of relief workers and will leave on
file in Division offices, it's list of ex
perienced disaster workers under
agreement to go, at moments no
tice, to any stricken territory.