The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-10-24
RED GROSS READY FOR SERVICE IN
 BIG DISASTERS
1,500, GOO Lives Lost and ST.. OOO, ,O0O, GOO in Property Destroyed in Dis
 asters Since 1900

| Preparedness for disaster relief on 1 a scale never before possible is be- ing undertaken by the American Red 1 Cross, 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 made to secure @ record membership dur ing the Third Red Cross Roll Call. No veu1ber to H.
 Experience shows that suffering in cident to public disasters can be greatly reduced by extension of the Red Cross machinery for supplying emergency relief and knowledge gained in putting through tho task Of the Red Cross in the war ts 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, year 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 tn- fury and property losses to no fewer than 1,5oG,o00 persons. at the same time destroying property valued at over $1,o00, 900. 900. During 1917 alone. eighty disasters came to the at tention of the American Red Cross; sixty-two tornadoes, five floods, four great fires, two earthquakes. two seri- ous mine explosions, two munlt1on plant explosions, a race riot. ship wreck and the tragic calamity which befel Halifax The total of deaths entailed was 175s, while 5927 were iD- tured and the property loss req he'd S110, DOC, ,00G.
 Speed of Fire Department
 That, in brief, is the situation that demands 2 preparedness for emer- gency relief comparable to the ser vice and speed required of the fire department and that Is what the Red Cross, to which the people instinct lively turn when fire, flood, tornado, or great accident comes, to 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 mobtlized for in stant 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 other hospital supplies, cots, mat l. ssses, blankets, clothing, schools, armories and other buildings for housing refugees, but will also can vT3s physicians, nurses, social work CTS and others prepared to respond instantly to calls for their services in disasters.
 Information gathered in these sur l veys will be collated and filed by the thirteen Red Cross Divisional or ganizations in the United States, | which will establish disaster relief | supply centers and take charge of op- ertions when assistance is needed. | Tn case of major disasters, where the | resources of the Division in which it i occurs are over-taxed, the entire re- lief strength of the Red Cross in the l country will be mobiled, through na- tionaI headquarters. And in both | large and small disasters there will al so be ready for immediate relief duty | the equipment and personnel Of the l fifty base hospitals organized by the i American Red Cross and turned over | to the Army for service in France.
 Disaster Manua! Compiled.
 For the guidance Of it's representa- | tives at the scene of disasters a com prehensfve Relief Manual has been 1 compiled by J. Byron Deacon, director | general of the American Red Cross j Department of Civilian Relief, who is l charged with responsibility for Red l Cross funds and operations in dis | asters. The Manual, which will be l distributed to Chapters throughout the country, calls attention to the ire Quency of disasters and urges that re- lief to be effective must be swift and | centralized. Tn accordance with the | Manual the principle upon which Red | Cross service will be extended dis | aster-stricken communities is to place 1 the resources represented by it's mem bership, preparedness and influence, i at the disposal of the afflicted com munity without delay.
 The local community, so far as pos sibie, is depended upon to provide its own relief, with the Division and Ma tional Red Cross organizations stand l ing ready to rush additional aid where it is necessary. The extensive and . varied experiences of the Red Cross places 1t is peculiar position to . offer sound counsel. It has built up a trained and seasoned staff of relief workers and will leave on | file in Division offices, its list of ex- perienced disaster workers under | agreement to go, at moments mo- tice, to any stricken territory.