Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1920-11-11
WHAT WOULD YOU
Do IF DISASTER
HIT YOUR TOWN?
$4,000 Vct,ns {. SUDDEN Disasters
Help.G Last Year by
Eod Gross

1t may sound to people who are living
today in safety and happiness and
who no more anticipate disaster to
morrow than they do the end of the
| world.
For no one knows when or where
disaster will strike.
There was no warning of the San
Francisco earthquake and fire. One
| moment the people of that mighty city
were bustling about their business,
utterly devoid of fear or premonition;
the next their entire world was tum-
bling about their ears.
One morning two miles of the city
of Atlanta, Ca, were swept by fire
in less than four hours.
Wall street never expected a bomb
explosion until it came and killed
more than thirty people and manned
scores Of others in less time than 1t
takes to read this paragraph.
Even gathering storms and rising
floods, such as the south has known
on its coasts and at river cities like
West Point, Ca, give scaat warning
before homes are inundated and people
forced to flee for their lives.
To any one at any time, tornado,
fire and storm may bring peril and SUI
fering. So the question is asked
again:
What would your town do tomor-
row if disaster struck"
II n IN nrnvido oocuar a. thnA
question that the American Red Cross
has been in existence for years and
years. 1t is the recognized official
agency for disaster relief, and it has
lived UP to its responsibilities in a
wonderful way
That is one reason why the Red
Cross deserves the support of every
one OIL it's Fourth Roll Ca:l-to main
tain 1t SO that, when disaster strikes,
the stricken will always have a help
ing hand to turn to, the American Red
Cross.
The disaster relief part OF the Red
Cross organization has been so thor
oughly perfected that 1t can answer
calls for help in the briefest possible
time. 80 So
People of the south well remember
how promptly the Red Cross respond
ed to the need during the West Point
flood last year, the Corpus Christi
storm and several other southern dis.
asters; while fresh in the memory of
the entire country Is the fact that
p ad Trnou dootoro opd nu..aa x,,n,a
first on the scene" at the Wall street
explosion.
In addition to furnishing such
prompt relief as this, practically ev-
cry Red Cross chapter has a per-
nanent disaster relief committee,
which has made survey of resources
n their respective communities and
s prepared to act promptly with tho
means at hand when disaster occurs.
Illustrative of the genuine need for
ust such preparedness as this In the
United States is the fact that. last
ear alone, the Red Cross aided 3d.
90 persons in 1914 communities, all
'ictims of 70 separate and distinct dis
sters.
In the accomplishment of this re-
ef work 140 Red Cross chapters were
allied upon to assist, the sum of $780,
90 in cash and supplies was expend-
d. Thirty temporary hospitals were
allied into existence, twenty-odd mo-
Or corps were organized, seven spe-
ial relief trains were sent out and
I n oporiol ,,apracantotivoo ond nuroao
rere furnished In addition to the aid
iven by the local Red Cross workers
/ the community visited by disaster.
In these 73 disasters, including 10
and cyclones, 2 hurricanes,
cloud bursts, hail storm, earth
lakes. landslide Is fires explo-
on, floods, 10 shipwrecks, train
reck, 4 riots l motor accident and
droughts-S50 persons were Killed,
500 were injured, 10000 approx
nately) were rendered homeless
lille property valued at S5,OO0,000 was
The largest and most destructive
saster Of the year was at Corpus
hristi, Texas, in September, 1919.
pproximately 400 were killed and A.
70 made homeless. The Red Cross
vision director with a staff of IS
sistants administered fund of $780,
%, giving aid to $500 families and
ur towns and rural districts and snf-
,ient supplies to each family to en-
lie it to stand on it's feet.
Because of tornadoes, the Gulf and
Ike Divisions were called upon to
nd emergency relief with trained
,rkers to nearly 80 communities, The
o droughts in Montana and North
.kota gave abundant opportunity for
lined workers from the Northern Di.
ZION to help the Red Cross chapters
monstrate their usefulness. while
mber OF shipwrecks proved the read
,ss of the Atlantic Division and the
w York Metropolitan Area Commit
to assist in that line of work.
The record Of last year emphasizes
, need OF abundant preparedness
ing the line of disaster relief, and
) resulted in the organization Of
,aster Preparedness Committees By
but 400 chapters and the setting
de OF special emergency fund by
National organization OF ss,oo0-
in addition to the regular annual
for this purpose made
n budget