Smyrna times., 1926-10-27
FLORIDA LEADS IN RELIEF
Heads Major Disasters of 1926-Red
Cross Active in 62 Emergencies

Heads Major Disasters of 1926-Red
Cross Active in 62 Emergencies
Facing one Of the largest rehabilita-
ton efforts of its whole history, as
result Of the Florida hurricane, the
American Red Cross already had be-
hind it a record Of service In SO dis
asters at home, up to the close OF
the fiscal year, June 30, 1926.
When the hurricane struck Florida
with such devastation and loss Of life,
the Red Cross National Headquarters
was just congratulating itself that a
year had passed without a major dis
aster within the borders OF the coun-
try. The destruction In Florida has
been tentatively estimated by Direc-
tor of Disaster Relief Henry L Baker,
of the American Red Cross, In terms
of relief work ahead of the organiza-
ton This takes into account all suf-
ferers who must be cared for.
Careful surveys by experienced au-
thorities place the injured at 1000,
exclusive of the stricken Gulf Coast
cities of Moorehaven and C1ewfston-
OF the 1900 injured sent TO Miami
hospitals, 500 were suffering with ma
jor fractures. In two other east coast
communities the injured numbered
nearly 1000. The homeless were con-
servatively estimated at $4,000. Such
figures sketch only vaguely the human
and material problem which the
American Red Cross Is still doing its
utmost to solve.
For comparison the other outstand-
ing recent disaster. the Midwest tor
nado OF March IS, 1925, can be de-
scrfbed IN more detail In that catas-
trophe the final check showed 800
dead, 5000 injured and 6,847 families
Of approximately $4,000 men. women
and children rendered homeless. The
final relief operations OF the Red
Cross were brought 10 close March
Is. 1925, exactly year from the day
the tornado struck Ave states-
So terrible did the death and de-
strutcion impress itself on tina expert
enced Red Cross forces rushed into
Florida that Chairman John Barton
Payne did not hesitate to call for q
relief fund from the whole country of
$4,000, 900. The Red Cross concen-
trated every resource In trained per
sonnel on the stricken region
The New Jersey munitions sxpso-
sion, In July. while terrible as q spec
tacle. could not compare with either
of these other two disasters In final
destructtveness. It gave ths Red Cross
an opportunity for services In which
Red Cross nurses treated Ss injured.
and during the height of the emeA
gency eed between 700 and 800 peo
pie driven from their homes. More
than 400 cases were registered with
the Red Cross after the explosions
for assistance In regAining their bold
on life through rehabilitation work
This latter Is a regular part Of the
Red Cross relief operations IN an dis
asters. and means task continued
long after the country has ceased %
think OF the occurrence itself
The year has seen q new measure
Of disaster relief preparedness inau-
gurated by the Red Cross, under
which a trained reserve of medical
and other relief experts Is constantly
ON cal1 for any service. This prspar-
edness justified ftsek IN both the New
Jersey explosion, and In the Florida
hurricane. fn the latter the Red Cross
had at call more than 800 experienced
disaster workers with a network of
prepared Chapters all over the coun-
try. This preparedness. constantly
demonstrated, Is cited as material as
surence that the country m better
protected today than ever before from
the suffering such misfortunes angen-
der.
Bad as were domestic disasters In
both the last fiscal year and recent
months. some OF those abroad IA tho
same time have been comparable. es-
pecially food In Mexico. Altogether
the American Red Cross served In the
name Of the American people In more
than Is foreign catastropheS.
The Tenth Annual Roll Call for
membership 10 maintain such activi-
ties will be held from November IL to
rs. and ie an opportunity for all to
enroll themselves In the American
DaI Hw1oa