Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-01-07
FLORIDA LEADS
RELIEF RECORDS
Heads Major Disasters of 1926.
Red Cross Active in 81
Emergencies in Year.
ALSO SERVES FOREIGN LANDS
Preparedness to Cope with Great
Disturbances Gives Good
Results in Action.
ALSO SERVES FOREIGN LANDS

Pacing one of the largest rehabilita-
ton efforts of its whole history, as a
result OF the Florida hurricane, the
American Red Cross already had be-
hind 1t a record Of service In 62 dis
asters at home, up to the close OF
the fiscal year, June 30, 1925
When the hurricane struck Florida
with such devastation and loss of life.
the Red Cross National Headquarters
was just congratulating itself hat a
year had passed without a major dis
aster within the borders OF the oun
try. The destruction In Florida has
tor of Disaster Relief Henry L. Baker,
Of TIE American Red Cross. IN terms
Of relief work ahead OF the organiza-
ton. This takes into account all auf
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 Clewiston.
vi tit Af-Vp ihJuiCu cOhl W tdIA
hospitals, 500 were suffering with ma
jor fractures. In two other east coast
communities the injured numbered
nearly 1000. The homeless we're con-.
servative'y estimated at SO, 700. Such
figures sketch only vaguely the human
and material problem which the
american Red Cross Is still doing it's
utmost to solve.
For comparison the other outstand-
ing recent disaster, the Midwest tor
nado OF March IS. 1925, can be de-
scrlbed IN more detail. In that catas-
trophe the final check showed 500
deal, 5000 injured and 6,s47 families
OF approximately 10000 men, women
and children rendered homeless. The
fral relief operations OF the Red
Cross were brought to a close March
is, 1926. exactly a year from the day
the tornado struck five states.
So terrible did the death and de-
strrtcion impress itself on the expert.
enced Rcd Cross forces rushed into
Florida that Chairman John Barton
Payne did not hesitate to call for a
relief fund from the whole country OF
S5,0c0.000. The Red Cross concen
tratcd every resource in trained per-
sonael on the stricken region.
The New Jersey munitions explo-
sion, in Jrly, while terrible as a spec
tacle. could MOI compare with either
81 these other two disasters in final
destructiveness. 1t gave the Red Cross
IN opportunity for service in which
Red Cross nurses treated So injured.
and during the height of the eme,
gercy fed between TOO and 800 PEG
pie driven from their homes. More
than 400 cases were registered with
the Red Cross after the explosions
FOR assistance in regaining their hold
on life through rehabilitation work.
This latter is a regular part of the
Red Cross relief operations in all dis
a~sters, and means a task continued
long after the country has ceased to
think of the occurrence itself.
The year has seen a new Measure
Of disaster relief preparedness inau.
surated by the, Red Cross, under
which a trained reserve Of medical
and other relief experts Is constantly
On call for any service. This prepar-
cdrcss justified itself in both the New
Jersey explosion, and in the Florida
hurricane. In the latter the Red Cross
had at call more than 800 experienced
Disaster workers with a network OF
prepared Chapters all over the coun-
iry. This preparedness, constantly
demonstrated, is cited as material as-
lnrance that the country is better
protected today than even before from
ne suffering such ~misfortunes engen-
Ter.
Bad as were domestic disasters in
9th the last fiscal year and recent
months. some OF those abroad In the
anne time have been comparable, es-
)ecially a flood in Mexico. Altogether
he American Red Cross served In the
lame Of the American people in more
han Is foreign c~atastrophes.
The Tenth Annual Roll Call for
membership to maintain such activI-
les will be held from November II to
25, and is an opportunity for all to
pnroll themselves in the American
Red Cross.