American Red Cross Prepares for Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy may take aim at the eastern coast of the United States as early as this weekend, and the American Red Cross is preparing to respond if needed.

From Florida to Maine, the Red Cross is placing shelter locations, trained disaster workers, vehicles and supplies on alert.

The Red Cross is also working in close collaboration with government officials and community partners to coordinate potential response efforts.

People in the possible path of this storm should keep informed about the storm's progress and get prepared now in case their community is affected.

The Red Cross also recommends these quick steps to take now to be prepared for emergencies like hurricanes - build a kit, make a plan and be informed:

o   Emergency kits should contain a three-day supply of water for each person in the household, along with food that doesn't require refrigeration, flashlights, a battery-operated radio and a first aid kit. A full list of suggested items is available onredcross.org.

o   Learn about your community's hurricane response plan and finalize your family plan in case you are asked to evacuate. Also remember to make plans for your pets.

It's also important for businesses and schools to prepare by making sure warning or alert systems for employees are in order and contact information is up-to-date.

Stay informed about Hurricane Sandy by downloading the free Red Cross Hurricane App which puts real time information and hurricane safety tips at your fingertips.

The app features information on Red Cross shelters, a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and alarm.

The one-touch "I'm Safe" button lets someone use social media outlets to let family and friends know they are okay.

People across the country planning to travel to areas predicted to get hit with the storm can use the app to receive weather alerts.

The Hurricane App can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross. A link is also below.

The hurricane app is also available in Spanish. Users need change the language setting on their smart phone to Spanish before downloading the app.