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09.17.2009 Red Cross presents Hurricane Hugo exhibit

CHARLOTTE – Twenty years ago, people in the Charlotte region woke up to find their communities in complete disarray. Hurricane Hugo caught most people off guard by sweeping unexpectedly through our area, causing massive power outages, destruction, injuries and even death.

It was the storm that wasn’t supposed to happen. And we weren’t ready.

In light of the 20th anniversary of Hugo on Sept. 22, the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross is partnering with Duke Energy for an exhibit that captures the devastation through photographs donated by the Charlotte Observer, complemented by video.

The exhibit, “Blindsided by Disaster,” runs from Sept. 20-Dec. 6 at Levine Museum of the New South, 200 E. Seventh St., in Uptown Charlotte.

The exhibit has a feature in which visitors can record their own memories of Hurricane Hugo, as well as listen to others’ recollections of the storm.

There will be a reception, open to the public, from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the museum. Admittance to the exhibit is free, and there will be guest speakers, light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

This exhibit has been led by Red Cross volunteers from conception to completion. In addition to thanking Duke Energy and The Observer for their generosity, the Red Cross would like to thank TPM Inc. for their in-kind donations of graphic production.

Are we ready for another Hugo?

The Red Cross mission is to help people prevent and prepare for disasters. Therefore, the Red Cross is challenging the Charlotte-area community to be “Red Cross Ready.”

At the exhibit, there is information on how you can prepare yourself, your family and your business. This includes making a disaster kit, getting a plan in place and getting trained in First Aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

1. Make a Kit:

Your disaster kit should include (but is not limited to):

• Water (one gallon per person per day in plastic containers)
• Food (non-perishable)
• Paper cups, plates and utensils
• Can opener
• Blanket
• Light sticks
• Moist towelettes
• Breathing mask
• Rain gear
• Flashlight (battery-operated)
• Radio (battery-operated)
• Extra batteries
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Work gloves
• Paper and pencil
• Plastic sheeting
• First aid kit
• Duct tape
• Whistle
• Medications
• Multi-purpose tool
• Clothing
• Sanitary items (e.g. toilet paper, soap)
• Money (in cash or traveler’s checks)
• Baby and/or pet supplies
• Map
• Important documents in a sealed plastic bag

2. Get a Plan
Planning ahead will help you have the best possible response to disaster.
Discuss with your family the disasters that can happen where you live. Establish responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team. Designate alternates in case someone is absent.
Choose two places to meet after a disaster:
• Right outside your home, in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire.
• Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate your neighborhood.
Choose an out-of-area contact for all members of the family to call in case of disaster. The selected contact person should live far enough away that they would be unaffected by the same event, and they should know they are the chosen contact.
Practice evacuating your home twice a year. Drive your planned evacuation route and plot alternate routes on a map in case main roads are impassable or gridlocked.
Include your pets. If you must evacuate, take your animals with you. If it is not safe for you to remain, it is not safe for them.

3. Get Trained

The American Red Cross offers a number of training courses throughout the Carolina Piedmont Region. Contact your local Red Cross chapter for training courses. In the Charlotte area, you can register online at http://www.redcrosshelps.org or by calling 704.378.4638.

In Charlotte, upcoming CPR/First Aid courses are:

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19

Online Courses:

Click here to take your course online.

4. Give Blood

About The American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation’s blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit http://www.redcrosshelps.org.