Be prepared. Find out what the fire risk is in your area, including your community’s ability to respond to wildfires. Create safety zones around your home by removing flammable vegetation and combustible growth and planting fire-resistant plants. Learn fire safety practices and always be ready for an emergency evacuation. Make a plan for your family for emergency evacuation. The time to plan for an emergency is BEFORE it happens.
Donate blood. Every day, people like you help ensure that blood is available to help save lives. Accident/disaster victims, premature babies, people undergoing cancer treatment, organ recipients, and many others rely on the generosity of blood donors to ensure that blood is available when it's needed. Each blood donation can save up to three lives at one time. Visit http://www.helpsavealife.org/ to find the nearest blood drive.
Donate financially to the Red Cross. Red Cross Disaster Assistance is provided at no charge to our clients. You can help people affected by disasters, like the hurricanes and wildfires, by donating to your local Red Cross Chapter or the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. No donation is too small.
Become a Red Cross Volunteer. Visit www.redcross.org and click on the Giving and Getting Involved tab. On the Volunteer page you can view the online presentation INTRODUCTION TO DISASTER SERVICES. Then contact your local Red Cross chapter to attend a volunteer orientation and join the ranks of dedicated volunteers who make a difference in their local community.