Red Cross Teaches Schools A Lesson In Emergency Preparedness

Date:	March 28, 2003
Contact:	Candie Hayes - Director of Communications & Development - 609.951.2116 Erik Ahlgren, Communications Associate 609.951.2117

March 27, Doral Forrestal Conference Center, Princeton – In an effort to ensure that schools throughout central New Jersey are better prepared to respond to disasters and emergencies, the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey hosted an information session attended by 70 representatives from 50 different schools and school districts. The two-hour session covered three major topics: disaster preparedness for students, employees and their families, Red Cross services during disasters and other emergencies, and sheltering in-place.

“We work on emergency preparedness day in and day out, and we want to take the knowledge we have learned over the years and share it with your school districts.  It’s a changing world out there and we need to be prepared in the event of an emergency,” said Kevin Sullivan, CEO - American Red Cross of Central New Jersey, as he addressed the audience.

This event is one of many programs the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey has offered as part of its “Together We Prepare” campaign.  The campaign focuses on educating families, businesses and schools on emergency preparedness so that communities throughout central New Jersey and the nation will be safer should disaster strike.

When asked about the impact of this session, Thomas Hart, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Metuchen, responded by saying, “This session brought clarification to a lot of matters I need to consider should disaster strike. It is important for our school system to be prepared and have a plan in place because a lot of people are insecure right now, and parents need to know that something is being done to protect their children.”

“We are accustomed to managing operations during a typical school day, not on a 24-hour basis.  That’s why we are here because we need to be prepared and have a disaster plan in the event of an emergency,” stated Marge Dooley, Supervisor of Nurses – Trenton Public Schools.

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  To learn more about disaster training courses or other programs and services offered by the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey, please call (609) 951-8550.

 

Together, we can save a life