Speakers at the Retired School Personnel meeting on Monday were, from left, Ann Pruitt, local Red Cross Board member, Pam Park, Richmond County Coordinator for Red Cross, Jan Snowball, Director for Disaster Preparedness of Moore County ARC, and Cynthia Bradley, Executive Director, ARC Moore County Chapter.

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The first meeting of the school year of the Richmond County chapter of N.C. Retired School Personnel was held last Monday with a program from the American Red Cross on preparing for disasters, both regional and individual.

First Vice President Wayne Webb introduced the Red Cross team by noting that, “Noah built the ark before it rained.” Speakers were Cynthia Bradley, Executive Director of ARC from Moore County, Jan Snowball, Director for Disaster Preparedness, also from Moore County, Pam Park, Richmond County Coordinator, and Ann Pruitt, local Board Member.

RSP members heard about preparing any household for a disaster, even for a temporary power outage, and emphasized the importance of having a “disaster kit” prepared for each family member and for any pets in the household. Pruitt announced the “Ride for the Red” on Saturday, Sept. 29, beginning at 1 p.m. at Sports Cycle to raise funds for the Red Cross.

Disaster preparedness includes safe storage of important papers, in both home and car, and arrangements for boarding pets. The speakers suggested that disaster kits should include, in addition to water, portable radios, batteries, flashlights, and nonperishable foods, photos, in case victims are unconscious. Disaster strikes most often in house fires, of which Richmond County has 35 to 50 per year.

The speakers appealed to the group for volunteers, and noted that further information is available on Facebook: American Red Cross Moore Richmond.