Millions Download American Red Cross Apps
ARC's latest release is the Emergency App, which gives users access to customizable weather alerts, safety tips, and preparedness information for 14 different types of emergencies.
Marking the tenth year since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, Gail J. McGovern, the president and CEO of the American Red Cross, wrote on the ARC's website how much has changed since that disaster. She wrote that ARC and other disaster response organizations "have taken the lessons of Katrina and applied new thinking and new technology to better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. Today, the iconic American Red Cross symbol is not only found on vehicles and volunteers' armbands, but on websites, apps, and software tools that guide and aid our work."
She highlighted the "Safe and Well" website, where people can search for relatives who have registered. ARC also has created a series of disaster preparedness mobile apps, she wrote, that provide lifesaving information.
ARC's latest release is the Emergency App, which gives users access to customizable weather alerts, safety tips, and preparedness information for 14 different types of emergencies, she wrote, adding that it includes an "I'm Safe" feature, which helps people use their social media channels to let loved ones know they are safe after an emergency.
She added that these apps "have been downloaded nearly 7 million times and have been credited with saving lives in Oklahoma, Texas and a number of other states."