New Tornado Alert App Includes a High-Pitched Warning Siren

The Red Cross' new Tornado App gives an audible alert to let people know the NOAA has issued a tornado warning in the area.

Tornado App Alerts Residents of Impending Danger

The American Red Cross has released a new mobile app meant to help save lives as Florida’s ‘tornado season’ approaches.

Residents who don’t want to get caught off guard if a tornado forms in the area have a new way to keep track of hazardous weather on their smartphones and other mobile devices. The American Red Cross recently released its “Tornado App,” which is designed to put real-time hazardous weather information in the palms of users’ hands. The new app is free and is available in both English and Spanish for iPhone, iPad and Android users, according to a Red Cross media release. Be warned though: the app does include a “high-pitched siren” that goes off when a tornado moves into a user’s area. It also provides an “all clear” alert when danger passes. The alert sounds even if the app happens to be closed when a tornado is reported. Information …

• Photos (1)

CDC Says Flu Season is Worst in Years: Where to Get Flu Shots in Bradenton

Red Cross urges people to get the flu shot as the virus spreads across the country.

Widespread flu activity across much of the country is prompting the American Red Cross to urge people who have not yet gotten a flu vaccine to get vaccinated now. The Red Cross also offers steps people can take to prevent the spread of the flu virus during what the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says is the worst influenza outbreak in several years in the United States. Widespread flu activity is reported in 41 states - Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, …

• Photos (1)

Red Cross Launches Hurricane Safety App

Hurricane season is in full effect and the American Red Cross is looking out for areas, like the beaches, that are prone to natural disasters.

The Southwest Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross announced the release of its new app this week. The hurricane safety app is complete with pre-storm tips as well as post-disaster instructions. Another bonus is the "I'm safe" option, which allows residents to send a notification to loved ones, with the push of a button. Lifesaving features are included in the app, from shelter locations to a tool kit that includes a flashlight, an audible alarm and a strobe light. The app is free and is the second in a series to be created by the American Red Cross, for use on iPhone and Android platforms. "We want everyone to be to be ready for severe tropical weather," said Linda Carbone, CEO for Florida's West Coast Region. "The Red Cross …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Heartbeat of Bradenton

How To Help Out Those In Need in 2011

Sign up for Red Cross classes for teens or donate your clothes to Restyled Rags.

Ready for your teenager to do something productive in 2011? Or, if you are a teen, are you in the market for some college resumé enhancements? The Manatee Red Cross offers a five-hour training program year-round to prepare teens, ages 13 through 18, to teach Red Cross safety classes to kids ages three to 12, according to Debbie Tapp, youth coordinator for the Red Cross and a volunteer herself. "The teenagers become Red Cross instructors because in addition to the subject matter, we teach the teens how to actually teach," Tapp explained. The various subjects include rescue breathing, poison prevention, disaster preparedness and other topics. "Kids need to know when they are out playing if lightning is too close," Tapp said. "It's amazing …

• Photos (4)