FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Military families swarmed the parking lot of Fort Belvoir's Commissary and PX early Saturday morning, as the American Red Cross handed out free emergency preparedness kits to everyone who stopped by.
Teaming up with Fort Belvoir's Army Community Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Office of the Army Surgeon General, Peter Macias, director of communications for the American Red Cross, said the partnership is all about helping families stay prepared in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
He said a total of 1,500 kits consisting of items such as a lantern, a solar cell, hand-crank radio, first aid kit and a five-gallon, collapsible water container were given away to families from around the region.
Installation Commander Col. Jerry Blixt was pleased to have an occasion like this at Belvoir and said it's important for families to be prepared at all times. Sharing those same feelings was Jerry DeFrancisco, president of Humanitarian Services for the American Red Cross.
"We want our Soldiers in uniform to know that their families are ready for life's emergencies - no matter where and no matter how big or small," DeFrancisco said. "Whether they're working a shift here on post or deployed overseas, they will not be able to go home right away when something happens. That's why it's important for them to know their families have this kit and the knowledge to take care of themselves."
Darryl Madden, director of FEMA's Ready.Gov, said being ready is a resource for everyone. He also said the event was a great way of pushing families into action to have a plan and to develop their own emergency preparedness kit.
Inga Jelescheff, who was assigned to Belvoir's American Red Cross chapter in the late 1990s, is the organization's senior director for preparedness. According to her, less than one third of Americans are actually prepared for something unexpected. Events like this are nothing new to Jelescheff, who helped organize a similar event last year at the Pentagon during the height of the H1N1 scare.
"The more we stress emergency preparedness - the more it resonates among families. That's a good sign," Jelescheff said. "People don't usually think to have cash on hand, but that's something to keep in mind, as well. If the power goes out, ATMs will not be working. For those with pets, you also need to have enough cat or dog food to get you by in the event of an emergency. We just want families to be mindful of these things."
Staff Sgt. Bill Cuartas, a member of Belvoir's 911th Technical Rescue Engine Company, joined company commander Capt. Robert Crow for a look at the two American Red Cross emergency command vehicles that were on hand - one of which operates out of Manassas. Both Soldiers were impressed with the organization's emergency capabilities.
"It's been a real eye-opener to see what they have available for base operations. People can be assured they have the capabilities to handle anything. That's a real comfort," Cuartas said. "The event today is fantastic! Where is there a place where you can get all these high quality items for free' Not only that, but this is everything essential for an emergency."
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