North Texas areas, including Hood and Parker counties, have received heavy rainfall and experienced widespread flooding over the last several days. Thunderstorms resulting in additional flooding are predicted to continue through Saturday. The American Red Cross urges residents to take steps now to prepare for weather events in their community.

“The grounds are already saturated, so communities are even more susceptible to flooding in this next round of storms,” Keith Rhodes, American Red Cross Chief Executive Officer said. “Downloading the American Red Cross Emergency App will help provide tips on how to keep you and your family safe in real-time.”

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The Red Cross is already on the ground helping families impacted by flooding over the last several days. Shelters are open in Hood and Parker counties for anyone who needs a safe place to stay. All Red Cross services are free and available to everyone.

BE PREPARED

As with any disaster, preparation can be the difference between life and death. The Red Cross recommends that individuals and families prepare for floods by:

For more information on what to do before, during and after a flood, please visit redcross.org/prepare/ disaster/flood.

HOW TO HELP To make a financial donation, click on redcross.org/donate, text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 or call 1-800-REDCROSS. To volunteer, visit redcross.org/volunteer to sign up and get started.

You can also follow the North Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross on Twitter at @RedCrossDFW, contact the North Texas Chapter at 817-335-9137, visit RedCross.org/DFW or call 1-800-REDCROSS. We urge you to share these Red Cross flood preparedness tips with every member of your household, because the best protection is to be prepared ahead of time.