LOS ANGELES, July 26, 2019 — The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region will close its disaster relief service centers in Ridgecrest and Trona, effective Sunday. The Red Cross will continue to meet one-on-one with any affected residents, providing an individualized transitional recovery plan as Kern County communities recover from the Searles Valley Earthquakes.

Immanuel Baptist Church, located at 1201 N. China Lake Blvd., open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., scheduled to close Sunday, July 28 at 7 p.m.

Trona Recovery Center, located at 13207 Jones St., open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., scheduled to close Sunday, July 28 at 6 p.m.

The Red Cross emergency shelter at the Kerr Mcee Community Center closed on July 24. After emergencies, Red Cross shelters focus on providing a safe place to stay, food, emotional support, first aid and health services, and emergency relief supplies, such as blankets, hygiene items and cleaning supplies.

The Red Cross also plays a critical role in helping families and communities recover in the weeks and months after a disaster. Red Cross has mobilized more than 260 disaster workers – 90 percent volunteers – who have helped neighbors affected by the earthquakes:

• Provide more than 1,200 overnight shelter stays
• Serve more than 62,300 meals and snacks
• Distribute more than 2,000 relief supplies
• Volunteer mental health, health services and spiritual care professionals have also provided more than 3,600 contacts to provide support and care to people affected

If you were impacted by the Searles Valley Earthquakes and need assistance, contact the Recovery Hotline at 760-428-2077.

EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

These month’s earthquakes serve as a reminder on the importance of being prepared for disasters big and small. The Red Cross offers these safety steps you should follow:

• During an earthquake, avoid moving around. Drop, cover and hold on.
• Try to protect your head and torso. If you are sitting at a desk or table, get under it. Otherwise, drop wherever you are.
• If you are in bed, stay there, curl up and hold on. Protect your head with a pillow.
• Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit.
• If you must leave a building after the shaking stops, use stairs rather than an elevator in case of aftershocks, power outages or other damage.
• If you smell gas, get out of the building and move as far away as possible.
• Before you leave any building check to make sure that there is no debris from the building that could fall on you.

If you are outside, find a clear spot away from buildings, power lines, trees and streetlights. Drop to the ground and stay there until the shaking stops.

• If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location and stop. Avoid bridges, overpasses and power lines if possible. Stay inside with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Then, drive carefully, avoiding bridges and ramps that may have been damaged.
• If a power line falls on your vehicle, do not get out. Wait for assistance.
• If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris. Landslides are often triggered by earthquakes.

After an earthquake, expect and prepare for potential aftershocks.

• Anytime you feel an aftershock, drop, cover and hold on.
• Aftershocks frequently occur minutes, days, weeks and even months following an earthquake.
• Also prepare for potential landslides, or a tsunami if you live in a coastal area.

For more information and preparedness tips, visit redcross.org/earthquakes.  

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/la or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossLA or @CruzRojaLA.