Latest news with #AmericanRedCross
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weekend flooding in Lancaster damaged roads, apartments, businesses. What to know
Officials in Lancaster continue to survey damage after heavy weekend rains across central Ohio flooded homes and washed away sections of roads. The July 26 and 27 storms prompted rescues at area apartments and a dog boarder, officials said. They caused flooding that closed roads and displaced residents. The floodwaters began to recede early July 28, but officials were bracing for more rain in the forecast and the possibility of more flooding. Fairfield County EMA Director John Kochis was out the morning of July 28 with teams surveying the damage from the floods. He said they are working to assess damage and plan to seek a disaster declaration from the state. As of midday, he said about a dozen roads remained closed, mostly due to washed-out culverts. Kochis urged people not to drive through flooded roads, saying receding waters have revealed that some stretches of roads were washed away. "Now we've got pictures of, you know, 8-foot wide, just whole sections of road that are gone, and you wouldn't know that if you drove through it (while it was flooded)," he said. The American Red Cross established a shelter at the YMCA at 465 W. 6th St. in Lancaster for impacted Fairfield County residents. Anyone needing assistance as of July 28 should call 1-800-RedCross, the Central and Southern Ohio Red Cross said in a post on X. 'Slow-rising' flood hits Lancaster The storms that prompted the evacuations were part of a system that moved through the region beginning in the mid-afternoon of July 27. Kochis said some homes in the Lancaster area sustained significant damage. Most homes were damaged due to backups in the stormwater system. "In the areas that were impacted ... what we see is the stormwater system either backs up or could not contain that water," Kochis said. "So it's a very slow-rising type of flood." Several area creeks flooded their banks, resulting in flash floods. The Fetters Run, Ewing Run, and Baldwin Run creeks flow into the Hocking River nearby. "These are creeks or runs that are maybe a foot or two deep all summer long," Kochis said. "They could handle a normal rain event, but then one of these comes along every so often." Apartments flooded, concert impacted On July 27, authorities evacuated about 50 people from the Sater Village apartment complex on Sater Drive, Kochis said. The apartment complex is located near the Baldwin Run creek, and the rainfall overwhelmed the complex's private stormwater system. Kochis said all the apartments were evacuated due to concerns about the rising waters, but most of the damage is contained to just four apartments. Pamela Echard, 70, spent time the morning of July 28 sifting through her Sater Village apartment with her family to see what could be salvaged. Water seeped into her home over the weekend, soiling her carpets, soaking her furniture and causing her floors to bow. When she first stepped back inside, she felt terrible, she said. "I couldn't believe it because I just cleaned the floors before I left," Echard said. Echard's granddaughter, Deanna Hodges, said the apartment complex's parking lot was completely underwater earlier. One car was even pushed sideways by the flood waters. Water got into the interior of Echard's car, and it is likely a total loss, Hodges said. A worsening storm also forced officials to evacuate the Lancaster Festival on July 26. A concert was about to start that had attracted 4,000 people, Kochis said. In the end, the damage was limited to "some beach chairs and some coolers," he said. Kochis said the storms serve as an important reminder to residents to ensure that they have proper insurance in the event of a flood. The affected homes were not in a designated floodplain area, so they are not required to carry flood insurance, Kochis said. Some of the areas affected by flooding have lower-income residents. Standard homeowners' insurance policies do not typically cover flood damage. Many rental insurance policies don't either, he added. Some people may rely on nonprofits or "people that will help out of the goodness of their hearts," Kochis said. More storms across central Ohio in Monday's forecast Kochis said July 28 that officials in Fairfield County are on guard for more flooding. They are speaking to the National Weather Service on a sometimes hourly basis, he added. The NWS also has teams on the ground in Lancaster, Kochis said. More thunderstorms are forecast for July 28 across central Ohio, with high temperatures in the low to mid-90s, and the heat index will make temperatures feel like 100 degrees. Flooding threatened dog boarder During the weekend storms, one of the overflowing creeks caused flash flooding that ripped through the Finishing Institute for Dog Ownership dog boarding facility. FIDO evacuated after significant flooding, the business wrote on its Facebook page early in the morning on July 27. Lancaster police and fire personnel, and the Fairfield County Dog Shelter, worked to assist the business. The building suffered "significant" flood damage, with "creek residue" and mud in the parking lot and entry area, the business later wrote on Facebook. One dog, a 3-year-old tan and black dog named Scooby, escaped during the commotion as the business evacuated, according to a missing poster circulated on social media. The business received an outpouring of donations, including new dog beds and blankets, towels and cleaning supplies, the business said in another Facebook post. A resident with a skid steer helped move the dumpster back into place and scraped mud from the parking lot. "We are so blessed to have so many kind souls looking out for us," the business wrote. Dogs boarding with FIDO were brought to the Fairfield County Dog Shelter. The center said in a post on Facebook that pet parents could come to the shelter at 1715 Granville Pike to pick up their dogs. Columbus forecast, severe weather outlook for week of July 28, 2025 Monday: There is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. There will be patchy fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise it will be partly sunny with a high near 92. There will be a calm wind that will start moving southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Between 1/10th and 1/4 inch of rain is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Monday Night: There is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. It will be mostly cloudy with a low around 74. There will be a light and variable wind. Less than 1/10th of an inch of rain is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Tuesday: It will be mostly sunny with a high near 94. There will be heat index values as high as 102. There will be a light north wind. Tuesday Night: It will be partly cloudy with a low around 75. There will be a light and variable wind. Wednesday: There is a slight chance of showers, then there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 a.m. IT will be mostly sunny with a high near 92. There will be a calm wind that will start moving northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 50%. Less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Wednesday Night: There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be mostly cloudy with a low around 69. The chance of precipitation is 40%. Between a tenth and quarter of an inch of rain is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Thursday: There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be mostly cloudy with a high near 81. The chance of precipitation is 50%. Thursday Night: It will be partly cloudy with a low around 63. Friday: It will be sunny with a high near 81. Friday Night: It will be mostly clear with a low around 60. Saturday: It will be sunny with a high near 82. Saturday Night: It will be mostly clear with a low around 61. Sunday: It will be mostly sunny with a high near 82. Public Safety and Breaking News Reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Lancaster Ohio flooding impacts dog boarder, more rain expected
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
How you can cope — or help others — when disasters strike
At least 135 people, including 37 children, died in the Texas floods over the July 4 holiday weekend. All told, the US sustained 403 weather and climate disasters from 1980–2024, where overall damages and costs reached or exceeded $1 billion. And in the first half of 2025, we experienced 15 separate billion-dollar weather disasters, including tornadoes, hail, wind, and flash flooding from severe thunderstorms. Learn more: How much does flood insurance cost in every state? Earl Johnson wrote a new book about how to cope when those disasters hit home: Finding Comfort During Hard Times: A Guide to Healing after Disaster, Violence, and Other Community Trauma. At the American Red Cross national headquarters, Johnson's responsibilities included preparedness and response to every domestic mass fatality incident since the weeks after 9/11, including transportation incidents, natural disasters, and criminal acts. Here are edited excerpts of our conversation: Kerry Hannon: What was the experience of aiding in a disaster that made this work become your mission? Earl Johnson: 9/11 changed everybody's lives. I moved from lower Manhattan to Arlington, Va., on Sept. 9, 2001. I was in the backyard, and I heard the plane hit the Pentagon. I had training as a hospital chaplain and it kicked in. All of my skills and everything were transferable to a disaster. Hurricane Katrina was my other seminal event. I was with the Red Cross, and we were tasked to open a thousand shelters for a thousand people each in the next 24 hours. It wasn't just a Red Cross response. It wasn't just a federal response. It was everybody, all hands on deck. And we were a team. With the Texas Hill country flooding disaster on our minds, what's the best action for someone to take if you want to give, but you can't be there in person? The temptation for many people is to drop everything and go help the victims. And that's the wrong thing to do unless you have specialized training and also an invitation to go with an official group. The best thing you can do, if you can afford it, is to contribute — give money, but don't give stuff. A lot of times that will just inundate a community. The best thing is to stay, pray, and pay. If you have a specific charity, great. Many people contribute to a faith-based charity or the American Red Cross or Salvation Army. Donations do make a difference, and you are doing something. Sign up for the Mind Your Money weekly newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy Is this something that you recommend for those who might be retired and have time to volunteer on-site? Yes. But don't wait until the disaster happens. Get your disaster training because there are unique aspects of disasters, and you need to be trained for a specific function whether it be shelter management or mass care feeding. Retirees offer a pool of expertise. How would someone get that training? Well, I'm prejudiced. I love the Red Cross. I spent 10 years responding to disasters with them. They have an excellent volunteer program and training. Why is it so important for everyone to have some sort of a disaster plan in place for their community, home, and business? We never know when there is going to be a catastrophic event. But we have to go on living, and we have to live fully and freely without that kind of anxiety. Making a disaster plan is not only good business, it's also common sense — because that's another way of not only taking care of yourself and your family, it's also taking care of your customers and your business. For example, you should have a "go bag" of things to take with you with a flashlight and solar radio, for example. Build a rainy day emergency fund. Have a disaster communications plan in case there's a blackout or the landlines go down. You write in your book about being on the alert for entrepreneurs and predators and other people coming into a community under the guise of offering help. How do we guard ourselves from being taken advantage of? It's the second wave of the disaster. Good, kindhearted people respond, but also entrepreneurs and predators who want to take advantage of the vulnerable. Do a background check. Check with a local Better Business Bureau, the police department, the Red Cross, local media, and others in your community to find out if they have heard of this group, or were aware that this group has descended upon the community and are going door-to- door offering roof repairs or whatever. A lot of people get victimized because they're already vulnerable, because the emotional and spiritual aspects of disasters are so traumatic. If you are in the disaster zone, you already are vulnerable and you want help and you want assistance. Don't sign anything until they have been checked out. What's the first thing to ask yourself before you head off to a disaster zone to lend a hand? You can't imagine how many people drop everything, get in their car with a couple bags of ice and a couple dozen sandwiches, and drive a thousand miles to help. When I am screening potential volunteers, I would always ask them why they want to respond, so stop and first ask yourself that question. Who's going to take care of your family and pets if you are gone? Do you have two to three weeks that you can donate? You also need to be willing to be managed. You can't be the big hotshot coming down to do your part. You need to take about small disasters? Unemployment can be a disaster for people. Elaborate. There are thousands of everyday disasters. There are house fires, divorce, homelessness, mental health issues, and yes, unemployment. Nothing is more violent and traumatic than unemployment. One day your identity as your job or your vocation that you've contributed so much to is gone. You need to start with considering what gives you hope. What is your source of hope and meaning? Make a fearless personal assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Take that personal inventory, especially because you're devastated when you lose your job. You have to say, wait a minute, I was employed. I have skills, I have learning, and it does have value, and I have made a difference. Talk to people and go deeper and ask them what are the good things they notice about you? What are the things they see that you do well? What's your biggest takeaway from the book for readers? Comfort is essential. Preparedness is caring and taking care of one another. It is a huge gift not only to come in and help people to rebuild their home, but also to be a good neighbor and to be a good listener. You may not have physical things that people need, but you have a good ear, and you can support one another. Disasters are not only physical. They're also emotional and spiritual. For more information on how you can help, check out the Red Cross and FEMA sites. Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist and the author of 14 books, including the forthcoming "Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future," "In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work," and "Never Too Old to Get Rich." Follow her on Bluesky. Sign up for the Mind Your Money newsletter Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
How you can cope — or help others — when disasters strike
At least 135 people, including 37 children, died in the Texas floods over the July 4 holiday weekend. All told, the US sustained 403 weather and climate disasters from 1980–2024, where overall damages and costs reached or exceeded $1 billion. And in the first half of 2025, we experienced 15 separate billion-dollar weather disasters, including tornadoes, hail, wind, and flash flooding from severe thunderstorms. Learn more: How much does flood insurance cost in every state? Earl Johnson wrote a new book about how to cope when those disasters hit home: Finding Comfort During Hard Times: A Guide to Healing after Disaster, Violence, and Other Community Trauma. At the American Red Cross national headquarters, Johnson's responsibilities included preparedness and response to every domestic mass fatality incident since the weeks after 9/11, including transportation incidents, natural disasters, and criminal acts. Here are edited excerpts of our conversation: Kerry Hannon: What was the experience of aiding in a disaster that made this work become your mission? Earl Johnson: 9/11 changed everybody's lives. I moved from lower Manhattan to Arlington, Va., on Sept. 9, 2001. I was in the backyard, and I heard the plane hit the Pentagon. I had training as a hospital chaplain and it kicked in. All of my skills and everything were transferable to a disaster. Hurricane Katrina was my other seminal event. I was with the Red Cross, and we were tasked to open a thousand shelters for a thousand people each in the next 24 hours. It wasn't just a Red Cross response. It wasn't just a federal response. It was everybody, all hands on deck. And we were a team. With the Texas Hill country flooding disaster on our minds, what's the best action for someone to take if you want to give, but you can't be there in person? The temptation for many people is to drop everything and go help the victims. And that's the wrong thing to do unless you have specialized training and also an invitation to go with an official group. The best thing you can do, if you can afford it, is to contribute — give money, but don't give stuff. A lot of times that will just inundate a community. The best thing is to stay, pray, and pay. If you have a specific charity, great. Many people contribute to a faith-based charity or the American Red Cross or Salvation Army. Donations do make a difference, and you are doing something. Sign up for the Mind Your Money weekly newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy Is this something that you recommend for those who might be retired and have time to volunteer on-site? Yes. But don't wait until the disaster happens. Get your disaster training because there are unique aspects of disasters, and you need to be trained for a specific function whether it be shelter management or mass care feeding. Retirees offer a pool of expertise. How would someone get that training? Well, I'm prejudiced. I love the Red Cross. I spent 10 years responding to disasters with them. They have an excellent volunteer program and training. Why is it so important for everyone to have some sort of a disaster plan in place for their community, home, and business? We never know when there is going to be a catastrophic event. But we have to go on living, and we have to live fully and freely without that kind of anxiety. Making a disaster plan is not only good business, it's also common sense — because that's another way of not only taking care of yourself and your family, it's also taking care of your customers and your business. For example, you should have a "go bag" of things to take with you with a flashlight and solar radio, for example. Build a rainy day emergency fund. Have a disaster communications plan in case there's a blackout or the landlines go down. You write in your book about being on the alert for entrepreneurs and predators and other people coming into a community under the guise of offering help. How do we guard ourselves from being taken advantage of? It's the second wave of the disaster. Good, kindhearted people respond, but also entrepreneurs and predators who want to take advantage of the vulnerable. Do a background check. Check with a local Better Business Bureau, the police department, the Red Cross, local media, and others in your community to find out if they have heard of this group, or were aware that this group has descended upon the community and are going door-to- door offering roof repairs or whatever. A lot of people get victimized because they're already vulnerable, because the emotional and spiritual aspects of disasters are so traumatic. If you are in the disaster zone, you already are vulnerable and you want help and you want assistance. Don't sign anything until they have been checked out. What's the first thing to ask yourself before you head off to a disaster zone to lend a hand? You can't imagine how many people drop everything, get in their car with a couple bags of ice and a couple dozen sandwiches, and drive a thousand miles to help. When I am screening potential volunteers, I would always ask them why they want to respond, so stop and first ask yourself that question. Who's going to take care of your family and pets if you are gone? Do you have two to three weeks that you can donate? You also need to be willing to be managed. You can't be the big hotshot coming down to do your part. You need to take about small disasters? Unemployment can be a disaster for people. Elaborate. There are thousands of everyday disasters. There are house fires, divorce, homelessness, mental health issues, and yes, unemployment. Nothing is more violent and traumatic than unemployment. One day your identity as your job or your vocation that you've contributed so much to is gone. You need to start with considering what gives you hope. What is your source of hope and meaning? Make a fearless personal assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Take that personal inventory, especially because you're devastated when you lose your job. You have to say, wait a minute, I was employed. I have skills, I have learning, and it does have value, and I have made a difference. Talk to people and go deeper and ask them what are the good things they notice about you? What are the things they see that you do well? What's your biggest takeaway from the book for readers? Comfort is essential. Preparedness is caring and taking care of one another. It is a huge gift not only to come in and help people to rebuild their home, but also to be a good neighbor and to be a good listener. You may not have physical things that people need, but you have a good ear, and you can support one another. Disasters are not only physical. They're also emotional and spiritual. For more information on how you can help, check out the Red Cross and FEMA sites. Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist and the author of 14 books, including the forthcoming "Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future," "In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work," and "Never Too Old to Get Rich." Follow her on Bluesky. Sign up for the Mind Your Money newsletter
CBS News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Baltimore residents urged to hydrate, stay cool amid weekend heat wave in Maryland
The heat index in the Baltimore area is expected to reach up to 109 degrees on Friday during a dangerous weekend heat wave. Baltimore is under a Code Red Heat Alert Friday, July 25, through Tuesday, July 29. The city has opened its cooling centers to the public. You can call 311 or visit the city website to find a cooling center near you. The extreme temperatures prompted the city Department of Public Works (DPW) to activate its Heat Illness Prevention Plan to keep crews safe. DPW said trash and recycling collections ended early on Friday due to the dangerous heat. All DPW Recycling Centers closed at 5 p.m. to protect crews. The American Red Cross is urging Marylanders to protect themselves from extreme temperatures. "Extreme heat kills more people in the United States than any other natural disaster," said Scott Marder, a spokesperson with the American Red Cross Central Maryland Chapter. The Red Cross encourages people to: Most importantly, pay close attention to signs of heat exhaustion, like vomiting, nausea and weakness, Marder advised. Also, know the signs of heat stroke, like dizziness, confusion and high body temperature, Marder said. The extreme heat did not stop people from visiting Baltimore's Inner Harbor on Friday. "It feels awesome," said Chris Layton, who traveled from Arkansas to Baltimore with his family. "It feels like home." "Really hot, like sweating," said Astrid Villegas, another visitor. Whether it's a walk, bike ride or boat ride, several people took advantage of the sunny day. "Do a little fishing," said Baltimore resident Cedric Booze. "I want to come out here, maybe grab some catfish…salmon." "The Fantastic Four just came out and I don't want any spoilers," Villegas said. "I'm on my way to that." Visitors are mindful of the dangerous impact and are all taking the same action. "We just drink lots of water," Layton said.
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Jack in the Box Launches Texas Double Jack Promotion to Support Flood Relief Efforts Across the State
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the wake of the devastating floods impacting Texas Hill Country and beyond, Jack in the Box restaurants across the Lone Star State are coming together to support local communities and aid disaster relief efforts. From Thursday, July 24 through Thursday, August 7, Jack in the Box will donate $1 from every Texas Double Jack and Texas Double Jack Combo sold at all Texas locations to the American Red Cross in support of ongoing disaster relief and recovery work. Share From Thursday, July 24 through Thursday, August 7, Jack in the Box will donate $1 from every Texas Double Jack and Texas Double Jack Combo sold at all Texas locations to the American Red Cross in support of ongoing disaster relief and recovery work. The idea for the initiative came directly from Jack in the Box franchise operators, who felt compelled to act. 'This effort is a testament to the heart and commitment of our franchisee community,' said Lance Tucker, CEO of Jack in the Box. 'Franchise operators across Texas felt a deep responsibility to support their neighbors in the wake of the devastating floods. Their swift action and willingness to step up shows the powerful impact that can happen when local businesses come together to support their communities.' Jack in the Box has deep roots in Texas, with nearly 600 restaurants serving communities statewide. This effort reflects the brand's long-standing commitment to supporting kids and families across their restaurant communities. To support Red Cross Disaster Relief, visit your local Texas Jack in the Box and order a Texas Double Jack between July 24 and August 7. Together, we can help rebuild. For more on Red Cross disaster relief or to make a direct donation, visit About Jack in the Box: Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK), founded and headquartered in San Diego, California, is a restaurant company that operates and franchises Jack in the Box®, one of the nation's largest hamburger chains with approximately 2,190 restaurants across 22 states, and Del Taco®, the second largest Mexican-American QSR chain by units in the U.S. with approximately 590 restaurants across 17 states. For more information on both brands, including franchising opportunities, visit and
