Red Cross releases new Hurricane App | Health

The Red Cross released its new Hurricane App on Wednesday. The new app puts useful information in the hands of people living in Hurricane prone areas.

According to the Red Cross, the app is free and is the second in a series to be created by the Red Cross. The app will be for iPhone users and Android users and gives instant access to local and real time information on what to do before, during and after a hurricane.

The launch of the Red Cross hurricane app comes just before what is traditionally the busiest period of the Atlantic hurricane season. Features of the app include:

• One touch "I'm safe" messaging that allows users to broadcast reassurance to family and friends via social media outlets that they are out of harm's way;
• Location-based NOAA weather alerts for the United States and its territories users can share on social networks;
• Remote monitoring of personalized weather alerts where family and friends reside
• Locations of open Red Cross shelters;
• Simple steps and checklists people can use to create a family emergency plan;
• Preloaded content that gives users instant access to critical action steps, even without mobile connectivity;
• Toolkit with flashlight, strobe light and audible alarm; and
• Badges users can earn through interactive quizzes and share on social networks.

The app enables people across the country to receive alerts for locations in areas where they like to vacation or where loved ones live, giving peace of mind to travelers, people who winter in warmer climates, and those with elderly relatives or college students in coastal areas. 

The Hurricane and First Aid Apps can be found in the Apple Store and the Google Play Store  for Android by searching for American Red Cross.