Red Cross Scenarios

It is the job of the American Red Cross to care for American citizens in their time of need whenever disaster strikes. This would be no different if a zombie apocalypse were to occur. The Red Cross would carry out all of these duties as if they were dealing with a tsunami, wildfire, or even an act of terrorism. This includes finding a shelter in-place, maintaining proper communication with all citizens, having the appropriate supplies, and providing any medical attention that may be needed. The Red Cross would have a plan of action to ensure the safety of these in-danger citizens from the zombies that are slowly, but surely making their way closer to the homes and families of individuals.

As the zombies begin to pour into and lurk further
through the city, the citizens will need to evacuate their homes. After being notified, citizens will need to gather important supplies that will be needed. Once supplies are gathered, citizens can find in-place shelter at the closest school. The schools resources will be used to the citizens’ aid through the apocalypse. According to the American Red Cross website, a shelter in-place should be made by gathering supplies for disasters and close off all doors and windows to separate the outside world from the inside safety (www.redcross.org/prepare). Families will be transported to the school by using the local school buses to carry the citizens and their belongings to the nearest shelter. The buses will start at the houses in closest proximity to the school and work outwards, making the school the safe zone. The buses will allow a lot easier access for the citizens to evacuate their homes and make it to safety with other families from their own area.

If the shelter in-place needs to be evacuated due to emergency, then the same buses used to pick up the citizens from their homes will carry them to a new shelter or safe place. The evacuation will begin with the citizens first, since the Red Cross’s job is to help during the disaster present. Following the evacuation of citizens, the evacuation of food and supplies will then happen. Buses that are not full of people will be stocked with important supplies that are needed. Depending on the time of stay away from the original shelter in-place, will determine how many supplies will be needed. Evacuation will be important, so communication is key. Along with communicating, gathering the correct supplies and recruiting volunteers that will help are important to the Red Cross too.

Communication will be essential during this time. We will be communicating with the injured, along with the well. We will be providing people with the necessary information to ensure they are getting the care they need. There will be someone over the intercom of the school to provide general directions and information to the public. All of our volunteers and staff will be assigned certain areas to work in and communicate with. The workers may be responsible for more than one room depending on the crowd, or the amount of workers and volunteers available. There will also be bilingual translators helping to communicate with people that do not speak English. This will help to provide viable information to as many individuals as possible. On top of communicating verbally, we will have the workers write instructions on the black boards. This will help to eliminate constant questions if anyone is to forget the information they have been told. They will list procedures, where certain care can be located, and any other information the room may need.

In case of an electrical outage, or any other hindrance of communication, there will be a backup plan to provide the citizens with information.
The loss of electricity is sure to cause chaos and panic. If the power is to shut out, that will cut out our use of the intercom. Without the intercom, we will try to use megaphones. Since we will only have a few megaphones to use, we will give these to the workers with the areas with excessive amounts of people. Due to the megaphones being battery powered, we will use them only when necessary. The rooms with fewer people will still be given information the same way they were before. Since the lights will shut off, people may not be able to read the black board for certain information; therefore, the worker will need to make sure to be efficient with letting everyone know what is happening. Along with plans of evacuation and communication, the Red Cross requires an adequate amount of supplies to help those who are ill and/or
injured.

There are a lot of medical supplies needed for the Red Cross.
The supplies we would need to help aid the injured or ill citizens would be the following: Tylenol, aspirin, alcohol wipes, bandages, gauzes, Band-Aids, iodine, numbing medicine, serious medications, possibly needle and thread in case of surgery, scalpels, sutures, and needles to inject the medicine into the body. The Tylenol and aspirin would simply be for the more common illnesses like fever, headache, or any other aches and pains. The alcohol wipes, iodine, and gauzes are for sterilization in case we need to penetrate the skin. Band-Aids and bandages to cover any wounds, cuts, or openings made by surgery. Then numbing medicine, of course, would be to numb any part of the body so no pain would be conflicted. Next, the needle, thread, scalpels, and sutures are for any major surgery or amputations needed for the seriously ill patients. Then the needle for the medicine would be for when the patient needs serious medications for certain
sicknesses.

The reason for all the supplies is because if the zombies were to infect one of the citizens we could either amputate that part of their body or give them medicine. Another example would be if some of the citizens contracted the common cold, then we would inject some medicine into these individuals or give those citizens pills to make them feel better. However, if a citizen comes to us with a serious disease that would be untreatable, then we would have to give them to the zombies. We couldn’t risk that one person endangering the whole population. On the higher end maybe that diseased citizen would infect the zombies and kill them off quickly.

According to the American Red Cross, supplies needed for injuries and emergency help should be readily available at any given time. (www.redcross.org/prepare) These supplies may include items such as first aid kits, medication for pain, and medical equipment for more intense injuries/ medical problems. Supplies that may be needed for the more intense injuries may include, but are not limited to, surgical equipment, casts/braces, and I.V.’s. People who have become injured will be taken care of at the shelter in-place. Volunteers will be taking care of people who have miniscule injuries all the way to those who have more serious ones. These volunteers will include doctors, nurses, and specialists who are willing to put forth their services while in this time of need.

Individuals who have obtained any injuries will be taken to the science hall of the school. This is because they can be quarantined from all other inhabitants of the shelter. These citizens can also be better treated due to the fact that there are lab tables available for use along with any chemicals that could possibly be used. The seriousness of injuries will determine how aggressively a citizen may be treated or if the individual is worth saving at all. Small cuts and scrapes will be treated with antibacterial creams or ointments and Band-Aids. Larger injuries and infections that require surgery will be taken care of as soon as possible in the most efficient and effective methods.

All in all, the American Red Cross is responsible for the immediate emergency and medical care and treatment of citizens who are undergoing any and all types of disasters. They, being the Red Cross, must be prepared in every way possible. This means having a plan of action including evacuation and transportation, means of communication, the proper kinds and amounts of supplies, and lastly, volunteers and equipment to help treat individuals who are ill/ injured.