Red Cross classes teach preparedness for disasters

Thursday, March 20, 2003 | 9:47 a.m.

The first Red Cross classes designed to teach Las Vegans how to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks or major disasters begin Friday.

Prepare Nevada, sponsored by the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada, is designed to stress preparedness not only in difficult times like these, but at all times, as part of a regimen.

"People got real prepared by stocking canned goods and water for the Y2K scare, then when that danger passed, they stopped," said Ed Ruttan, director of disaster services for the local Red Cross. "The same thing happened after Sept. 11. People started making emergency kits, but did not keep those kits up."

This month's first Red Cross disaster preparation class already has 15 students, each of whom paid $30 to learn such things as how to build disaster kits and how to plan to get their families to safety.

"Our goal is to prepare 5 percent of the state's population over the next two years," Ruttan said. "That's about 1,000 people a month when we get going."

The purpose of Prepare Nevada, which has 30 trained instructors, is to get the word out that knowledge in the face of disaster is a powerful tool.

"In the event of a chemical or biological attack, you have to know what to do until help arrives," Ruttan said.

"Telling people to be prepared is not designed to scare them. But things can happen. At the Red Cross, we respond to 300 local fires a year -- to people who never thought they would be victims of fire. This training applies to readiness for all disasters, not just terrorist attacks."

The class will be conducted at 3672 N. Rancho Drive. For more information call 791-3311, ext. 3034.