Disaster Services

Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including home fires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.

Although not a government agency, the Red Cross has been chartered by Congress since 1905 to "carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same." The Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of duties and obligations to the nation and victims of disaster.

All Red Cross assistance is free, provided by the donations of time and money from the American people.   Red Cross disaster services focus on meeting people's immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, health and mental health services to address basic human needs. 

The Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and blood products to disaster victims, and helps those affected by disaster to access other available resources to enable them to resume their normal daily activities as quickly as possible.

If you or someone you know is need of Red Cross assistance please call (573) 335-9471 or email: info@semoredcross.org