The News Room [News Release]

Sheriff Contact: John Roach: 313-224-0615
Release Date: September 7, 2004

Sheriff teams up with Red Cross to provide Senior Citizens Emergency Preparedness training

As Hurricane Frances leaves billions of dollars in damage in its wake in Florida, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office today kicked off the first in a series of Emergency Preparedness workshops designed to let Senior Citizens know how to prepare for an emergency, such as a blackout, tornado or flooding. The first session was held today at St. Patrick’s Senior Center in Detroit.

The three-hour classes also show senior citizens how to protect themselves from unscrupulous businesspersons in the event an emergency does occur. According to statistics, ninety percent of scam victims are Senior Citizens. The classes are being held in conjunction with the American Red Cross and Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Catholic Social Services of Wayne County.

“The recent hurricanes in Florida should serve as a reminder to those of us locally about the importance of emergency preparedness,” Evans said. “What we are trying to do is to help senior citizens, who are the most vulnerable segment of our society, to remain safe during and after an emergency.”

Recent examples of local emergencies are not hard to find, Evans said. In just the past five years, a tornado devastated portions of Highland Park, major snowstorms have crippled the county, a blackout knocked out power to 50 million Americans and excessive rains caused severe flooding throughout much of the county.

During the sessions, which will be held at Senior centers throughout Wayne County, presenters will show seniors what steps they need to take in order to prepare for an emergency. Some of the tips include:

• Keep emergency numbers and personal medical information close at all times
• Keep a supply of bottle water and ready-to-eat non-perishable food
• Keep a transistor radio and a supply of fresh batteries
• Make sure at least on phone in your home is not a cordless model - unlike cordless phones, standard phones can work without electricity

In addition, seniors will learn how to protect themselves from unscrupulous businesspersons who may try to take advantage of them in the wake of an emergency.

“Unfortunately, that sort of thing is all too common,” Evans said. “We frequently hear about contractors who pressure older residents for money to provide repair work after a storm or other incident, then never come back to do the work.”

Evans said there are some basic tips seniors should know to protect themselves from scams.

• If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is
• Don’t be afraid to hang up the phone or close the door if you feel pressured
• Don’t give a contractor money before they perform any work - if they say they need the money to buy supplies, you probably shouldn’t deal with them
• Ask to see proof that a contractor is licensed and insured
• Ask a contractor for the names and numbers of people in your area he had done work for - speak to some of them before you agree to hire him

Currently, there are five more session scheduled throughout Wayne County at the following locations. To register, call 313-883-2389:

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