Rhodes Island, U.S.A. — CVS Pharmacy is taking steps to prepare for Hurricane Isaac, which is expected to make landfall in the Gulf Coast area within 24 hours.

While complying with any mandatory evacuation order given by local officials, CVS/pharmacy is keeping its stores in affected areas open for as long as possible and stocking them with storm preparedness items such as water, batteries, flashlights and other products to help in an emergency. Any stores that close due to the storm will reopen as soon as safely possible. CVS Pharmacy is also preparing to assist with storm recovery efforts in its communities and is keeping in close contact with the American Red Cross to offer support in affected areas as needed once the storm passes.

Customers can access their prescription information at the recently-enhanced pharmacy section of CVS.com, with resources such as My Pharmacy, where patients can easily view all of their prescriptions and manage refills, and a Drug Information Center where they can ensure medications can be taken together and view descriptive images of each prescribed pill. Prescription management services are also available at their mobile website, m.cvs.com, and through CVS Pharmacy’s iPhone and Android mobile apps.

When preparing for a hurricane or other serious weather event, CVS offers customers the following tips:

• Create a plan for evacuating and finding a safe destination.
• Keep a written record of your current prescriptions with you at all times, or create an online record at CVS.com. This is especially important if you take multiple prescriptions.
• In the event of an emergency when you are away from home, find a pharmacy nearby to fill necessary prescriptions. CVS/pharmacy can fill its customers’ prescriptions at any of its 7,300 locations nationwide. To find a CVS near you, visit the store locator at www.cvs.com or m.cvs.com.
• Create an emergency kit and make sure you have all essentials in case of power outages. CVS/pharmacy has the necessities for a hurricane kit including bottled water, masking tape and batteries.

For a full list of tips on being prepared for a hurricane, visit the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.

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Washington, U.S.A. — As Tropical Storm Isaac marches north, the American Red Cross opened shelters in Florida and is prepared for widespread flooding and sheltering a large number of people throughout the state.

“The Red Cross is helping people in Florida who are being affected by the storm, and we urge those throughout the state and the Gulf Coast region who are in Isaac’s projected path to take preparedness steps now,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of disaster services. “The Red Cross is preparing for what could be a large disaster response across multiple states over the next several weeks.”

The Red Cross has deployed more than 1,000 disaster workers throughout Florida and has materials and supplies positioned for use, including pre-stocking 30,000 ready-to-eat meals in Florida and two mobile kitchens sent to the state.

With Isaac’s effects already being felt in parts of the state, people in Florida should stay informed on the storm’s progress from the National Weather Service. As the storm approaches, people should be prepared to evacuate if directed to do so by authorities.

As of noon August 27, the Red Cross has nearly 20 shelters already open in Florida and is poised to open more as necessary. If someone needs to find a Red Cross shelter, they can download the Red Cross Hurricane app, visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or check their local television, radio and newspaper.

It’s also important to stay in touch with family and friends, and the Red Cross Safe and Well website is a secure and easy-to-use online tool that helps families connect during emergencies. To register, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). This site also connects with the Twitter and Facebook accounts of users.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross also is mobilizing disaster workers, emergency vehicles, mobile kitchens and relief supplies to Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi as Isaac is expected to move into that area in the next few days. The Red Cross is urging residents in areas that could be affected by the storm to be preparing now.

Isaac is expected to cause serious flooding throughout the region, and people can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Image Courtesy of   American Red Cross

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Los Angeles, U.S.A. — Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, including subsidiaries Foremost Insurance, 21st Century and Bristol West, are prepared for deployment to help customers once Tropical Storm Isaac makes landfall in Southern Florida and moves to the Florida panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi coasts.

“Isaac is moving through Cuba and is expected to make landfall in the Florida keys sometime during this week,” notes Paul Quinn, Assistant Vice President Claims for Farmers Insurance. “We will strategically position claims adjusters to deploy to all affected areas after Isaac makes landfall.”

Farmers Insurance advised its customers in Isaac’s projected path to pay close attention to the latest weather reports and begin making necessary preparations.

Farmers customers and non-customers alike can go to www.farmers.com and click on the Claims Section for tips on updating your home inventory, evacuation route planning and a new video on what to do before, during and after a hurricane. The video can be viewed at: https://www.farmers.com/SV_CatPreparedness_Hurricane.html

For those without computer access:

• Create a Home Inventory. Have an up-to-date inventory of all of your personal property.
• Prepare an Evacuation Plan. Plan ahead and map out a safe and smooth evacuation route, and please follow any evacuation orders. Also, have all prescriptions and important papers readily available in case you have to leave your home on short notice. It is also a good idea to have emergency supplies such as flashlights, radio, batteries and water on hand.

“Something we stress is that Farmers, Foremost, 21st Century and Bristol West customers need not go back to their homes for insurance papers when they have been told or have to leave,” Quinn continued. “Calling the hotline 1-800 number is all you need to do.”

Once Isaac makes land fall, Farmers and 21st Century customers with damage should immediately contact their agent or call Farmers’ 24-hour-claims hotline at 1-800-435-7764 for immediate assistance.

Foremost Insurance customers should file their claim by calling: 1-800-527-3907.

Bristol West Insurance customers should file their claim by calling: 1-800-274-7865.

Spanish-language claims assistance is available to Farmers customers by calling: 877-RECLAMO (877-732-5266).

Farmers customers can also go to www.Farmers.com or download the free iClaim app to file a claim..

Flood victims who have flood insurance should contact the National Flood Program at http://www.floodsmart.gov

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is a leading U.S. insurer of automobiles, homes and small businesses and also provides a wide range of other insurance and financial services products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with more than 20 million individual policies across all 50 states through the efforts of over 50,000 exclusive and independent agents and nearly 24,000 employees.

Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be. Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Insurance Group.

The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information about Farmers, visit the company’s website at www.farmers.com or at www.Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.

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Tropical Storm Debby has been slowly creeping its way across Florida, heading northeast. The storm began in the Gulf of Mexico and was projected to go to Texas, Alabama, and Florida on different occasions. On the morning of June 25 the storm was about seventy-five miles south of the Panhandle city of Apalachicola moving at a speed of three miles per hour northeast.

The tropical storm, a step below a category one hurricane, maintained forty-five miles per hour winds and has threatened some parts of Florida with ten to twenty-five inches of rain. Many low-lying areas in Northern Florida are expected to flood and many residents have been warned to evacuate these areas.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management issued a statement saying, “Debby is currently stationary, and no significant motion is expected through the next day or so as a weak steering flow remains in the region…All of the Florida Panhandle near and west of the Suwannee River is in the three-day error cone.” Debby is expected to move between Destin and Tampa within the next three to five days.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management also reported on the effects of the hurricane. “Tropical storm force winds, heavy rainfall and isolated tornadoes are the main concerns today…rainfall amounts of five plus inches today and tonight may lead to continued flooding for many areas of the state. In addition, locally heavy rainfall of potentially up to ten to twenty inches through the next few days will continue to exacerbate flooding concerns of some areas.” The governor, Rick Scott, has declared a statewide emergency.

Most of the damage so far has been in the western regions of Florida. Some streets in Tampa are underwater and the Howard Franklin bridge that connects Tampa and St. Petersburg was closed due to high winds and water. St. George Island was hit the hardest losing electricity and having its bridge to the mainland closed. Thirty-five thousand homes and businesses were without power after the storm ravaged Florida the night of June 24. Several Florida counties were put on the tornado watch list including Pinellas and Orange (St. Petersburg and Orlando).

Twenty-three percent of oil and gas production has been suspended and the employees have been evacuated from sixty-one production platforms and thirteen drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

One person was killed by a tornado the tropical storm caused in Florida. The other casualty of this storm was a South Carolinian man who disappeared in rough seas on June 24 in Alabama.

Some Floridians see the tropical storm as nothing to worry about, after surviving the year of Charlie, Frances, Jeanne, and Ivan, this storm is incomparable. Patrick Sparks, twenty-six, a manager at Eddy Teach’s bar, stated, “the tourists cleared out. It’s not a good thing and hurts the economy during a week in peak season. It’s a tropical storm – it’s not even a category one. It’s a little rash to send everyone home.”

Hurricane season began June 1 and will last until November 30. So far Debby is the fourth named storm that has occurred this year.

Image Courtesy of  NASA Goddard Photo and Video

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