The American Red Cross has released its new Emergency App, which gives people, including those in St. Lawrence County, instant access to weather alerts, life-saving information and ways to contact family and friends

The app is free for mobile devices and provides expert advice on what to do in case of disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, home fires, wildfires and more, Red Cross says. The app is available in app stores for smartphones and tablets by searching for “American Red Cross” or visiting redcross.org/apps.

“When an emergency occurs, it’s important to keep people safe and connected,” said Kimmy Venter, spokesperson for the American Red Cross Eastern New York Region. “Our Emergency App does just that. It covers 14 different types of disasters and lets users customize more than 35 emergency alerts so that they will know what to do in an emergency, no matter where they live or travel.”

“Family Safe” is a new, unique feature that allows the app user to notify loved ones who are in an area affected by an emergency or disaster. The recipient can instantly see the alert details as well as specific “what to do now” steps, and then respond with either “I’m safe” or “I’m not safe.” This feature works even if the recipient has not downloaded the Emergency App.

In addition to smartphones and tablets, this feature will be available on the new Apple Watch and can be downloaded from the Apple Watch App Store starting April 24.

The Emergency App has many features, including:

· Emergency first aid information for situations such as heart attacks, heat-related emergencies as well as water safety information;

· Preloaded content so users can access guidance from Red Cross experts even without mobile connectivity;

· A single map with open Red Cross shelter locations and weather information;

· A home fire section with detailed prevention and safety tips as well as Red Cross “After the Fire” information;

· A “Make a Plan” feature to help families plan what to do and where to go if a disaster strikes; and

· The ability to easily toggle between English and Spanish.

Red Cross apps have been downloaded more than 6 million times and nearly 400 million alerts have been sent since the launch of the first app in 2012. In the past year alone, more than 350 million pages were viewed and the “I’m Safe” feature was accessed just over 550,000 times across all Red Cross preparedness apps.

While apps can help prepare people for disasters, it’s important to note that they are not substitutes for training. People can take Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED courses so they’ll know what to do in case help is delayed in an emergency. To register for training or more information, visit redcross.org/TakeAClass.