News & Notes (4/20/15)

FIRE DESTROYS HOME WEST OF TURLOCK

A fire Sunday afternoon destroyed a house on Fulkerth Road just west of Crows Landing Road. No one was injured in the blaze, which started in the garage, said Dave Whipkey, battalion commander for the Keyes Fire Protection District. Crews were called to the scene on the 400 block of Fulkerth at 2:23 p.m. and were mopping up as of late afternoon. The Mountain View Fire Protection District was in charge of the response, with help from firefighters from the Ceres, Denair, Turlock Rural, Turlock city, Mountain View, Westport and Keyes departments. About two dozen personnel in all took part. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Damages had not been determined.

RED CROSS LAUNCHES APP FOR EMERGENCIES

The American Red Cross has released a free Emergency App for mobile devices, to give people instant access to weather alerts, lifesaving information and ways to contact family and friends. The app provides expert advice on what to do in case of disasters such as home fires, wildfires, earthquakes, floods and more. It is available in app stores for smartphones and tablets by searching for the American Red Cross or by going to www.redcross.org/apps. “It covers 14 different types of disasters and lets users customize more than 35 emergency alerts so that they will know what to do no matter where they live or travel,” said Kathleen Weis, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross’ Gold Country Region. “Family Safe” is a feature that allows the app user to notify loved ones who are in an area affected by an emergency. 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.” Other features:

▪ Emergency first aid information for situations such as heart attacks and 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 feature to help families plan what to do and where to go if a disaster strikes.

▪ The ability to easily toggle between English and Spanish.

This story was originally published April 19, 2015 at 9:12 PM with the headline "News & Notes (4/20/15)."