WASHINGTON, Tuesday, September 01, 2009 — A new survey shows that while about half of Americans have experienced a significant emergency, many people still are not ready for the unexpected because they do not know what to do. To help people take needed preparedness steps, the American Red Cross is launching a new Do More Than Cross Your Fingers public awareness campaign.

The new campaign, which features actress Jamie Lee Curtis as a spokesperson, seeks to promote personal preparedness and includes an interactive website that guides visitors through user-friendly emergency preparedness games and activities.

"We all cross our fingers for luck, but when we're facing life's emergencies, it's easy to do a little more," said Curtis, who is a longtime advocate of preparedness and member of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet.

"People know how important it is to be ready for an emergency, but they often don't prepare because it's too daunting, they don't know where to start or they do not have the time," said Scott Conner, Red Cross Senior Vice President for Preparedness and Health and Safety Services.  "This campaign was created to give people an easy starting point so they can feel more confident about the safety of their loved ones in an emergency."   

A Red Cross survey conducted in late July and early August showed that 51 percent of Americans have experienced at least one emergency situation where they lost utilities for at least three days, had to evacuate, could not return home or communicate with family members or had to provide first aid to others.

Although 89 percent of those surveyed believe it is important to be prepared for emergencies, far fewer are actually taking the steps necessary to prepare. 

The survey showed that while 80 percent of Americans had taken at least one key preparedness step, only about 12 percent of Americans are reasonably prepared for a disaster, as recommended by the Red Cross. The Red Cross urges people to get a kit, make a plan and be informed, which can include identifying an out-of-town contact, determining a meeting place, practicing their emergency plan, getting an emergency kit and completing First Aid and CPR/AED training.

The Red Cross survey also found that 47 percent of Americans have assembled an emergency kit, 45 percent have chosen an out of town contact and less than one in four (24 percent) have practiced their emergency plan.

The Do More Than Cross Your Fingers campaign teaches individuals that going just a little further in their preparedness efforts can make all the difference when the unexpected occurs.

The Do More website (RedCross.org/domore) features an online video of Curtis showing visitors how she personalizes her emergency kit.  Like Curtis, visitors can share how they personalize their kit with others. An interactive game also allows visitors to create a customized list of emergency kit items based on their own needs. 

The Do More Than Cross Your Fingers campaign launches with the support of two corporate sponsors, Clorox and FedEx Corporation, which will also encourage consumers to be ready for emergencies.

The campaign coincides with National Preparedness Month, an annual observance sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

For more information about the Do More than Cross Your Fingers campaign visit RedCross.org/domore.

 This research was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Red Cross between July 24 and August 7, 2009 among 1306 U.S. residents aged 18 or older, including an over-sample of 487 mothers of children under 18 weighted appropriately into the general population sample. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.