Two powerful tornadoes have ripped through Ames in the past year, one of which injured seven ISU students on its way through campus. Scenarios such as this have authorities asking whether students and Ames residents are prepared for disasters.

The Lincoln Way Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering free disaster training courses, beginning April 10, to ensure students can be prepared before disasters strike.

“As we have seen both last November and last weekend, storms can strike at any time,” said Doug Yetman, executive director of the Lincoln Way Chapter of the American Red Cross. “It’s not a matter of if [natural disasters will strike], but when.”

Yetman explained that this training will help engage community members in volunteering, as well as preparing for a disaster.

“This is the type of training people need to help out next year in the event of a local or national disaster,” Yetman said.

A family services course will instruct volunteers on how to fill out the required forms to help members of the community who are in need.

The shelter operations course will show the process of opening, operating and closing a shelter, which meets at the chapter office, 426 Fifth St.

The community services course will provide an overview of bulk distribution, feeding, sheltering and disaster assessment, which can help students to understand what is done in the event of a disaster.

The disaster assessment portion will explain the importance of delivering accurate information to the disaster relief operation, and how this information shapes an effective service delivery plan.

The Red Cross is open to new volunteers for Ames’ Disaster Action Team. Members of this team are the first response to disasters in the community day or night, and are on call one week at a time. Students interested in volunteering for a Disaster Action Team are encouraged to attend an informational meeting at 5:30 p.m. April 10 at the chapter office.

Iowa State’s disaster reaction plan is explained on the Web at www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/communications/recovery, which gives many links and suggestions in the event of a natural disaster.

Iowa State also offers a toll-free Family Extension Answer Line open to all Iowans to answer questions about repairing damaged homes, among other domestic concerns. The answer line’s phone number is 1-800-262-3804.

“We do a lot more than natural disasters,” said Lois Heckert, extension program specialist. “It’s after the fact that this number would be helpful.”

Heckert said the answer line answers a broad range of questions, including those about nutrition, consumer management, food preparation, cleaning and laundry, in addition to home repair following a natural disaster.

The Red Cross classes will be taught during the next two months, and are offered in Story, Boone and Greene Counties. For class registration, contact Ryan Doll at (515)232-5104 or check out the Web site at www.lincolnwayarc.org.